1. Are They Reputable?

A few years ago, I worked with a brand-new digital distributor that was eager to grow and was looking for feedback from real labels.

At the time, it seemed like a good opportunity—I could help shape their tools and have a bit of influence over features for label owners. Everything worked fine… until it didn’t.

The company eventually failed to pay their artists—something that, let’s be honest, should be priority number one for any distributor. It got worse. They shut down, left artists in the lurch, and kept collecting royalties from streaming platforms even after they disappeared.

When I spoke with journalist Sam Taylor at CMU about this story, he pointed out that it’s actually shockingly easy for anyone to launch a distribution company. No real oversight. No licensing requirements. Just set up a payment portal and call it a “platform.”

So how do you avoid these situations?

Spotify maintains a helpful and up-to-date list of preferred distribution partners—distributors that have been vetted and approved by Spotify themselves. It’s not a perfect list, but it’s a great place to start.

It’s also helpful to read reviews—but take them with a grain of salt. Every distributor, from CD Baby to DistroKid to Too Lost, will have both glowing reviews and angry Reddit threads. What matters is the pattern of reputation over time.

2. Subscription or Pay-Per-Release?

There are two dominant pricing models for digital distribution:

• Pay-per-release: A one-time fee per album or single

• Subscription: A monthly or yearly fee for unlimited uploads

The pay-per-release model is the classic approach—used by companies like CD Baby since the early 2000s. You pay $35 (plus maybe the cost of a barcode) to get your album distributed, and that’s it. The music stays up permanently. No recurring costs. It’s a solid, straightforward model, especially if you’re not releasing frequently.

The subscription model, pioneered by companies like DistroKid, lets you release as much music as you want for a low annual fee. It’s great for prolific artists or small labels with lots of singles and EPs to release.

But beware: if you stop paying the subscription fee, some distributors will take your music down. Thankfully, LANDR is an exception here—they keep your music up even if your subscription ends.

One thing to keep in mind is that some subscription models start cheap but charge more for basic features like custom release dates, label names, or specific metadata fields. So, don’t just look at the base price—look at what you’re getting with that fee.

I personally think LANDR’s model is a strong hybrid—you get unlimited distribution, plus tools for mastering, collaboration, samples, and promotion. That bundling makes a lot of sense for modern artists and labels.

3. What Other Features Do They Offer?

Not all distributors are created equal. Some just get your music to the DSPs and that’s it. Others go above and beyond, offering tools that help with marketing, analytics, monetization, and even music creation.

If a distributor seems “too cheap to be true,” it probably is. You may find that you can’t choose a release date, or your songs don’t get pushed to TikTok or Instagram. Maybe customer support is non-existent, or there’s no backend to track your stats.

Good distributors bundle in things like smart links, pre-save tools, plugins, sample packs, mastering, and even educational content. These aren’t just perks; they’re tools that make the entire release process smoother.

For labels, you might be wondering: “How do I get access to the premium features the big labels use?” The truth is, those premium tiers often exist—but they’re invite-only. Companies like The Orchard or Secretly Distribution want to see a proven track record: revenue, catalog size, or streaming volume.

I’ve been lucky to have relationships like that with a few distributors, but they’re harder to come by these days. If you do get into those invite-only tiers, expect to share a cut (like 9%) of your royalties—but in exchange, you often get dedicated support, custom features, and faster turnaround times.

4. Run a Test Release

If you’re still unsure, why not try a test release? Distributors aren’t life partners, you can experiment.

Drop a single with one distributor and see how their dashboard works. Try a different one for your next new release and compare. What was the upload process like? How fast did the release go live? Was customer service helpful?

And yes, you can move releases from one distributor to another without losing stream counts or playlist placements. It takes a bit of admin work, but it’s doable. I’ve done it several times.

There’s no better way to evaluate a distributor than by actually using them. Think of it like test-driving a car before buying.

5. Don’t Overthink It

Here’s your permission to stop stressing about this.

Seriously. I see too many artists and labels paralyzed by this decision. The truth is, your fans won’t notice or care which distributor you use. What matters more is your song, your artwork, and your release strategy.

I’ve personally released music through CD Baby, DistroKid, Symphonic, and now LANDR. Each has pros and cons. None of them have been perfect. And that’s fine. The point is to find what works for you, not to find the mythical “perfect” solution.

The more important thing? Upload your music with plenty of lead time, ensure your files are high quality, and make sure you’re putting out your best possible work.

You can always switch distributors later.