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Entertainment · head to head

Apple Music vs DistroKid

Apple Music logo

Apple Music

Entertainment

All the ways you love music. All in one place.

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DistroKid logo

DistroKid

Music

Flat annual subscription music distribution where artists keep 100% of streaming royalties

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apple Music individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month; DistroKid if the annual fee is not paid, DistroKid can pull releases from stores, and only releases with the separate Leave a Legacy add-on are protected from that.
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Music covers Music streaming, DistroKid covers Unlimited uploads.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Music and DistroKid actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Music and DistroKid differ
AttributeApple MusicDistroKid
Starting price$10.99/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionOne-time purchase
PlatformsIos, Macos, Windows, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryEntertainmentMusic
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apple Music

  • Music streaming
  • Offline downloads
  • Spatial Audio
  • Lossless audio
  • Curated playlists
  • Radio stations
  • Music discovery
  • Cross-device sync

Only in DistroKid

  • Unlimited uploads
  • 0% royalty commission on streaming
  • Scheduled release dates
  • Leave a Legacy
  • Songwriter splits
  • YouTube Content ID

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Music

  • Music listeningnot DistroKid
  • Music discoverynot DistroKid
  • Playlist creationnot DistroKid
  • Offline listeningnot DistroKid
  • Family entertainmentnot DistroKid

DistroKid

  • A working artist releasing multiple singles a year who wants to keep 100% of streaming royalties above a flat annual feenot Apple Music
  • A songwriter needing automated collaborator splits handled at the point of releasenot Apple Music
  • A small label managing several artists under one account using a Label tiernot Apple Music
  • An artist who wants their catalogue to survive a lapsed subscription and pays for Leave a Legacy on key releasesnot Apple Music

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Music

  • Individual plan discount pricing (3 months for $1.99) applies only to new subscribers, then rises to $11.99 per month

DistroKid

  • If the annual fee is not paid, DistroKid can pull releases from stores, and only releases with the separate Leave a Legacy add-on are protected from that.
  • The 0% royalty claim applies to streaming stores only; social platform monetisation through TikTok, Instagram and YouTube is charged at a 20% commission.
  • Publishing administration, if used, carries its own 20% commission on top of the base subscription.
  • Extra artist profiles beyond the one included per plan cost an additional $14.99 a year each, which adds up for artists running side projects.
  • Customer support is primarily self-serve and ticket-based rather than a dedicated account manager, which some artists moving from CD Baby’s more service-heavy model find thin.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Music

$10.99/month
  • Individual$10.99/month
    • 100+ million songs
    • Ad-free listening
    • Offline downloads
  • Family$16.99/month
    • Up to 6 accounts
    • Individual profiles
    • Parental controls

DistroKid

On request
  • Musician$24.99/year
    • Unlimited uploads, 0% royalty commission on streaming stores
    • No custom release scheduling
  • Musician Plus$44.99/year
    • Scheduled release dates, daily stats
    • Custom label name, multiple artist names
  • Ultimate$89.99/year
    • Everything in Musician Plus
    • Higher-tier support and additional artist management features
  • Label plans$undefined/year
    • Label 5, Label 10 and Label 25 tiers for multiple managed artists

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Music if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You work on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web.
  • You also want offline downloads.
Apple Music review

Choose DistroKid if

  • You need unlimited uploads.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want 0% royalty commission on streaming.
DistroKid review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Music or DistroKid better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Music starts at $10.99/month and DistroKid at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Music or DistroKid?
Apple Music starts at $10.99/month and DistroKid at On request.
Does Apple Music or DistroKid run on more platforms?
Apple Music runs on Ios, Macos, Windows, Android, Web. DistroKid runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Apple Music best used for?
Apple Music is most often used for music listening, music discovery, playlist creation, offline listening. Of those, music listening and music discovery are not what DistroKid is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Music do that DistroKid cannot?
Apple Music covers Music streaming, Offline downloads, Spatial Audio, Lossless audio. DistroKid covers Unlimited uploads, 0% royalty commission on streaming, Scheduled release dates, Leave a Legacy.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apple Music: Where can I find Apple Music pricing and subscription information?

Pricing details are not shown on the New section of Apple Music. Check the main Apple Music homepage or account settings for subscription tiers.

Source
DistroKid: Does DistroKid really take 0% of royalties?

On core streaming store royalties, yes. It takes 20% on social platform monetisation (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) and 20% on publishing administration if used.

DistroKid: What happens if I stop paying?

Your releases can be removed from stores. Leave a Legacy is a per-release add-on that keeps specific releases live regardless of subscription status.

DistroKid: Is there a free tier?

No. Every tier is a paid annual subscription; there is no free plan.

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