Softwr

Music · head to head

Bandcamp vs CD Baby

Bandcamp logo

Bandcamp

Music

An artist-first music platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CD Baby logo

CD Baby

Music

Music distribution charging an upfront per-release fee plus a permanent 9% commission on royalties, now owned by Universal Music Group

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bandcamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bandcamp bandcamp takes 15% of digital sales initially (10% after $5,000 threshold); payment processing adds 4-6% per transaction; CD Baby the 9% commission is permanent and cannot be bought out, so an artist with growing streaming income pays CD Baby more every year indefinitely, unlike a flat subscription fee.
  • They diverge on capability: Bandcamp covers Music streaming, CD Baby covers One-time per-release fee.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bandcamp and CD Baby actually diverge.

Attributes where Bandcamp and CD Baby differ
AttributeBandcampCD Baby
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modeltransactionOne-time purchase plus ongoing commission
Free tierYesNo
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Music).

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 Bandcamp

  • Music streaming
  • Downloads
  • Artist support
  • Merchandise
  • Community
  • Social media
  • Payment processing
  • Artist tools

Only in CD Baby

  • One-time per-release fee
  • Permanent royalty retention
  • CDB Boost
  • Royalty collection
  • Social monetisation
  • DIY musician tools

What people use each for

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

Bandcamp

  • Music distribution and salesnot CD Baby
  • Physical media salesnot CD Baby
  • Artist monetizationnot CD Baby

CD Baby

  • An artist who releases rarely and wants to pay once with no risk of losing distribution over a missed renewalnot Bandcamp
  • A musician comfortable trading a permanent 9% royalty cut for the certainty of never facing a subscription lapsenot Bandcamp
  • An artist wanting publishing administration and sync submission bundled through the optional CDB Boost add-onnot Bandcamp
  • A legacy CD Baby user with an existing catalogue who prefers not to migrate to a subscription-based competitornot Bandcamp

Where each one falls short

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

Bandcamp

  • Bandcamp takes 15% of digital sales initially (10% after $5,000 threshold); payment processing adds 4-6% per transaction

CD Baby

  • The 9% commission is permanent and cannot be bought out, so an artist with growing streaming income pays CD Baby more every year indefinitely, unlike a flat subscription fee.
  • It is now owned by Universal Music Group following the 2026 Downtown Music Holdings acquisition, which sits awkwardly against its original positioning as an independent alternative to major labels.
  • Sync placements CD Baby secures on an artist’s behalf carry up to a 40% commission, among the highest cuts in the category.
  • Social platform monetisation is commissioned at 30%, higher than DistroKid’s or TuneCore’s 20%.
  • The one-time fee model looks cheaper upfront than a subscription, but for any artist with meaningful and growing streaming revenue the compounding 9% cut typically costs more over a few years.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bandcamp

Free
  • Artist PlatformFree
    • 15% revenue share on digital items initially
    • 10% revenue share after reaching $5,000 in sales
    • 10% revenue share on physical goods

CD Baby

On request
  • Single$9.99/month
    • One-time upfront fee per single
    • 9% commission on digital royalties, permanent
  • Album$14.99/month
    • One-time upfront fee per album
    • 9% commission on digital royalties, permanent
  • CDB Boost$39.99/month
    • Optional per-release add-on for publishing and sync submission

Which should you pick?

Choose Bandcamp if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want downloads.
Bandcamp review

Choose CD Baby if

  • You need one-time per-release fee.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want permanent royalty retention.
CD Baby review

Questions people ask

Is Bandcamp or CD Baby better?
Neither clearly leads. Bandcamp starts at Free and CD Baby at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bandcamp or CD Baby?
Bandcamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bandcamp and On request for CD Baby.
Does Bandcamp or CD Baby run on more platforms?
Bandcamp runs on Web, Ios, Android. CD Baby runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Bandcamp for free?
Yes. Bandcamp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CD Baby starts at On request.
What is Bandcamp best used for?
Bandcamp is most often used for music distribution and sales, physical media sales, artist monetization. Of those, music distribution and sales and physical media sales are not what CD Baby is typically brought in for.
What can Bandcamp do that CD Baby cannot?
Bandcamp covers Music streaming, Downloads, Artist support, Merchandise. CD Baby covers One-time per-release fee, Permanent royalty retention, CDB Boost, Royalty collection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bandcamp: How much commission does Bandcamp take?

15% on digital items initially, reducing to 10% once you reach $5,000 in sales. 10% on physical goods. Plus 4-6% payment processing fees per transaction. Tips are not subject to the revenue share on amounts over $100.

Source
CD Baby: Does CD Baby ever take a subscription fee?

No, it charges a one-time upfront fee per release, but keeps a permanent 9% commission on royalties with no way to remove it.

Bandcamp: Does Bandcamp charge subscription or setup fees?

No subscription tiers or setup fees. Bandcamp uses a transaction-based revenue sharing model only.

Source
CD Baby: Who owns CD Baby now?

Universal Music Group, following its February 2026 acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings, CD Baby’s previous owner.

CD Baby: What happens if I never pay again after the initial fee?

Releases stay distributed since there is no recurring distribution fee; the ongoing 9% commission is deducted automatically from royalties as they are earned.

Share

Related pages

More on Bandcamp

More on CD Baby

Keep looking

Other head to heads