Choosing a music distributor is probably the most expensive decision an independent artist makes — and most artists make it by reading English-language reviews written from the US, without considering the reality of a musician in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, or Chile.

This comparison is written from LATAM, with real 2026 pricing for the four most-considered options: DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, and Mh Musik. No sugarcoating and no hiding the fees they bury.

The 4 business models

Before comparing prices, understand how each one charges — because that difference matters more than the number on the landing page:

DistroKid and TuneCore: annual fee for unlimited distributions. Stop paying, and your music can drop off platforms.
CD Baby: one-time payment per release + permanent 9% commission on everything you earn.
Mh Musik: monthly or annual VIP membership with distributions included + 100% royalties (no commission on streams).

Each model wins for a different artist profile. There’s no universal winner.

Quick comparison table (2026)

	DistroKid	TuneCore	CD Baby	Mh Musik
Base price	$24.99/year	$24.99/year	$9.99/single, $14.99/album (one-time)	$19.99/month (VIP 1)
Model	Annual subscription	Annual subscription	Pay-per-release	Monthly/annual sub
Commission on streams	0%	0%	9% permanent	0% (VIP plans)
Distributions included	Unlimited	1-∞ by plan	1 per payment	2/month to unlimited
Content ID (YouTube)	Extra $4.95-14.95/yr + 20% commission	Included	Included	Included
Publishing admin	Extra	20% commission	Included with high commissions	1% commission
Songs stay if you cancel	Extra paid (“Leave a Legacy” $29-49)	No, can drop off	Yes (one-time model)	Yes, free

Details on each below.

DistroKid: cheap on the surface, expensive underneath

DistroKid is the most popular global option for a reason: $24.99 a year for unlimited releases, no commission on streams. Sounds unbeatable.

What doesn’t show on the landing page:

YouTube Content ID is not included. It costs $4.95 extra per single per year or $14.95 per album per year — and on top of that, DistroKid keeps 20% of the revenue Content ID generates.
“Leave a Legacy” ($29 per single, $49 per album) is a one-time additional payment to keep the song online if you cancel your subscription. If you don’t pay it and cancel, the music comes down.
The higher tiers (Musician Plus $44.99/year, Ultimate $89.99/year) unlock multiple artist names, automatic splits, and more features. The basic subscription is limited.

Who it works for: an artist who releases constantly, doesn’t care about YouTube monetization, and only publishes under one name.

TuneCore: similar to DistroKid, but takes publishing

TuneCore redesigned its model recently to look like DistroKid:

Rising Artist $24.99/year (unlimited)
Breakout Artist $44.99/year
Professional $54.99/year

All with 100% royalties on streams. The real difference:

If you use their Publishing Administration (collecting composition royalties via BMI/ASCAP/etc), TuneCore keeps 20% — they raised the cut from 15% to 20% in January 2026 and added a $75 setup fee. It’s convenient, but it’s the highest publishing commission among the four compared.
Additional artist profiles: $14.99/year each.
The old pay-per-release model still exists but is very expensive: single $24.99 one-time, album $44.99 first year + $56.49 every year to keep it live.

TuneCore was acquired by Believe (French group) years ago — no longer the independent startup it once was.

Who it works for: similar to DistroKid, but if you value the editorial pitching or extra services TuneCore offers.

CD Baby: watch out for the permanent 9%

CD Baby uses the oldest and least artist-friendly model long-term:

One-time payment per release: $9.99 single, $14.99 album (CD Baby cut the album from $29.95 to $14.99 after the UMG acquisition — a defensive move to slow churn to DistroKid).
9% permanent commission on EVERYTHING you earn from streams and downloads. No matter how big your song gets, that 9% keeps coming out.

There are also additional commissions almost nobody mentions:

15% on MLC collections (mechanical licensing).
30% on social monetization (TikTok, Reels, etc).
Up to 40% on sync placements (film, TV, ads).

Who it works for: artist who releases very rarely (one or two releases in a lifetime) and prefers the one-time fee, accepting the permanent commission.

Mh Musik: what we do differently

Mh Musik VIP plans cost more than the basic subscription of DistroKid or TuneCore — because they include things that in those are extras or separate commissions:

VIP 1: $19.99/month — 2 distributions/month, 100% royalties, free Content ID, free Publishing admin, AI Split-Sheet.
VIP 2: $39.99/month — 5 distributions/month + Spotify editorial pitch.
VIP 3: $299.99/year — 45 distributions/year, 14 pitches, free BMI/SoundExchange setup.
VIP 4: $599.99/year — unlimited distributions + priority support.

The differentiators vs. the other three:

Content ID included free (DistroKid charges extra and keeps 20% of the revenue; TuneCore includes it but varies by plan).
Publishing sync at 1% commission — lowest in the industry (vs. TuneCore’s 20%, up to 40% at CD Baby on sync).
We do not apply the 30% US withholding to non-resident artists. You collect 100% of what you earn.
Your songs stay online forever, automatically, even if you cancel your membership. No extra “Leave a Legacy” fee, no need to ask — every release stays live on platforms at no additional cost by default. You only reach out if you ever want your music taken down.
24-hour Spanish-language support — real people, same day.
Free verified VEVO channel on YouTube.
150+ DSPs, including official Instagram and TikTok integration.
Blockchain-anchored lyrics & melody certificate — authorship legal protection, ready in ~10 minutes.

Mh Musik also offers a pay-per-release model if you’d rather not subscribe: single $9.99, EP $13.98+, album $33.93+.

Which one fits you? Honest guide by profile

If you release 1-2 songs a year and don’t care about YouTube: DistroKid Musician basic ($24.99/year). Cheapest, period.

If you release a lot and monetize YouTube: DistroKid gets expensive fast (Content ID + their 20% cut). Here Mh Musik VIP 3 ($299.99/year) or VIP 4 ($599.99/year unlimited) works out cheaper with Content ID free.

If you care about publishing admin (BMI, ASCAP, mechanicals): Mh Musik (1% commission) or basic services + separate publishing deal. TuneCore at 20% and CD Baby at 15-40% are expensive.

If you’re a LATAM artist worried about US withholding: Mh Musik is the only one of the four that does not apply the 30% withholding to non-residents. With the other three, you have to file W-8BEN correctly, and even then, if your country has no US tax treaty (Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, etc.), the 30% still applies. Details in our W-8BEN guide for LATAM musicians.

If you prefer a one-time payment and only plan to release once: CD Baby single $9.95. Just accept that 9% commission gets taken forever.

If you need real Spanish support and cultural trust: Mh Musik is built from LATAM. DistroKid, TuneCore, and CD Baby are US/European operations with multilingual support but not localized.

LATAM-specific considerations

Three things English-language reviews always miss:

30% US withholding: applies by default unless Mh Musik is in the middle (we don’t apply it) or you file W-8BEN with a payer where your country’s tax treaty is active.
Payment methods: PayPal and Payoneer are standard on all four, but verify per-country limits and fees before subscribing.
Real Spanish support: not every “multilingual support” answers in Spanish quickly. Test with a pre-sales question before committing to a year.

Key takeaways

There is no universal “best” distributor — there’s a best one for your profile.
The landing-page price is not the real price. Add Content ID, publishing admin, and hidden commissions.
For LATAM artists, the 30% US withholding is a real decision factor that US-centric comparisons ignore.

Ready to release with 100% royalties and no hidden fees? Create your Mh Musik account and pick the VIP plan that fits you.

DistroKid vs TuneCore vs CD Baby vs Mh Musik: Honest 2026 Comparison for LATAM Artists