SRS vs DistroKid vs TuneCore vs CD Baby
Every major distributor puts music in stores. The difference is what happens before, during, and after the upload. Here's how Signal Room Society compares to the self-serve alternatives.
Signal Room Society
$0/year
$0/year distribution with an 85% artist royalty split. Paid services are optional.
DistroKid
$22.99+/yr
Royalties retained after annual fee
TuneCore
$14.99+ per release
Royalties retained after per-release fee
CD Baby
$9.99+ per release
91% royalties, one-time fee
What you actually get
| Feature | SRS | DistroKid | TuneCore | CD Baby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0/year distribution | $0/year | $22.99+/yr required | $14.99+ per release | $9.99+ per release |
| Artist royalty split | 85% artist royalty split | Artist keeps royalties after fee | Artist keeps royalties after fee | 91% after cut |
| Keep master ownership | ||||
| Delivery to 150+ stores | ||||
| Human release review | Every submission reviewed | Automated only | Limited review | Basic QA |
| Private client dashboard | Full Client Room | Basic stats portal | Basic portal | Basic portal |
| Session Room (file review + comments) | Included | |||
| Music mastering | On-demand service | Paid add-onAdd-on via partners | Paid add-onAdd-on | |
| Cover artwork design | On-demand service | Paid add-onAdd-on | ||
| Spotify editorial pitching | On-demand service | Self-serve tool only | ||
| Royalty split tracking | SplitShare™ built-in | Manual splits tool | ||
| Metadata QA before submission | Readiness gate included | Basic validation | ||
| Sync licensing support | On-demand service | Paid add-onPublishing admin add-on | Paid add-onAdd-on | |
| Membership savings tier | The Booth — $9.99/mo, 20% off eligible fixed-price services | Annual plan discounts only | ||
| No forced annual subscription | Distribution is free, membership optional | Must pay annually to keep releases live | Pay per release or annual plan | Pay per release option |
Competitor pricing and features based on publicly available information as of May 2026. Subject to change.
Distribution is the starting line. Most platforms treat it like the finish.
DistroKid, TuneCore, and CD Baby are upload portals. They are good at putting files in stores. They are not in the business of helping you execute a rollout, fix a metadata problem before it hits stores, or deliver a mastered track directly into your private client workspace.
Signal Room Society treats distribution as infrastructure, not as the product. The product is what happens around the release — the prep, the support, the communication, and the services that make the release actually land.
Before you decide.
Can I switch from DistroKid or TuneCore to SRS?
Yes. SRS offers TransferTrack™ catalog migration support. Catalog transfers may require takedowns from the previous distributor before redelivery. We help coordinate the handoff, but DSP processing time and profile correction timing are not guaranteed.
Is the distribution really free with no catch?
The distribution lane is $0/year with an 85% artist royalty split. There is no hidden annual fee to keep your releases live. Paid services are optional.
What happens if I only want distribution and nothing else?
That is completely fine. The distribution lane is $0/year with an 85% artist royalty split. Paid services are optional, and the platform does not push upsells during the submission flow.
How is SRS different if both services put music on Spotify?
The delivery is the same. The difference is the 20-minute conversation after upload that DistroKid does not have — the metadata check, the cover art review, the Session Room where your deliverables live, and the human on the other side of the order.