RouteNote's free tier offers no-cost distribution with a 15% revenue share, while DistroKid charges $22.99/year for unlimited uploads with 100% royalties. For AI music creators, the choice depends on expected earnings and release volume. If you earn more than approximately $153/year, DistroKid saves money. If you are testing or expect minimal earnings, RouteNote free eliminates upfront risk.

Both distributors accept AI music, making this primarily a financial decision rather than a policy one.

Quick comparison table

Factor	DistroKid	RouteNote Free	RouteNote Premium
Upfront cost	$22.99/year	$0	$12.99/single setup
Revenue share	Keep 100%	Keep 85%	Keep 100%
AI music accepted	Yes	Yes	Yes
Unlimited uploads	Yes	Yes	Yes
Best for	Earning creators	Testing/starting	Middle ground

Pricing models explained

DistroKid

According to DistroKid's pricing:

Plan	Annual Cost	Features
Musician	$22.99/year	Unlimited uploads, 100% royalties
Musician Plus	$35.99/year	Above + extra features
Label	$79.99/year	Multiple artist profiles

Key points:

Pay upfront, keep all earnings
Must renew annually to keep music live
Unlimited releases at fixed cost

RouteNote Free

According to RouteNote reviews:

No upfront payment required
15% revenue share (you keep 85%)
All stores included
No feature restrictions vs premium

Key points:

Zero barrier to entry
Ongoing revenue share applies forever
Good for testing viability

RouteNote Premium

$12.99 one-time setup per single
$59.99 one-time setup per album
$12.99/$59.99 annual renewal
Keep 100% of royalties

Key points:

Per-release pricing like TuneCore
Keeps music live indefinitely with renewal
Full royalty retention

Break-even analysis

The math determines which option saves money:

Free tier break-even

RouteNote takes 15%. DistroKid costs $22.99/year.

Break-even point: $22.99 / 0.15 = ~$153/year

Your Annual Earnings	Best Choice	Reasoning
Under $153	RouteNote Free	15% of small earnings < $22.99
Over $153	DistroKid	100% of earnings > 85%

Examples:

Annual Earnings	RouteNote Free Cost	DistroKid Cost	Better Option
$50	$7.50 (15%)	$22.99	RouteNote
$100	$15 (15%)	$22.99	RouteNote
$200	$30 (15%)	$22.99	DistroKid
$500	$75 (15%)	$22.99	DistroKid
$1,000	$150 (15%)	$22.99	DistroKid

Tip If you expect to earn more than about $150/year from streaming, DistroKid will save you money. If you are just testing or expect minimal earnings, RouteNote free eliminates upfront risk.

AI music policies

DistroKid AI policy

DistroKid explicitly accepts AI music with conditions:

Must own 100% of rights
No voice impersonation
No spam content
Must check AI disclosure box

RouteNote AI policy

RouteNote also accepts AI music but with review processes:

AI-powered quality checks before submission
May reject for quality or policy concerns
Emphasizes respect for original creators
Reviews on case-by-case basis

Both platforms allow AI music, making this comparison primarily about economics rather than policy.

Feature comparison

Feature	DistroKid	RouteNote Free	RouteNote Premium
Stores	150+	Same as Premium	150+
Spotify	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple Music	Yes	Yes	Yes
YouTube Music	Yes	Yes	Yes
TikTok	Yes	Yes	Yes
YouTube Content ID	Extra fee	Included	Included
Analytics	Basic	Basic	Basic
Splits	Extra fee	Available	Available
Delivery speed	Fast	Standard	Standard

Notable: RouteNote includes YouTube Content ID in both tiers, while DistroKid charges extra. For AI music creators who want Content ID, this may favor RouteNote.

Use case recommendations

Choose RouteNote Free if:

You are testing AI music viability

No upfront investment required
Release tracks and see what happens
Switch to paid option if earnings justify it

You expect minimal earnings

Under ~$150/year expected
Learning the distribution process
Building catalog before promotion

You want zero financial risk

No commitment required
Can always upgrade later
15% is acceptable for convenience

Choose DistroKid if:

You expect meaningful earnings

Over ~$150/year expected
Already have streaming traction
Building serious artist project

You release high volume

Many tracks to test
Rapid iteration approach
Unlimited uploads valuable

You want maximum earnings

Keep 100% of royalties
Small annual fee vs ongoing share
Long-term cost efficiency

Choose RouteNote Premium if:

You want a middle ground

Per-release pricing preference
Keep 100% royalties
Do not want annual subscription

You release infrequently

A few singles per year
Albums rather than singles
Lower total cost than DistroKid at low volume

Strategy for AI creators

Many AI music creators use a progression:

Start with RouteNote Free Test your first AI tracks with zero upfront cost. See if they gain any traction before investing.
Monitor earnings Track your streaming revenue. Once you approach $150/year, the math shifts.
Migrate to DistroKid When earnings justify it, switch to DistroKid for unlimited uploads and 100% royalties.
Keep catalog on RouteNote Your RouteNote releases stay live. No need to migrate old tracks unless desired.

This approach minimizes risk while you learn what works.

Practical considerations

Distribution speed

DistroKid is generally faster (1-7 days typical) than RouteNote (can take 1-2 weeks). For time-sensitive releases, factor this in.

Support quality

Both platforms receive mixed reviews for support responsiveness. DistroKid has more documentation; RouteNote is generally responsive but slower.

Platform stability

Both are established distributors with years of operation. Neither is likely to disappear suddenly.

Content ID considerations

If you want Content ID for your AI music:

RouteNote includes it in both tiers
DistroKid charges extra

However, Content ID can cause issues if you also upload your own YouTube videos. Consider whether you need it.

Recommendation summary

Your Situation	Recommended Option
Just starting out	RouteNote Free
Testing AI music	RouteNote Free
Under $150/year earnings	RouteNote Free
Over $150/year earnings	DistroKid
High volume releases	DistroKid
Want Content ID included	RouteNote Free
Building serious project	DistroKid

The decision is primarily financial. Both distributors accept AI music, deliver to the same stores, and offer similar core features. Calculate your expected earnings and choose accordingly.

For most AI creators starting out, RouteNote Free offers a risk-free way to test distribution. Once you have traction, DistroKid's unlimited model and 100% royalties make it the better long-term choice.