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How to Choose a Music Distributor in India: The Complete 2026 Guide

Ten major distributors, four pricing models, and fine print that can cost you your catalog. This guide gives you a decision framework — answer five questions and the right choice becomes obvious.

The four pricing models

• Yearly subscription, 100% royalties: DistroKid ($24.99+), TuneCore ($24.99+), Ditto ($19+), LANDR ($24+). Cheap if you release a lot; your music may vanish if you stop paying.
• Per-release one-time fee: CD Baby ($9.99/single, $14.99/album, 91% royalties forever). Best if you release 1–2 songs a year and want them up permanently.
• Revenue share, no upfront: RouteNote Free (85%), AWAL Core (85%), Amuse (100% until you cancel, then 75%). Nothing to pay — but you earn less per stream forever.
• Hybrid: RouteNote Premium ($10/single + $9.99/yr, 100%), Too Lost ($19.99/yr, 100%). Mix of upfront cost and full royalties.

Five questions to decide

1. How often do you release? Monthly releasers: yearly subscription wins. One single a year: CD Baby's one-time fee or a revenue-share plan.

2. What happens if you stop paying? If the answer is "my music gets deleted" (DistroKid, TuneCore, Symphonic, Ditto Starter), factor in Leave-a-Legacy-style costs or choose a keep-it-live option.

3. How do you get paid? Check the payout minimum, the method (PayPal? bank transfer?), and the fees. DistroKid's $5.62 bank fee plus ~2% PayPal plus up to 3% FX adds up. Indian artists should prefer INR bank payouts to skip conversion losses.

4. Do you need YouTube Content ID? It's paid extra on DistroKid ($4.95/single/yr + 20% cut), included on RouteNote and CD Baby, 15% fee on Amuse, and Symphonic keeps 30% of UGC revenue. For Indian artists, YouTube is often the #1 earner — don't treat this as optional.

5. Do you need support in your timezone? US-based distributors run on US hours with ticket queues. An India-based team answers when you're awake.

Red flags in any distributor's terms

• Music removed on cancellation without a cheap keep-alive option
• Post-cancellation royalty grabs (Amuse's 25%, LANDR's 15%)
• Collaborator fees (Amuse charges 15% splits for non-subscribers; TuneCore requires collaborators to pay)
• Cover licensing excluded in India (LANDR covers aren't available in India)
• No JioSaavn/Gaana/Wynk delivery confirmation

The shortlist for Indian independents

• Maximum control, minimum fuss: TIR — no yearly fee, upto 85%, INR payouts, Indian platforms, real support
• Cheapest subscription: Ditto ($19/yr) — if you can live with the support reputation
• Free to start: RouteNote Free (85%) — if you can wait through slow reviews
• One release, forever: CD Baby ($9.99, 91% forever)
• Got traction, want a team: apply to AWAL

Start distributing with TIR →