TuneCore vs CD Baby: which one fits you?
TuneCore costs $24.99 a year (Rising Artist) with unlimited releases, keeps 0% of streaming money and includes Content ID and splits. CD Baby costs $9.99 per single once and keeps 9% of digital money. Release once and stop: CD Baby. Release often or want splits: TuneCore.
SOURCE: TuneCore pricing · CHECKED 16 October 2026Music Distributor Picker runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded.
TuneCore and CD Baby both include YouTube Content ID, so the choice comes down to a yearly plan with no cut against a one-off fee with a 9% cut, plus splits and AI rules.
Pick TuneCore if
- You release three or more singles a year.
- You need automatic splits with collaborators, included on Rising Artist.
- You use AI tools trained on licensed data (TuneCore accepts those; CD Baby accepts no AI content).
Pick CD Baby if
- You release one single or album and want no yearly bill.
- You prefer losing 9% of earnings to paying every year.
- You want CD Baby's free marketing tools for pre-saves and a chance at its playlist pitching.
YouTube money on both
Both include Content ID. TuneCore keeps 20% of TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube money. CD Baby keeps 30% of social video money. If video money is a big part of your income, that 10-point gap matters more than the plan price.
TuneCore vs CD Baby: the facts side by side
| TuneCore | CD Baby | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Yearly subscription with unlimited releases. A pay per release option is also listed (a single at $24.99 a year). | One-time fee per release, no yearly fee. CD Baby keeps 9% of digital distribution money. |
| Plans (first 12 months) | Rising Artist: $24.99 a year; Breakout Artist: $44.99 a year; Professional: $54.99 a year | Pay per release: $9.99 per release, keeps 9% |
| Royalties you keep | No commission on store and streaming money. A 20% fee applies to money from TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. | You keep 91% of digital distribution money; CD Baby keeps 9%. |
| YouTube Content ID | Yes. Included from Rising Artist up. TuneCore keeps 20% of YouTube and social money. | Yes. YouTube Content ID money is included. CD Baby keeps 30% of social video money (YouTube, TikTok, Meta). |
| Automatic splits | Yes. Automatic splits with collaborators, no commission, from Rising Artist up. | Not stated. We found no automatic splits feature on CD Baby's own pages. |
| Pre-save and pitching | Not stated. We found no TuneCore pre-save tool of its own. On Professional, in some countries, Artist Pitch Forms put your release forward for TuneCore's playlists and store partners, with no promise of placement. | Yes. Free marketing tools to drive pre-saves, and consideration for its playlist pitching (no promise). |
| Cover song licences | Yes. Sells cover licences through a partner: $17 for under 500 downloads, $70 above. Downloads only, and the page looks old. | No. No longer sells cover licences itself; it points you to a licensing partner. |
| AI music | Only from licensed AI tools. TuneCore distributes AI-made music only if every AI model used was trained on fully licensed data. Google Flow Music is its named approved partner, and Suno says tracks from its new partner model are eligible. | No. CD Baby says it cannot accept any AI-generated content, even if it is commercially licensed and even if only part of the recording is AI. AI content it finds is removed, and repeat attempts can end your account. |
| Upload lead time | Upload about 4 weeks before release day, so it goes live everywhere on the day. | Upload about 4 weeks before release day, so it goes live everywhere on the day. |
| Artificial streaming fee | Spotify's monthly €10 penalty for each track with high levels of artificial streaming is passed on to the TuneCore account holder in local currency. | Spotify's flat penalty of approximately $10 to $11 per affected track per month appears as a negative transaction in Sales & Accounting > Transaction Reporting. |
What the first year costs
| Singles in 12 months | TuneCore | CD Baby |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $24.99 on Rising Artist | $9.99 on Pay per release, keeps 9% |
| 4 | $24.99 on Rising Artist | $39.96 on Pay per release, keeps 9% |
| 12 | $24.99 on Rising Artist | $119.88 on Pay per release, keeps 9% |
Costs are for the first 12 months on the cheapest plan, from the prices on each distributor's page, in US dollars before tax, with no add-ons. Yearly plans renew every year; one-off fees do not. The picker above adds Content ID, splits and a cover licence when you need them.
Stage is not paid by any distributor and none of the links on this page are affiliate links. We read each distributor's own pricing and help pages on the date shown and link every fact to the page it came from. Prices change, so open the source before you pay.
Questions artists ask
Which is cheaper, TuneCore or CD Baby?
CD Baby for one release ($9.99 once). TuneCore from three singles a year ($24.99 for unlimited releases).
Do both keep a share of my royalties?
TuneCore keeps no commission on store and streaming money but 20% of social and YouTube money. CD Baby keeps 9% of digital distribution money.
Which one allows AI music?
TuneCore accepts music made with AI models trained on fully licensed data. CD Baby accepts no AI-generated content at all.
How far ahead should I upload?
TuneCore recommends 3 to 4 weeks. CD Baby says at least 3 weeks, 4 to 6 ideal, and inspection takes 7 to 14 business days without its paid Fast Forward option.
Related
- Which music distributor should I use?
Answer 7 questions and get a ranked shortlist of 12 music distributors, with each one's price, cut and rules, read on its own site on 16 October 2026. - DistroKid vs TuneCore: which one fits you?
DistroKid vs TuneCore: both start at $24.99 a year and keep 0% of streaming money. Content ID, pre-saves, covers and AI rules compared, with sources. - DistroKid vs CD Baby: yearly plan or pay once?
DistroKid charges $24.99 a year and keeps 0%. CD Baby charges $9.99 per single once and keeps 9%. Which fits you depends on how often you release. - DistroKid vs Amuse: which one fits you?
DistroKid is $24.99 a year, Amuse $23.99. Both keep 0% of streaming money. How Content ID, splits, cover licences and AI rules differ, with dated sources. - Music release planner: every deadline from upload to release day
Free release planner: pick a date and distributor and get every deadline (upload, Spotify pitch, pre-save, release day), each with its dated source. - Can you upload AI music? Rules for 24 platforms and distributors
Spotify: yes. Bandcamp and CD Baby: no. Most distributors: yes, with limits. AI music rules for 24 platforms in each company's own words, dated. - Streams to money calculator: what every platform pays per stream
What Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and 7 more pay per stream in 2026, after your distributor's cut and splits. Sourced, dated ranges. Free. - Artificial streaming checker: your Spotify numbers, notice and fee
Got an artificial streaming notice? Check your Spotify for Artists numbers, estimate the €10 per track fee, and see what your distributor says to do.
Sources
- TuneCore pricing · checked 16 October 2026
- TuneCore home page · checked 16 October 2026
- TuneCore help: Artist Pitch Forms · checked 16 October 2026
- TuneCore cover song licensing · checked 16 October 2026
- TuneCore Help: TuneCore's GenAI Music Content Framework · checked 15 October 2026
- TuneCore help: How long does it take for my music to go live in stores? · checked 16 October 2026
- TuneCore Help: Fees & Penalties for Artificial Streaming (updated 15 Oct 2026) · checked 16 October 2026
- CD Baby: How much does CD Baby cost · checked 16 October 2026
- CD Baby help: How much does CD Baby cost? · checked 16 October 2026
- CD Baby cover song licensing · checked 16 October 2026
- CD Baby Help: Understanding Production Sounds · checked 15 October 2026
- CD Baby help: When should I set my release date and how long does distribution take? · checked 16 October 2026
- CD Baby Help: Why have I been charged an artificial streaming fee? · checked 16 October 2026
Found something out of date? Email info@groovegainer.com and we fix it, usually the same week. How we check our sources.