What Are the Best Platforms to Get My Music on Spotify and Apple Music?

To get music on Spotify and Apple Music as an independent artist, you use a distributor: Spotify tells artists to work with one, and Apple points independent artists to its preferred distributors. The best platforms in November 2026 are DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, Ditto Music and Amuse, which deliver to both stores on yearly plans or per-release fees.

Below is how delivery works, what each platform charges and adds for Spotify and Apple Music specifically (checked on each company's own pages on November 7, 2026), and what to do once your release is on its way.

Why you need a distributor for Spotify and Apple Music

Both services point independent artists to the same route. Spotify's help page for artists says it in one line: "Work with a distributor to get your music on Spotify." The same page adds that most distributors charge a fee or commission.

Apple says much the same on its music provider site: "If you’re an independent artist or a label with a smaller catalog, we encourage you to work with an Apple-preferred distributor to submit your music to Apple Music and the iTunes Store." Apple also says it deals directly with your distributor about any metadata or asset issues, and that the distributor handles your streaming, financial and royalty information.

In practice, one distributor sends your audio, artwork and metadata to Spotify, Apple Music and the other stores at once, then collects the royalties and pays you. You don't need a separate service for each store.

Both platforms keep a list worth checking. Spotify's provider directory names the distributors it says meet its standards for delivering music, including DistroKid, CD Baby, TuneCore, Amuse, LANDR, RouteNote and Ditto Music. Apple's partner directory shows which of its preferred distributors deliver extras such as Dolby Atmos, song credits, lyrics and motion artwork.

The best platforms to get your music on Spotify and Apple Music

Prices are in US dollars from each company's pricing page on November 7, 2026. They change often, so confirm at checkout.

• DistroKid: one yearly fee, unlimited uploads. Musician costs $24.99 a year and includes a Spotify registered artist profile, royalty splits and keeping 100% of earnings. Musician Plus, at $44.99, adds custom release and pre-order dates plus synced lyrics in Apple Music. Ultimate starts at $89.99 and adds monitoring of your music on Spotify and Apple Music. Best for artists who release often and want one flat bill.
• TuneCore: in Apple's preferred directory. Rising Artist is $24.99 a year, Breakout Artist $44.99 and Professional $54.99. TuneCore's plan table lists a Spotify Registered Artist Checkmark, Apple Music for Artists verification and your own release date on all three. TuneCore also appears in Apple's partner directory, marked as offering Dolby Atmos, credits, lyrics and analytics. Best for artists who mix in Dolby Atmos or want full credits and lyrics on Apple Music.
• CD Baby: pay once per release. A single costs $9.99 and an album $14.99, with no annual fees. CD Baby says that after release you keep over 90% of what you earn, so it takes a commission instead of a subscription. Best for artists who release once or twice a year and want each release to stay up without a yearly bill.
• Ditto Music: the lowest yearly price. Starter is $19 a year for one artist, with unlimited releases, 100% of royalties, free pre-save links and instant Spotify verification. Pro, at $59, adds a second artist and lets you set exact release times. Best for a first release on a tight budget.
• Amuse: a safety net if you stop paying. Artist is $23.99 a year, Artist Plus $39.99 and Artist Pro $59.99, billed yearly only. If you cancel, Amuse keeps your music live and you receive 75% of your earnings instead of 100%. Best for artists who worry about a lapsed subscription taking their catalog down.

The best platforms to buy a subscription for uploading your tracks to Spotify and Apple Music

If you'd rather pay a subscription than per release, four of the platforms above sell yearly plans that cover unlimited uploads to both stores. Sorted by entry price: Ditto Starter at $19, Amuse Artist at $23.99, and DistroKid Musician and TuneCore Rising Artist at $24.99 each.

Before you pick one, check three things:

1. Release dates. Pitching to Spotify's editors needs lead time, so you'll want to choose your release date. On DistroKid, custom dates start at Musician Plus. TuneCore lists it on every plan.
2. What happens when you stop paying. Amuse spells it out: your music stays live with 75% of earnings paid to you. With any other subscription, read the terms on lapsed plans before you move a catalog in.
3. How many artists you need. DistroKid's Musician and Ditto's Starter cover one artist. If you also release under a side project, you'll need the next tier.

