Softwr

Music · head to head

DistroKid vs Roku

DistroKid logo

DistroKid

Music

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Roku logo

Roku

Entertainment

Streaming made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Roku has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Roku roku takes a 20 percent cut of all revenue channel publishers receive through Roku Pay (purchases, subscriptions, ads), paying out the remaining 80 percent no later than 60 days after the end of the month the payment was received, with non-US partners restricted to PayPal or wire transfer (ACH/direct deposit is US-only) and bank fees applying to wire and ACH payouts (archived developer documentation, 2 May 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: DistroKid covers Unlimited uploads, Roku covers Streaming aggregation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DistroKid and Roku actually diverge.

Attributes where DistroKid and Roku differ
AttributeDistroKidRoku
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchasefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidRoku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android
CategoryMusicEntertainment
FoundedUnknown2002

Identical on both: 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 Roku

  • Streaming aggregation
  • Free content
  • Voice search
  • Private listening
  • All major streaming apps
  • Smart home
  • PIN protection
  • Parental controls

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 Roku
  • A songwriter needing automated collaborator splits handled at the point of releasenot Roku
  • A small label managing several artists under one account using a Label tiernot Roku
  • An artist who wants their catalogue to survive a lapsed subscription and pays for Leave a Legacy on key releasesnot Roku

Roku

  • TV streamingnot DistroKid
  • Content discoverynot DistroKid
  • Free entertainmentnot 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.

Roku

  • Roku takes a 20 percent cut of all revenue channel publishers receive through Roku Pay (purchases, subscriptions, ads), paying out the remaining 80 percent no later than 60 days after the end of the month the payment was received, with non-US partners restricted to PayPal or wire transfer (ACH/direct deposit is US-only) and bank fees applying to wire and ACH payouts (archived developer documentation, 2 May 2021)

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

Roku

Free
  • FreeFree
    • The Roku Channel
    • Free content
    • Ad-supported

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 Roku if

  • You need streaming aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Roku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android.
  • You also want free content.
Roku review

Questions people ask

Is DistroKid or Roku better?
Neither clearly leads. DistroKid starts at On request and Roku at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DistroKid or Roku?
Roku has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DistroKid and Free for Roku.
Does DistroKid or Roku run on more platforms?
DistroKid runs on Web, iOS, Android. Roku runs on Roku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android.
Can I use Roku for free?
Yes. Roku has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DistroKid starts at On request.
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 Roku is typically brought in for.
What can DistroKid do that Roku cannot?
DistroKid covers Unlimited uploads, 0% royalty commission on streaming, Scheduled release dates, Leave a Legacy. Roku covers Streaming aggregation, Free content, Voice search, Private listening.

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.

Share

Related pages

More on DistroKid

More on Roku

Keep looking

Other head to heads