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Music · head to head

DistroKid vs Paramount+

DistroKid logo

DistroKid

Music

Flat annual subscription music distribution where artists keep 100% of streaming royalties

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paramount+ logo

Paramount+

Entertainment

A mountain of entertainment

From
$5.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Paramount+ the App Store listing states Paramount+ gates all of SHOWTIME behind the Premium plan only, and separately caps household profiles at six, without stating either plan price in the visible description.
  • They diverge on capability: DistroKid covers Unlimited uploads, Paramount+ covers Streaming.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DistroKid and Paramount+ actually diverge.

Attributes where DistroKid and Paramount+ differ
AttributeDistroKidParamount+
Starting priceOn request$5.99/month
Pricing modelOne-time purchasesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv
CategoryMusicEntertainment
FoundedUnknown2021

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 DistroKid

  • Unlimited uploads
  • 0% royalty commission on streaming
  • Scheduled release dates
  • Leave a Legacy
  • Songwriter splits
  • YouTube Content ID

Only in Paramount+

  • Streaming
  • Live sports
  • CBS shows
  • Nickelodeon
  • Smart TVs
  • Gaming consoles
  • Parental controls
  • Profile management

What people use each for

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

DistroKid

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

Paramount+

  • TV streamingnot DistroKid
  • Sportsnot DistroKid
  • Kids contentnot DistroKid

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Paramount+

  • The App Store listing states Paramount+ gates all of SHOWTIME behind the Premium plan only, and separately caps household profiles at six, without stating either plan price in the visible description.
  • The App Store listing states the base Paramount+ plan carries ads and does not include ad-free viewing, offline downloads, or a local CBS station live stream, which are reserved for the Premium plan.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Paramount+

$5.99/month
  • Essential$5.99/month
    • Limited ads
    • Full library
  • With Showtime$11.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Showtime
    • Downloads

Which should you pick?

Choose DistroKid if

  • You need unlimited uploads.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want 0% royalty commission on streaming.
DistroKid review

Choose Paramount+ if

  • You need streaming.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv.
  • You also want live sports.
Paramount+ review

Questions people ask

Is DistroKid or Paramount+ better?
Neither clearly leads. DistroKid starts at On request and Paramount+ at $5.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DistroKid or Paramount+?
DistroKid starts at On request and Paramount+ at $5.99/month.
Does DistroKid or Paramount+ run on more platforms?
DistroKid runs on Web, iOS, Android. Paramount+ runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv.
What is DistroKid best used for?
DistroKid is most often used for a working artist releasing multiple singles a year who wants to keep 100% of streaming royalties above a flat annual fee, a songwriter needing automated collaborator splits handled at the point of release, a small label managing several artists under one account using a label tier, an artist who wants their catalogue to survive a lapsed subscription and pays for leave a legacy on key releases. Of those, a working artist releasing multiple singles a year who wants to keep 100% of streaming royalties above a flat annual fee and a songwriter needing automated collaborator splits handled at the point of release are not what Paramount+ is typically brought in for.
What can DistroKid do that Paramount+ cannot?
DistroKid covers Unlimited uploads, 0% royalty commission on streaming, Scheduled release dates, Leave a Legacy. Paramount+ covers Streaming, Live sports, CBS shows, Nickelodeon.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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.

DistroKid: Is there a free tier?

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

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