Subscription or per release comes down to how often you put music out. Release four singles every year and Ditto's $19 Starter is clearly cheaper than CD Baby's $39.96 for the same four. Release one album and then go quiet for a few years, and CD Baby's one-time $14.99 beats renewing a $19 to $25 subscription every year.

What to do after your distributor delivers

Delivery is only the start. These steps set up the song's first week.

1. Pick a date at least a week out. Spotify's guide to pitching music to playlist editors says pitches are only for unreleased songs, and a song pitched at least 7 days before release goes to your followers' Release Radar. Three to four weeks gives you room for pre-saves too.
2. Claim your artist profiles. Get access to Spotify for Artists and Apple Music for Artists, so you can update your bio and photos and see your stats.
3. Pitch on Spotify for Artists. Pick the upcoming song and complete the pitch form, including its genre and mood tags. Spotify's own advice is that more detail gives your song a better chance.
4. Check both stores on release day. If the song is missing or listed under the wrong artist, contact your distributor with the release details straight away.

For a wider comparison that also covers free options, SoundCloud and Bandcamp, see the best platforms for independent musicians to distribute music online.

If your date is close, our guide to music distributors that support fast-track releases explains what a rush option can and can't speed up.

If your track was made with AI tools

Check your distributor's AI rules before you pay, because a rejected release costs you more time than any upload queue. We've covered whether DistroKid allows AI-generated music, and the other distributors publish their own policies.

On Spotify's side, its September 25, 2025 announcement on AI protections says vocal impersonation is allowed only when the impersonated artist has authorized it, and that Spotify supports a new DDEX standard for AI disclosures in song credits, sent through labels and distributors. An update to that post notes that not all distributors let artists disclose yet, so ask yours whether it supports AI credits.

Where Soundverse fits

Soundverse is an AI music platform that takes you from idea to audience. It doesn't replace your distributor: delivery to Spotify and Apple Music runs through a service like the ones above. Soundverse covers the work around that delivery.

Release Planner analyzes your track and writes a day-by-day, platform-split rollout with a recommended release day and deadlines for pre-saves, smart links and playlist pitches. Playlist Pitch Generator writes pitches for Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music and Deezer from one run, keeps the Spotify pitch to the character limit you set, and with Name Real Playlists on, names only playlists its web search found, each with a link. With the Soundverse Computer Use Extension, Agent One can check your distributor dashboard or the stores you name and report which ones show your release.

Licensing is set by plan: the Free plan is for personal use, and the Creator plan comes with a royalty-free license.

This walkthrough shows Playlist Pitch Generator writing Spotify, Apple Music and curator pitches for a song.

FAQ

Can I upload my music directly to Spotify or Apple Music? Not for songs, as an independent artist. Spotify's help page tells artists to work with a distributor. Apple says it works directly with labels and distributors that have large catalogs, and encourages independent artists to use an Apple-preferred distributor. One distributor covers both stores.

What is the cheapest way to get my music on Spotify and Apple Music? Among yearly plans, Ditto Music's Starter was the lowest we found at $19 a year for unlimited releases. For a single song, CD Baby charges $9.99 once with no annual fee, though it keeps a commission on earnings.

Do I need a different distributor for each store? No. Send each recording through one distributor only. Spotify's September 2025 announcement names duplicates among the spam tactics its music spam filter targets, and two deliveries of the same song also split your stats and royalty reports.

Which distributor is best for Apple Music features like Dolby Atmos and lyrics? Check Apple's partner directory, which marks what each preferred distributor offers. On November 7, 2026, it listed TuneCore with Dolby Atmos, credits, lyrics and analytics. DistroKid's Musician Plus plan includes synced lyrics in Apple Music.

Sign up for Soundverse free and plan the rollout for your next single. More release guides on the Soundverse blog.