How to Get Your Music on Spotify (2026 Guide) | Best Music Distributors for Independent Artists

Updated April 2026 — Choosing a distributor is the first step to getting your music on Spotify. We've fully refreshed this guide with 2026 pricing, new distributors, and what's actually changed since we first published it.

How Do You Get Your Music on Spotify?

To get your music on Spotify, you need to work with a music distributor. They act as the pipeline between your recordings and streaming platforms — Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, TikTok, YouTube Music, and dozens more.

Spotify does not accept direct uploads from independent artists, so a distributor is non-negotiable.

Every distributor below can get your music onto Spotify. What differs is cost, royalty splits, additional services, release speed, and how well each one fits your career stage.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Distributor

What are your goals as an artist?
Is music a hobby or a career? This shapes how much you should invest upfront.

How much music do you plan to release?
This is the single biggest factor in pricing model choice. Frequent releasers benefit enormously from flat-rate unlimited plans.

Do you need additional services?
Publishing administration, YouTube Content ID, sync licensing, playlist pitching — these extras vary widely between distributors.

What happens if you stop paying?
Subscription-based distributors (DistroKid) will remove your music if you cancel. One-time fee models (CD Baby) keep your music live permanently. Understand the trade-off before you commit.

How important is delivery speed?
Most distributors recommend submitting 2–4 weeks before release for Spotify editorial playlist pitching. Some get you live in 24–48 hours; others take up to two weeks.

The Best Music Distributors in 2026

Profiles listed in alphabetical order.

• Name: Amuse
• Based: Sweden (Stockholm)
• Royalties: 100% (all plans)
• Pricing (view details):
  • Artist: $23.99/year — 1 artist, unlimited releases, 24-hour ASAP delivery, royalty advances, daily streaming insights
  • Artist Plus: $39.99/year — everything in Artist, plus 2 artists, fan email collection, hi-res audio distribution
  • Professional: $59.99/year — everything in Artist Plus, plus 3+ artists, custom label name, priority support (24-hour), auto-saves, business payouts
• Delivery speed: As fast as 24 hours (ASAP Release feature)
• Payout: On-demand withdrawal from the app
• Best for: Independent artists who want the fastest delivery speeds, royalty advances, and a growing feature set. Not for artists seeking a free option — that no longer exists.

• Name: CD Baby
• Based: USA (Portland, OR)
• Royalties: 91% (CD Baby keeps 9% commission)
• Pricing (view details):
  • Single: $9.99 one-time fee
  • Album: $14.99 one-time fee
  • Optional add-ons: CD Baby Boost (publishing admin, sync licensing, SoundExchange) and FastForward (priority inspection + support for 1 year) are available at separate rates

Delivery speed: 3–7 business days

Payout: Weekly on Mondays

Best for: Artists releasing music occasionally who want permanent, no-subscription hosting. The 9% royalty commission becomes increasingly significant as your income grows, but the permanence and no-renewal model is genuinely unique.

• Name: Distrokid
• Based: USA (New York, NY)
• Royalties: 100% (0% commission on most platforms; 20% commission on YouTube Content ID earnings)
• Pricing (view details):
  • Musician: $24.99/year — 1 artist, unlimited releases, royalty splits, free promo tools
  • Musician Plus: $44.99/year — 2 artists, adds custom release dates, daily streaming stats, custom label name, custom iTunes pricing
  • Ultimate: $89.99/year — 1–100 artists, adds advanced analytics, ability to replace song audio, 1TB instant file sharing, search engine for playlist contact info
• Delivery speed: 2–5 days (DistroKid previously advertised 24–72 hours but their current site says 2–5 days for Spotify)
• Payout: Twice weekly (as soon as DistroKid receives and processes earnings from streaming services)
• Best for: Artists releasing frequently who want unlimited uploads and zero royalty commission. The best pure value for high-volume independent artists — as long as you keep paying. If you cancel, all your music is removed from every streaming platform.

• Name: Ditto Music
• Based: UK (Liverpool)
• Royalties: 100% (all plans, 0% commission)
• Pricing (view details):
  • Starter: $19/year — 1 artist, unlimited releases to 150+ platforms, free pre-save SmartLinks, in-depth analytics, royalty splits, instant Spotify verification, playlist submission, fast direct payouts
  • Pro: $59/year — 2 artists, everything in Starter plus sync licensing pitching (TV/film), publishing royalty collection, YouTube Content ID & Official Artist Channel, priority live chat support, Release Protection Guaranteed (music stays live even if you cancel or miss a payment), timed releases, compilation releases, Ditto Pro Perks (contact databases, EPK templates, discounts)
  • Label: starts at $89/year — 3+ artists, scales with roster size
  • Get 25% off any Ditto Music plan with discount code PLAYLISTPUSH25 here
• Payout: Direct bank payout on request
• Best for: Artists who want an unlimited release pricing model, but with more features built in, better global reach, and the unique Release Protection on the Pro plan. The Pro plan at $39/year is exceptional value given what it includes.

• Name: Record Union
• Royalties: 85% by default (Record Union keeps 15%). A "Royalty Upgrade" option is available for $25/year to increase your share to 92.5%.
• Pricing (view details) Per-release, annual fee model. Pricing varies based on number of tracks and number of platforms:
  • "Top Dog" (7 popular platforms): from $17/year for 1–2 tracks, up to $24/year for 6–12 tracks
  • "World Domination" (20+ platforms): from $23/year for 1–2 tracks, up to $35/year for 6–12 tracks
• Delivery speed: 5 business days (priority); typically 1–2 weeks standard
• Payout: Direct bank payout in multiple currencies; royalties stop accumulating if you let your subscription lapse (though music stays in stores)
• Best for: Artists who want to distribute to a curated set of platforms (not necessarily every store), value live chat customer support, and appreciate granular control over distribution scope. The per-release model works well for artists releasing infrequently.

