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Music · head to head

CD Baby vs Starz

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
Starz logo

Starz

Entertainment

Premium originals and hit series

From
$6.99/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.; Starz standard monthly rate after 3-month promotion not disclosed on landing page; requires signup to see renewal pricing
  • They diverge on capability: CD Baby covers One-time per-release fee, Starz covers Streaming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where CD Baby and Starz differ
AttributeCD BabyStarz
Starting priceOn request$6.99/month
Pricing modelOne-time purchase plus ongoing commissionsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv
CategoryMusicEntertainment
FoundedUnknown1994

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 CD Baby

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

Only in Starz

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

Starz

  • Drama streamingnot CD Baby
  • Original series watchingnot 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.

Starz

  • Standard monthly rate after 3-month promotion not disclosed on landing page; requires signup to see renewal pricing

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

Starz

$6.99/month
  • Standard$6.99/month
    • HD
    • Ad-supported
  • Premium$12.99/month
    • 4K
    • Ad-free
    • Downloads

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 Starz if

  • You need streaming.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
  • You also want original series.
Starz review

Questions people ask

Is CD Baby or Starz better?
Neither clearly leads. CD Baby starts at On request and Starz at $6.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CD Baby or Starz?
CD Baby starts at On request and Starz at $6.99/month.
Does CD Baby or Starz run on more platforms?
CD Baby runs on Web, iOS, Android. Starz runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
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 Starz is typically brought in for.
What can CD Baby do that Starz cannot?
CD Baby covers One-time per-release fee, Permanent royalty retention, CDB Boost, Royalty collection. Starz covers Streaming, Original series, Movies, Exclusive content.

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.

Starz: What is the current STARZ subscription cost?

STARZ offers a limited-time promotional rate of $4 per month for the first three months. The standard monthly rate after this period is not displayed on the website and appears during signup.

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.

Starz: How many devices can stream simultaneously on STARZ?

STARZ subscriptions allow streaming on up to 4 devices at the same time, with unlimited HD streaming and downloads included.

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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