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Music · head to head

CD Baby vs Deezer

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
Deezer logo

Deezer

Music

All the music you love

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Deezer has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Deezer premium pricing displayed in AED currency only despite international availability
  • They diverge on capability: CD Baby covers One-time per-release fee, Deezer covers Music streaming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where CD Baby and Deezer differ
AttributeCD BabyDeezer
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchase plus ongoing commissionsubscription
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2007

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 CD Baby

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

Only in Deezer

  • Music streaming
  • Podcasts
  • Radio
  • HiFi audio
  • Smart speakers
  • Car systems
  • Family controls
  • Private sessions

What people use each for

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

CD Baby

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

Deezer

  • Ad-free on-demand music streaming with offline downloadsnot CD Baby
  • Multi-user household streaming via the Family plannot CD Baby
  • Two-person households via the Duo plannot CD Baby
  • Higher-fidelity/lossless audio streaming on Premiumnot CD Baby

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Deezer

  • Premium pricing displayed in AED currency only despite international availability
  • Free tier does not support offline listening and includes advertising
  • Family plan limited to 6 accounts maximum

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Deezer

Free
  • Premium$23.99/month
    • 1 account
    • Ad-free
    • Pick any track
  • Duo$29.99/month
    • 2 accounts
    • Ad-free
    • Pick any track
  • Family$35.99/month
    • 6 accounts
    • Ad-free
    • Pick any track
  • FreeFree
    • 1 account
    • Ad-supported
    • Over 120 million tracks

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Deezer if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want podcasts.
Deezer review

Questions people ask

Is CD Baby or Deezer better?
Neither clearly leads. CD Baby starts at On request and Deezer at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CD Baby or Deezer?
Deezer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for CD Baby and Free for Deezer.
Does CD Baby or Deezer run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Deezer for free?
Yes. Deezer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CD Baby starts at On request.
What is CD Baby best used for?
CD Baby is most often used for an artist who releases rarely and wants to pay once with no risk of losing distribution over a missed renewal, a musician comfortable trading a permanent 9% royalty cut for the certainty of never facing a subscription lapse, an artist wanting publishing administration and sync submission bundled through the optional cdb boost add-on, a legacy cd baby user with an existing catalogue who prefers not to migrate to a subscription-based competitor. Of those, an artist who releases rarely and wants to pay once with no risk of losing distribution over a missed renewal and a musician comfortable trading a permanent 9% royalty cut for the certainty of never facing a subscription lapse are not what Deezer is typically brought in for.
What can CD Baby do that Deezer cannot?
CD Baby covers One-time per-release fee, Permanent royalty retention, CDB Boost, Royalty collection. Deezer covers Music streaming, Podcasts, Radio, HiFi audio.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Deezer: How many accounts are included in each Deezer subscription plan?

The Free plan includes 1 account. Premium plan includes 1 account. Duo plan includes 2 accounts. Family plan includes 6 accounts maximum.

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.

Deezer: What is the monthly cost of Deezer Premium if paid annually?

When paid annually, Premium costs AED 17.92 per month (AED 214.99 per year), representing a 25% discount compared to the monthly rate of AED 23.99.

Source
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.

Deezer: Can I access offline listening on the free Deezer plan?

No. The free plan offers ad-supported streaming with over 120 million tracks but does not include offline listening capability. Offline access is available only on the Premium, Duo, and Family subscription tiers.

Source
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