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Music · head to head

CD Baby vs MUBI

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
MUBI logo

MUBI

Entertainment

Discover extraordinary cinema

From
$7.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; MUBI curated, rotating catalogue - films leave the service on a schedule rather than staying permanently available
  • They diverge on capability: CD Baby covers One-time per-release fee, MUBI covers Curated films.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where CD Baby and MUBI differ
AttributeCD BabyMUBI
Starting priceOn request$7.99/month
Pricing modelOne-time purchase plus ongoing commissionsubscription
CategoryMusicEntertainment
FoundedUnknown2007

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 CD Baby

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

Only in MUBI

  • Curated films
  • World cinema
  • Documentaries
  • Classics
  • New releases
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Account security

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 MUBI
  • A musician comfortable trading a permanent 9% royalty cut for the certainty of never facing a subscription lapsenot MUBI
  • An artist wanting publishing administration and sync submission bundled through the optional CDB Boost add-onnot MUBI
  • A legacy CD Baby user with an existing catalogue who prefers not to migrate to a subscription-based competitornot MUBI

MUBI

  • Watching curated arthouse, independent, and classic international cinemanot CD Baby
  • Discovering festival and awards-circuit films not on mainstream platformsnot CD Baby
  • Getting a free weekly theatrical ticket via MUBI GO in eligible citiesnot CD Baby
  • Reading editorial film notes and curation alongside streamingnot 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.

MUBI

  • Curated, rotating catalogue - films leave the service on a schedule rather than staying permanently available
  • No live TV or broad back-catalogue - deliberately small, curated library rather than a comprehensive on-demand one
  • MUBI GO (free theater ticket plus streaming) is limited to select cities

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

MUBI

$7.99/month
  • Monthly$7.99/month
    • Unlimited streaming access to curated films
    • Download capability via iOS and Android apps
    • Ad-free viewing

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 MUBI if

  • You need curated films.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want world cinema.
MUBI review

Questions people ask

Is CD Baby or MUBI better?
Neither clearly leads. CD Baby starts at On request and MUBI at $7.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CD Baby or MUBI?
CD Baby starts at On request and MUBI at $7.99/month.
Does CD Baby or MUBI run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 MUBI is typically brought in for.
What can CD Baby do that MUBI cannot?
CD Baby covers One-time per-release fee, Permanent royalty retention, CDB Boost, Royalty collection. MUBI covers Curated films, World cinema, Documentaries, Classics.

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.

MUBI: How much does MUBI cost?

MUBI costs $7.99 per month USD on a monthly plan. An annual plan is available that saves 38% compared to monthly billing, though the exact annual price is not shown on the pricing page.

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.

MUBI: Is there a free trial for MUBI?

Yes, MUBI offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card required. After the trial ends, the membership converts to paid status.

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.

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