Publishing administration, sync licensing, and marketing support are available for Partner artists. The Starter tier is competitive with DistroKid/TuneCore for pure distribution.

Strengths: Genre expertise, comprehensive Partner services, good support reputation Weaknesses: Less brand recognition, Partner tier is selective

7. RouteNote

Pricing: Free (15% commission) or $10-30 per release (Premium) Royalty retention: 85% (Free) or 100% (Premium) Best for: Artists testing distribution with zero upfront cost

RouteNote's free tier delivers to all major platforms - including Spotify and Apple Music - in exchange for 15% of royalties. Unlike UnitedMasters, there's no store restriction on free.

For artists unsure about their revenue potential, starting free and upgrading to Premium if earnings justify it is a low-risk approach.

Strengths: Genuine free tier with full distribution, easy upgrade path Weaknesses: Slower processing on free tier, 15% is steep if you're earning significantly

8. UnitedMasters

Pricing: Free (social only) or $59.99/year Select (10% commission on all) Royalty retention: 90% (after commission) Best for: Hip-hop and R&B artists seeking brand deals

UnitedMasters' brand partnerships (NBA, NFL, Bose) create sync and licensing opportunities that other distributors don't offer. Their hip-hop focus and founder's industry connections (Steve Stoute) attract artists in that space.

The pricing model is confusing - the "Select" tier costs $59.99/year AND takes 10% commission. This makes it more expensive than TuneCore or DistroKid for most artists.

Strengths: Brand partnership opportunities, strong hip-hop network, sync potential Weaknesses: Confusing pricing, free tier excludes Spotify/Apple Music, expensive at scale

9. Amuse

Pricing: Free (commission) or $24.99-59.99/year (Fast Lane, Pro) Royalty retention: Varies by tier Best for: Artists hoping to be discovered by a label

Amuse positions itself as a discovery platform - their team scouts free-tier artists and offers deals to promising acts. If getting label attention is your goal, the ecosystem has appeal.

For pure distribution, other services offer clearer terms. The value proposition depends on whether you believe in (and want) their label pathway.

Strengths: Label discovery potential, clean mobile app, reasonable paid tiers Weaknesses: Less transparent commission structure, free tier is limited

The Bottom Line

For most independent artists releasing regularly, TuneCore or DistroKid are the safest defaults. TuneCore offers cleaner all-in pricing; DistroKid offers lower base cost with speed advantages.

For infrequent releasers, CD Baby remains compelling. For zero-budget starts, RouteNote Free provides full access without upfront cost.

Selective services like AWAL and Symphonic Partner offer real value for artists with existing traction who can get accepted and leverage the additional services.

Your choice matters less than your music and marketing. Pick a reliable service, start releasing, and iterate based on your actual experience.

Publishing administration, sync licensing, and marketing support are available for Partner artists. The Starter tier is competitive with DistroKid/TuneCore for pure distribution.

Strengths: Genre expertise, comprehensive Partner services, good support reputation Weaknesses: Less brand recognition, Partner tier is selective

7. RouteNote

Pricing: Free (15% commission) or $10-30 per release (Premium) Royalty retention: 85% (Free) or 100% (Premium) Best for: Artists testing distribution with zero upfront cost

RouteNote's free tier delivers to all major platforms - including Spotify and Apple Music - in exchange for 15% of royalties. Unlike UnitedMasters, there's no store restriction on free.

For artists unsure about their revenue potential, starting free and upgrading to Premium if earnings justify it is a low-risk approach.

Strengths: Genuine free tier with full distribution, easy upgrade path Weaknesses: Slower processing on free tier, 15% is steep if you're earning significantly

8. UnitedMasters

Pricing: Free (social only) or $59.99/year Select (10% commission on all) Royalty retention: 90% (after commission) Best for: Hip-hop and R&B artists seeking brand deals

UnitedMasters' brand partnerships (NBA, NFL, Bose) create sync and licensing opportunities that other distributors don't offer. Their hip-hop focus and founder's industry connections (Steve Stoute) attract artists in that space.

The pricing model is confusing - the "Select" tier costs $59.99/year AND takes 10% commission. This makes it more expensive than TuneCore or DistroKid for most artists.

Strengths: Brand partnership opportunities, strong hip-hop network, sync potential Weaknesses: Confusing pricing, free tier excludes Spotify/Apple Music, expensive at scale

9. Amuse

Pricing: Free (commission) or $24.99-59.99/year (Fast Lane, Pro) Royalty retention: Varies by tier Best for: Artists hoping to be discovered by a label

Amuse positions itself as a discovery platform - their team scouts free-tier artists and offers deals to promising acts. If getting label attention is your goal, the ecosystem has appeal.

For pure distribution, other services offer clearer terms. The value proposition depends on whether you believe in (and want) their label pathway.

Strengths: Label discovery potential, clean mobile app, reasonable paid tiers Weaknesses: Less transparent commission structure, free tier is limited

The Bottom Line

For most independent artists releasing regularly, TuneCore or DistroKid are the safest defaults. TuneCore offers cleaner all-in pricing; DistroKid offers lower base cost with speed advantages.

For infrequent releasers, CD Baby remains compelling. For zero-budget starts, RouteNote Free provides full access without upfront cost.

Selective services like AWAL and Symphonic Partner offer real value for artists with existing traction who can get accepted and leverage the additional services.

Your choice matters less than your music and marketing. Pick a reliable service, start releasing, and iterate based on your actual experience.