Softwr

Entertainment · head to head

Showtime vs TuneCore

Showtime logo

Showtime

Entertainment

Signature entertainment and sports

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TuneCore logo

TuneCore

Music

Music distribution owned by Believe, offering both a 0%-royalty annual subscription and an older pay-per-release model side by side

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Showtime showtime is now offered only as part of Paramount+'s Premium plan, per the App Store listing (Paramount+ by CBS Mobile); TuneCore tuneCore runs two different pricing structures side by side, and it is easy for a buyer to be quoted or compare against the wrong one for their release frequency.
  • They diverge on capability: Showtime covers Streaming, TuneCore covers Unlimited uploads on subscription plans.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Showtime and TuneCore actually diverge.

Attributes where Showtime and TuneCore differ
AttributeShowtimeTuneCore
Starting price$10.99/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer year, subscription or pay-per-release
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tvWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryEntertainmentMusic
Founded1983Unknown

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 Showtime

  • Streaming
  • Original series
  • Movies
  • Sports
  • Live events
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Account security

Only in TuneCore

  • Unlimited uploads on subscription plans
  • Pay-per-release legacy option
  • 0% royalty commission on streaming stores
  • Publishing administration
  • Sync licensing marketplace
  • Multiple artist profile support

What people use each for

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

Showtime

  • Premium streamingnot TuneCore
  • Sports watchingnot TuneCore

TuneCore

  • A prolific artist releasing many singles a year who benefits from an unlimited-upload subscription over per-release feesnot Showtime
  • An infrequent releaser who prefers paying only for the specific single or album they put out rather than an annual platform feenot Showtime
  • An artist wanting publishing administration and sync licensing submission alongside distribution, from one vendornot Showtime
  • A songwriter managing multiple artist identities who is willing to pay the per-name annual fee for each additional profilenot Showtime

Where each one falls short

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

Showtime

  • Showtime is now offered only as part of Paramount+'s Premium plan, per the App Store listing (Paramount+ by CBS Mobile)
  • Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current subscription period rather than immediately, with continued access through the paid period, per the App Store listing

TuneCore

  • TuneCore runs two different pricing structures side by side, and it is easy for a buyer to be quoted or compare against the wrong one for their release frequency.
  • The pay-per-release album price rises significantly on renewal, from $44.99 in year one to $56.49 in subsequent years, which is not obvious from the headline price.
  • As with DistroKid, the 0%-royalty claim covers streaming stores only; social monetisation and publishing administration both carry a 20% commission.
  • Ownership by Believe means TuneCore’s roadmap and priorities sit within a larger corporate group whose other artist-services brands can create channel conflicts or bundling pressure.
  • Additional artist profiles carry a recurring annual fee, so an artist running several projects under different names pays materially more than the headline single-artist price suggests.

Pricing, plan by plan

Showtime

$10.99/month
  • Showtime Standalone$10.99/month
    • Original content
    • Ad-free

TuneCore

On request
  • Rising Artist (subscription)$24.99/year
    • Unlimited uploads, 0% royalty commission on streaming
  • Breakout Artist (subscription)$44.99/year
    • Unlimited uploads, additional distribution features
  • Professional (subscription)$54.99/year
    • Unlimited uploads, full feature set
  • Pay-per-release: Single$24.99/year
    • One track, renews annually to keep it live

Which should you pick?

Choose Showtime if

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

Choose TuneCore if

  • You need unlimited uploads on subscription plans.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want pay-per-release legacy option.
TuneCore review

Questions people ask

Is Showtime or TuneCore better?
Neither clearly leads. Showtime starts at $10.99/month and TuneCore at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Showtime or TuneCore?
Showtime starts at $10.99/month and TuneCore at On request.
Does Showtime or TuneCore run on more platforms?
Showtime runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv. TuneCore runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Showtime best used for?
Showtime is most often used for premium streaming, sports watching. Of those, premium streaming and sports watching are not what TuneCore is typically brought in for.
What can Showtime do that TuneCore cannot?
Showtime covers Streaming, Original series, Movies, Sports. TuneCore covers Unlimited uploads on subscription plans, Pay-per-release legacy option, 0% royalty commission on streaming stores, Publishing administration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

TuneCore: Which pricing model should I use, subscription or pay-per-release?

If you release more than one or two records a year, the unlimited subscription is usually cheaper; infrequent releasers may prefer paying per release.

TuneCore: Who owns TuneCore?

Believe, a French independent music company, has owned TuneCore since 2015.

TuneCore: Does TuneCore take a cut of streaming royalties?

No, on both the subscription and pay-per-release models you keep 100% of streaming store royalties; social platforms and publishing administration are commissioned separately.

Share

Related pages

More on Showtime

More on TuneCore

Keep looking

Other head to heads