CD Baby vs TuneCore
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, and value
Quick Verdict
Feature Comparison
CD Baby
Music distribution since 1998
TuneCore
Keep 100% of your sales revenue
Cost Breakdown by Release Frequency
1 Release per Year
Occasional artist, testing the waters
5 Releases per Year
Regular release schedule
10 Releases per Year
Frequent releases, prolific artist
Pros & Cons
✓ CD Baby Pros
- +Publishing administration available
- +YouTube Content ID included
- +Wide distribution (150+ platforms)
- +Open to all artists (no application required)
âš CD Baby Cons
- -High commission on YouTube/Social Video (30%)
- -Sync commission is very high (40%)
- -Customer support reports of long wait times and bot reliance
- -9% commission on revenue
- -Limited or slow customer support
✓ TuneCore Pros
- +Keep 100% of sales revenue
- +Extensive platform coverage (150+ stores)
- +Detailed sales reporting
- +Publishing administration available
- +No commission on royalties
- +Established reputation
âš TuneCore Cons
- -Annual renewal fees per release
- -More expensive for frequent releasers
- -Customer support can be slow
- -No free tier
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Get Personalized Recommendation →CD Baby vs TuneCore: Detailed Comparison
Choosing between CD Baby and TuneCore depends on your release frequency and priorities. CD Baby uses a pay per-release pricing model, while TuneCore operates on a per release basis.
For occasional artists releasing 1-2 songs per year, CD Baby offers better value at $9.99 per year. However, frequent releasers with 10+ songs annually will find CD Baby more cost-effective at $99.90 per year. Consider your support needs, distribution speed requirements, and publishing administration options when making your decision.