• Name: Reverbnation
• Based: USA (Morrisville, NC)
• Royalties: 100%
• Pricing: (View details):
  • Single: $9.95/year
  • Album: $19.95/year (first year), $49.95/year after that
  • Premium members get 2 free distributions per year (Premium membership is a separate monthly subscription covering website, EPK, email tools, and more)
• Delivery speed: Varies; they recommend setting release dates at least 2 weeks out
• Payout: On-request withdrawal
• Best for: Artists already inside the ReverbNation ecosystem who want distribution bundled with other artist tools. Not recommended as a standalone distribution choice in 2026 given the per-release fees and narrower store coverage compared to alternatives at similar or lower price points.

• Name: Symphonic
• Based: USA (Tampa, FL)
• Royalties:
  • Starter: 100% (you keep everything from streaming DSPs; percentage-based fees apply to UGC platforms like YouTube, Meta, and TikTok)
  • Partner: Custom percentage deal negotiated per agreement
• Founded: 2006
• Startup Risk: Low
• You keep 100% Royalties: No.
• Artist keeps 85% on standard plan with no label services included
• Plans with label services will have a negotiated rate
• Pricing (view details):
  • Starter: $19.99/year — unlimited releases, 100% royalties from streaming DSPs, royalty splits via SplitShare™ (free), Spotify Discovery Mode analytics, TikTok/YouTube/UGC analytics, SoundExchange enrollment available, AI mastering available, sync licensing via Bodega Sync (selective)
  • Partner: Application-required, percentage-based custom deal. Intended for more established labels and artists. Includes all Starter features plus dedicated marketing services and label-level support.
• Frequency of Payment (view details):
• Delivery speed: 2–4 days
• Payout: Monthly (minimum $50 threshold for standard distribution royalties)
• Best for: Artists who want a solid DIY distribution option (Starter) with a clear upgrade path to label-level services (Partner) as their career grows. Symphonic's CEO is a producer himself, and the company is particularly well-regarded in the electronic music community.

• Name: Tunecore
• Based: USA (New York, NY)
• Royalties: 100% on streaming royalties; 80% on Facebook/Instagram; 20% fee on social platform revenue (TikTok, YouTube, etc.)
• Pricing (view details):
  • Rising Artist: $24.99/year — unlimited releases to 150+ stores, Spotify registered artist checkmark, Apple Music for Artists verification, royalty splits, 3-business-day customer service response
  • Breakout Artist: $44.99/year — everything in Rising, plus daily trend reports, cover art creator, Store Automator, use your own ISRC, access to exclusive partnerships, 2-business-day response
  • Professional: $54.99/year — everything in Breakout, plus premium sales reports, 1-business-day response, custom label name, YouTube Content ID, YouTube OAC (Official Artist Channel), recording location, release-level country restrictions, promotional opportunities, pro panels and expert advice sessions; additional primary artist profiles cost $14.99/year each
• Pay-per-release option also available:
  • Single: $24.99/year (renews annually)
  • Album: $44.99/year (first year); $56.49/year renewal — this is a significant price jump to be aware of
• Delivery speed: 2–5 business days
• Payout: On-request withdrawal
• Best for: Artists releasing infrequently who want comprehensive service, excellent royalty reporting, and strong publishing administration. The pay-per-release model suits artists with small catalogs — but watch the album renewal fee, which jumps to $56.49/year after year one.

2026 At-a-Glance Comparison

* DistroKid takes 20% of YouTube Content ID earnings ** Record Union keeps 15% by default; $25/year upgrade brings you to 92.5% *** Symphonic's 100% applies to streaming DSPs; UGC platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Meta) have separate commission rates **** TuneCore takes 20% on social platform revenue (TikTok, YouTube, etc.) and 20% on publishing royalties collected

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a distributor to get on Spotify? Yes. Spotify does not accept direct uploads from independent artists. You must use an approved distributor.

Which music distributor lets you keep 100% of royalties? DistroKid, Ditto Music, Amuse, Symphonic Starter, and TuneCore all let you keep 100% of streaming royalties. CD Baby takes 9%. Record Union keeps 15% by default (upgradeable to 7.5% commission for $25/year extra). Note that most distributors take a percentage on YouTube/TikTok UGC revenue even when they advertise "100% royalties" — always check the fine print.

What happens to my music if I cancel DistroKid? All your music is removed from Spotify and every other platform. DistroKid's "Leave a Legacy" add-on can protect individual releases for a one-time fee, but it must be purchased per release. CD Baby and Ditto Pro's Release Protection are the main alternatives that guarantee music stays live regardless of payment status.

How fast does DistroKid get music on Spotify? DistroKid's current site states 2–5 days. Amuse is now the fastest mainstream distributor, offering 24-hour delivery via its ASAP Release feature.

What is the cheapest music distributor in 2026? Ditto Starter at $19/year for unlimited releases is the most affordable paid option for frequent releasers. For infrequent releasers, CD Baby's $9.99 one-time fee per single may work out cheaper long-term.

Should I use TuneCore or DistroKid? DistroKid is better for artists releasing frequently and who want the fastest, simplest process. TuneCore is better for artists releasing infrequently who want superior royalty reporting and publishing administration. Both offer 100% of streaming royalties, though TuneCore takes a 20% fee on social platform revenue.

Is there still a free music distributor? Amuse and TuneCore eliminated their free tiers in 2025. RouteNote (not covered in this article) still offers a free tier with a revenue share model. There is no longer a major distributor offering truly free unlimited distribution.

Pricing verified from official company websites as of April 2026. Distributor pricing changes frequently and sometimes without announcement — always confirm current rates on each company's website before signing up.