The “best” distributor depends on your release frequency and budget, but an ethical distributor must meet three criteria: it should allow you to keep 100% of your royalties, grant you full ownership of your ISRC/UPCs, and have zero hidden fees for essential services like YouTube Content ID or Shazam. While companies like DistroKid and TuneCore are industry leaders, remember that distribution only collects your Master (Recording) royalties. It does not collect your Songwriting (Publishing) royalties.
1. The Ethical Distributor Checklist
Before you sign up, check if a distributor follows these five ethical “must-haves”:
- Transparency on “Extras”: Does the low annual fee suddenly jump when you want to add a second artist or monetize on YouTube?
- The Exit Strategy: If you stop paying the subscription, does your music stay online? Ethical distributors shouldn’t hold your history hostage.
- No Royalty Commission: For a subscription-based model, taking a percentage of your streaming revenue on top of the fee is double-dipping.
- Metadata Integrity: They should ensure your credits are delivered perfectly to platforms so you get the “Verified” status you deserve.
- Ownership Retention: You should always own your Master Recording. The distributor is a service provider, not a label.
2. Comparing the “Big Three” on Ethics
| Distributor | Pricing Model | The “Ethics” Catch |
| DistroKid | Flat annual fee ($22.99+) | Charges extra for “Leave a Legacy” (to keep music up if you stop paying) and YouTube Content ID. |
| TuneCore | Flat annual fee ($19.99+) | Reliable, but “extras” can add up. Offers a “Free” tier that takes a commission on social platforms. |
| CD Baby | Per-release fee ($9.99+) | Takes a 9% commission on your royalties forever, but your music stays online for life with no subscription. |
3. The Distribution Fallacy: Why You’re Still Losing Money
Here is the hard truth: Even the most “ethical” distributor on earth is only giving you half of your money.
When your song is streamed on Spotify or Apple Music, it generates two types of royalties:
- The Master Royalty: Paid to the owner of the recording (This is what your distributor collects).
- The Publishing Royalty: Paid to the owner of the song’s “soul” (lyrics and melody).
Distributors are not publishers. If you have a million streams, your distributor might send you a check for $4,000. But there is likely another $800 to $1,200 in “Performance” and “Mechanical” royalties sitting in a global “Black Box” because distribution services don’t have the legal pipes to collect them.
4. Why Audiobulb is the Essential Partner to Your Distributor
Think of your distributor as the delivery truck that puts your product on the shelf. Audiobulb is the accountant who makes sure you get paid for every single use of that product worldwide.
- Distribution Only Covers the “Recording”: Even “Pro” distribution plans often fail to register you with global entities like The MLC (for US mechanicals) or IPRS/PRS correctly.
- The Commission Trap: Some distributors offer “Publishing” as an add-on, but they often take 15–20% commission on those royalties.
- The Audiobulb Advantage: For a flat $19.99/year, we provide full Exclusive Administration. We collect 100% of your global publishing royalties and take 0% commission.
- Active vs. Passive: A distributor is passive—they wait for Spotify to report. Audiobulb is active—our technology tracks unauthorized use, remixes, and unlicensed videos to ensure you aren’t being robbed.
Summary
Don’t pick a distributor based on a flashy ad. Pick one that respects your ownership and has a clear pricing model. But most importantly, realize that distribution is just step one. Without a publishing administrator like Audiobulb, you are effectively leaving your “songwriter’s check” on the table every single month.
Your Next Step: Already have a distributor? Great. Now finish the job. Join Audiobulb for $19.99/year to start collecting 100% of your global publishing royalties and protect your music with active usage tracking.