Item: DistroKid Terms of Service
Rating: 45
Author: Terms.Law Editorial Team

⚠ Key Concerns

DistroKid's annual subscription model means your music can be removed from all streaming platforms if you don't renew. Artists who built audiences over years can lose everything overnight. The "Leave a Legacy" add-on ($29/year extra) is required to keep music up permanently.

Score Breakdown by Category

How DistroKid's terms rate across my evaluation categories.

💰 Payment & Fee Transparency (30%) 48/100

Why this score: DistroKid keeps 100% of royalties but charges annual fees ($22.99-$79.99/year). Many "free" features require paid add-ons: Leave a Legacy ($29/year), Spotify verified checkmark ($4.99), lyrics ($0.99/song), custom labels ($4.99/year). These costs add up quickly.

Industry comparison: TuneCore: 40/100 (per-release fees) | CD Baby: 50/100 (one-time + commission) | Amuse: 42/100 (free tier limitations) | Category avg: 45/100

⚖ Dispute Resolution (20%) 42/100

Why this score: Customer support is notoriously limited - primarily email-only with slow response times. Content ID disputes can take weeks to resolve, during which your revenue is held. Mandatory arbitration clause limits legal options.

Industry comparison: TuneCore: 38/100 (slow support) | CD Baby: 52/100 (phone support available) | Amuse: 35/100 (minimal support) | Category avg: 42/100

🔒 Contract & IP Rights (20%) 50/100

Why this score: Artists retain ownership of their music and masters - DistroKid is non-exclusive. However, the platform requires broad licenses to distribute and promote your work. YouTube Content ID enrollment is automatic and can cause issues with your own channel uploads.

Industry comparison: TuneCore: 48/100 (similar non-exclusive) | CD Baby: 45/100 (sync licensing terms) | Amuse: 40/100 (label discovery clause) | Category avg: 46/100

👁 Account & Termination Rights (15%) 38/100

Why this score: Music is removed from stores if subscription lapses - this is the core business model risk. DistroKid can terminate accounts for ToS violations with limited appeal. Withdrawal of music from stores can take weeks, during which royalties may be lost.

Industry comparison: TuneCore: 35/100 (annual renewal required) | CD Baby: 55/100 (one-time, permanent) | Amuse: 40/100 (tier restrictions) | Category avg: 42/100

👥 Non-Compete & Exclusivity (15%) 48/100

Why this score: DistroKid is non-exclusive - you can use other distributors simultaneously for different releases. However, you cannot distribute the same release through multiple services. Switching distributors requires takedown and re-upload, potentially losing playlist placements.

Industry comparison: TuneCore: 45/100 (non-exclusive) | CD Baby: 48/100 (non-exclusive) | Amuse: 42/100 (label deal implications) | Category avg: 46/100

Compare With Other Platforms

⚠ Key Clauses to Watch

These provisions in DistroKid's terms create the most risk for artists.

Music Removed if Subscription Lapses

High Risk

If you don't renew your annual subscription, DistroKid will remove your music from all streaming platforms. Years of playlist placements, algorithmic momentum, and listener saves can be lost.

"If your subscription expires, your music will be taken down from stores." DistroKid Terms of Service

Royalty Payment Delays (90+ Days)

High Risk

Streaming services pay distributors 2-3 months after streams occur. DistroKid then processes payments, adding additional delay. Combined, you may wait 3-4 months to see money from streams.

"Royalty payments are subject to processing times from streaming platforms and may take several months to appear in your bank." DistroKid Payment Terms

Content ID Auto-Enrollment

High Risk

YouTube Content ID is automatically enabled, which can flag your own uploads as copyright violations. Resolving these claims requires navigating YouTube's dispute system, which can affect your channel standing.

"Your music will be automatically registered with YouTube's Content ID system to monetize user-generated content." DistroKid Content ID Terms

Limited Customer Support

High Risk

Support is email-only with response times often exceeding a week. For urgent issues like incorrect takedowns or payment problems, this delay can cause significant financial harm.

"Support requests are handled via email. Response times vary based on volume." DistroKid Support Policy

Add-On Fees for Basic Features

Medium Risk

Many features that seem basic require additional payment: keeping music up forever ($29/year), custom release dates ($9.99), Shazam registration ($0.99), lyrics ($0.99/song). These costs compound over time.

"Leave a Legacy keeps your music in stores even if you cancel. Available for $29.00/year." DistroKid Pricing

Limited Analytics on Basic Plan

Medium Risk

Detailed streaming analytics and trends require upgrading to higher tier plans. Understanding where your listeners are and which playlists drive streams helps with marketing, but costs extra.

"Advanced analytics including listener demographics and playlist tracking available on Musician Plus and Label plans." DistroKid Plan Comparison

Analysis

"DistroKid's subscription model is a double-edged sword. The unlimited uploads are great for prolific artists, but the hostage dynamic - pay forever or lose everything - is concerning. Many artists don't realize until it's too late that their catalog is held ransom to an annual fee.

The 'Leave a Legacy' add-on is particularly telling. For $29/year per release, you can keep music up after canceling - but this essentially means the base subscription doesn't actually give you permanent distribution. Read that again: you're paying for distribution that disappears when you stop paying.

My recommendation: if you use DistroKid, budget for Leave a Legacy on your most important releases. Better yet, consider CD Baby's one-time fee model for catalog releases you want up permanently, and use DistroKid only for testing new releases."

DistroKid Terms of Service Review

⚠ Key Concerns

Score Breakdown by Category

Compare With Other Platforms

⚠ DistroKid Issues?

⚠ Key Clauses to Watch

Music Removed if Subscription Lapses

Royalty Payment Delays (90+ Days)

Content ID Auto-Enrollment

Limited Customer Support

Add-On Fees for Basic Features

Limited Analytics on Basic Plan

Analysis

Need Help With DistroKid?

Schedule a Consultation

DistroKid Terms of Service Review

⚠ Key Concerns

Score Breakdown by Category

Compare With Other Platforms

⚠ DistroKid Issues?

Related Resources

⚠ Key Clauses to Watch

Music Removed if Subscription Lapses

Royalty Payment Delays (90+ Days)

Content ID Auto-Enrollment

Limited Customer Support

Add-On Fees for Basic Features

Limited Analytics on Basic Plan

Analysis

Need Help With DistroKid?

Schedule a Consultation