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Music · head to head

Deezer vs DistroKid

Deezer logo

Deezer

Music

All the music you love

From
Free
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

  • Only Deezer has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Deezer premium pricing displayed in AED currency only despite international availability; 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: Deezer 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 Deezer and DistroKid actually diverge.

Attributes where Deezer and DistroKid differ
AttributeDeezerDistroKid
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionOne-time purchase
Free tierYesNo
Founded2007Unknown

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 Deezer

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

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.

Deezer

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

DistroKid

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

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

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 Deezer if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want podcasts.
Deezer 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 Deezer or DistroKid better?
Neither clearly leads. Deezer starts at Free and DistroKid at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deezer or DistroKid?
Deezer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Deezer and On request for DistroKid.
Does Deezer or DistroKid 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. DistroKid starts at On request.
What is Deezer best used for?
Deezer is most often used for ad-free on-demand music streaming with offline downloads, multi-user household streaming via the family plan, two-person households via the duo plan, higher-fidelity/lossless audio streaming on premium. Of those, ad-free on-demand music streaming with offline downloads and multi-user household streaming via the family plan are not what DistroKid is typically brought in for.
What can Deezer do that DistroKid cannot?
Deezer covers Music streaming, Podcasts, Radio, HiFi audio. DistroKid covers Unlimited uploads, 0% royalty commission on streaming, Scheduled release dates, Leave a Legacy.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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.

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
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.

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
DistroKid: Is there a free tier?

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

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