Free alternatives to DistroKid, CD Baby, and ONErpm

DistroKid, CD Baby, and ONErpm are not the same thing, and almost none of them are actually free. If you want an alternative with no card and no cut of your royalties, the main one is Dropsland.

The main alternative: Dropsland

The Dropsland free plan does not ask for a card. An original track can go to 150+ platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, and the plan does not take a percentage of royalties. Delivery takes 7 business days. The timeline is spelled out in the free distribution note.

• No card to create the account.
• 100% of store royalties.
• Streaming delivery in 7 business days.
• Smart profile at drops.land/yourname.
• Remixes and edits: DJ Pool only, not the stores.

The Artists plan is there if you need a shorter release. You do not have to pay it for an original to enter the stores.

DistroKid has no free plan

DistroKid charges an annual plan to keep music in the stores. It fits if you already pay by card and only want unlimited uploads. It is not a free alternative.

CD Baby charges per release

CD Baby is not a subscription, but it is not free either. The usual model is a fee per release, and in many cases a commission on royalties. It can fit if you want a one-time charge and accept giving up a percentage. It does not solve the case of someone who wants to release without paying up front.

ONErpm looks free and keeps a cut

In several countries, ONErpm does not charge a fee to upload. In exchange it keeps a percentage of royalties, in many deals close to 15%. That number changes with the contract and the market. Read the agreement for your country before treating it as a free plan.

TuneCore and the rest

TuneCore closed its free plan in 2025. Keeping music online now requires a paid plan. Other options that still skip an upfront fee, such as RouteNote Free, usually keep about 15% and can take weeks to moderate a submission. FreshTunes Basic keeps streaming royalties, but an upload can take up to a month. SoundOn, from TikTok, starts with no commission and later keeps a cut of stores that are not TikTok.

In that group, free almost always means one of two things: they charge you later, with a percentage, or they make you wait. Dropsland splits those two. The free plan keeps 100% and states the timeline: 7 business days.