Compare
Notes vs DistroKid Publishing
Both register your compositions so publishing royalties can be matched to you. Notes includes it in the same flat subscription as distribution and does not take a percentage of royalties.
Best for Notes. Musicians who want distribution and publishing administration in one account, with no percentage taken from either side.
Best for DistroKid Publishing. Musicians already distributing with DistroKid who want to add publishing administration to that account.
Find out whether your compositions are registered
Search your artist name. Notes checks your songs against The MLC, YouTube, SoundExchange, and the societies, and shows which ones went unmatched.
Pricing
What you pay
| Item | Notes | DistroKid Publishing |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, then $5 / month (musician). Companies from $100 / month. | A separate opt-in enrollment. The rate is not listed on DistroKid’s public pricing page. |
| Publishing administration cut | None | Not stated on DistroKid’s public pricing page. Check the live checkout. |
| Distribution | Included | Bought separately as a DistroKid distribution plan, from $24.99 / year. |
| What you buy | Distribution + publishing administration + collection | Publishing administration for your compositions |
Features
What each product does
| Feature | Notes | DistroKid Publishing |
|---|---|---|
| Register compositions with PROs and The MLC | Yes | Yes |
| You keep your copyright | Yes | Yes |
| Publishing administration included with distribution | Yes | No |
| Deliver recordings to DSPs | Yes | No |
| Collect neighboring rights / SoundExchange | Yes | No |
Notes — strengths
- Publishing administration is in the same flat subscription as distribution.
- No percentage of royalties, on the recording side or the songwriting side.
- Each song has a recording pool and a songwriting pool. Each sums to 100% on its own.
Notes — limits
- If you already distribute elsewhere and only want publishing administration, you are paying for distribution you may not use.
- Notes is a monthly subscription, not a one-time enrollment.
DistroKid Publishing — strengths
- If you already distribute with DistroKid, publishing administration is added inside the same account.
- You keep full ownership of your copyright.
- Once you enroll, DistroKid registers your works and collects composition royalties as your administrator.
DistroKid Publishing — limits
- It is a separate opt-in enrollment. Nothing is registered until you enroll.
- The rate is not listed on DistroKid’s public pricing page, so compare it against the live checkout.
- It covers the composition side. Neighboring rights are a separate registration.
Recommendation
Who should use which
If you release through DistroKid and never enrolled in any publishing administration, your compositions are not registered with The MLC or a PRO, and the composition side of your streams is not being collected. Enrolling somewhere matters more than which one you pick. Choose Notes if you want the recording side and the composition side in one account for a flat fee, with no percentage taken.
Questions
DistroKid Publishing and Notes
- Does DistroKid collect publishing royalties?
- DistroKid’s public pricing page lists three distribution plans and does not include publishing administration. DistroKid Publishing is a separate opt-in enrollment; once you enroll, DistroKid acts as your publishing administrator and collects composition royalties on your behalf. If you have not enrolled anywhere, the composition side of your streams is not being collected.
- Does DistroKid register my songs with The MLC?
- Not on a base distribution plan. Composition registration happens through a publishing administrator. DistroKid does it once you enroll in DistroKid Publishing, and Notes does it as part of the subscription. Either way, your compositions have to be registered with The MLC before US mechanical royalties can be matched to you.
- What happens to my mechanicals if I never signed up for publishing administration?
- They stay unmatched until the composition is registered. The MLC holds unmatched royalties from usage on or after January 1, 2021 for a minimum of three years while it works to find and pay the rightful owner. After that window, remaining funds are distributed to music publishers and self-administered songwriters on a market-share basis. Registering your compositions is how your share reaches you.
- Do I lose my copyright with publishing administration?
- No. Administration registers and collects on your behalf without acquiring copyright. Both DistroKid Publishing and Notes state that you keep ownership of your songs.
- Does Notes take a percentage of publishing?
- No. Notes is a flat subscription. Musicians have a free tier, then $5 per month. Company plans start at $100 per month. Notes does not take a percentage of recording or songwriting royalties.
Public sources