Is Distromasters better than CD Baby?

Distromasters offers 100% royalties on annual plans with no per-release commission, while CD Baby charges 9% commission per sale in addition to upfront distribution fees. Distromasters also includes custom label names, ISRC codes, and UPC barcodes at no extra charge.

Does CD Baby take a cut of royalties?

Yes. CD Baby charges 9% commission on all digital sales plus upfront distribution fees per release. Distromasters PRO and Multi plans charge 0% commission — you keep 100% of your streaming revenue.

Can I keep my music on CD Baby and also use Distromasters?

You can only distribute the same release through one distributor at a time on most platforms. To move from CD Baby to Distromasters, you would remove the existing release from CD Baby, then re-distribute through Distromasters. New releases can start with Distromasters immediately.

Does Distromasters include publishing royalty collection like CD Baby Pro?

Distromasters focuses on digital distribution royalties. For publishing and sync licensing royalties, we recommend registering with your local performing rights organization (PRO) such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC in addition to your Distromasters distribution.

Comparison

Distromasters vs CD Baby

Compare head-to-head and see why Distromasters offers better royalty splits and more scalable options than CD Baby.

Feature Breakdown

Feature	DISTROMASTERS	CD Baby
Royalty Commission	0% Commission on PRO/Label	Takes 9% of all digital sales
Unlimited Releases	Yes, in PRO and Label plans	No (Pay per single or album)
Custom Record Label	Included on All Plans (Free)	Included
UPC and Barcodes	Included free	Sometimes charges extra
Support Speed	WhatsApp & Tickets (Under 24 hours)	Slow email support
Incubator Path	Yes, direct A&R onboarding	No (DIY only)

Why switch from CD Baby?

0% Commission vs 9% Commission

CD Baby takes a 9% cut of your streaming royalties forever. With Distromasters PRO and Label plans, you keep 100% of your net royalties. Zero commission.

Unlimited Distribution

Instead of paying for every single release separately (which can become expensive if you release frequently), Distromasters PRO ($29/yr) lets you upload unlimited tracks.

Priority Human QA

Do not wait weeks to get your files validated or corrected. Our validation team, backed by 1M Music Group, audits your release in less than 24-48 hours.

Monitored Growth

We do not just distribute. If your project starts showing great metrics, our A&R staff will contact you to sign with 1M Music Group and fund your campaigns.

Switch to Distromasters today

Keep 100% of your royalties and scale your project under the 1M Music ecosystem.

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