TuneCore Alternative: Kinjari vs TuneCore | Kinjari Blog ![](https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1772224890303752&ev=PageView&noscript=1) [ ![Kinjari logo](/imgs/logo.png) ](https://www.kinjari.com) [For Artists](https://www.kinjari.com/music-distribution) [For Labels](https://www.kinjari.com/music-distribution-for-independent-labels) [For Distributors](https://www.kinjari.com/music-distribution-api) Features [ All Features ](https://www.kinjari.com/features) [ Biolinks ](https://www.kinjari.com/biolinks) [ YouTube ContentID ](https://www.kinjari.com/youtube-contentid) [ Release Calendar ](https://www.kinjari.com/release-calendar) [ File Manager ](https://www.kinjari.com/file-manager) [ Revenue Splits ](https://www.kinjari.com/features/revenue-splits) [ Artist Tools ](https://www.kinjari.com/artist-tools) [Blog](https://www.kinjari.com/blog) [FAQ](https://www.kinjari.com/faq) [Sign In](https://app.kinjari.com/login) [Get Started](https://app.kinjari.com/register) ![Kinjari logo](/imgs/logo.png) [ Home ](https://www.kinjari.com) [ For Artists ](https://www.kinjari.com/music-distribution) [ For Labels ](https://www.kinjari.com/music-distribution-for-independent-labels) [ For Distributors ](https://www.kinjari.com/music-distribution-api) Features [ All Features ](https://www.kinjari.com/features) [ Biolinks ](https://www.kinjari.com/biolinks) [ YouTube ContentID ](https://www.kinjari.com/youtube-contentid) [ Release Calendar ](https://www.kinjari.com/release-calendar) [ File Manager ](https://www.kinjari.com/file-manager) [ Revenue Splits ](https://www.kinjari.com/features/revenue-splits) [ Artist Tools ](https://www.kinjari.com/artist-tools) [ Blog ](https://www.kinjari.com/blog) [ FAQ ](https://www.kinjari.com/faq) [ Sign In ](https://app.kinjari.com/login) [ Get Started ](https://app.kinjari.com/register) Thu, Sep 24, 2026 TuneCore Alternative: Costs, Features and What Changes ====================================================== Kinjari is a practical TuneCore alternative for monthly billing, included Beatport delivery and releases that stay live after cancellation. Here is the fair comparison. On this page - [ Kinjari vs TuneCore at a glance ](#kinjari-vs-tunecore-at-a-glance) - [ The headline price ](#the-headline-price) - [ What TuneCore’s plans include ](#what-tunecores-plans-include) - [ Beatport changes the comparison ](#beatport-changes-the-comparison) - [ YouTube Content ID and social-platform income ](#youtube-content-id-and-social-platform-income) - [ What happens when you cancel? ](#what-happens-when-you-cancel) - [ Worked examples: who pays what in practice ](#worked-examples-who-pays-what-in-practice) - [ Basic solo artist, no Beatport ](#basic-solo-artist-no-beatport) - [ Electronic artist who needs Beatport ](#electronic-artist-who-needs-beatport) - [ Social-heavy catalogue ](#social-heavy-catalogue) - [ Part-year monthly need ](#part-year-monthly-need) - [ Which service is cheaper? ](#which-service-is-cheaper) - [ Release workflow ](#release-workflow) - [ Label vs Professional: do not compare the wrong tier ](#label-vs-professional-do-not-compare-the-wrong-tier) - [ Moving from TuneCore to Kinjari ](#moving-from-tunecore-to-kinjari) - [ A sensible way to decide ](#a-sensible-way-to-decide) - [ Frequently asked questions ](#frequently-asked-questions) - [ Is Kinjari cheaper than TuneCore? ](#is-kinjari-cheaper-than-tunecore) - [ Does TuneCore keep 100% of all royalties? ](#does-tunecore-keep-100-of-all-royalties) - [ Is Beatport included with TuneCore Rising? ](#is-beatport-included-with-tunecore-rising) - [ What happens to my music if I cancel TuneCore? ](#what-happens-to-my-music-if-i-cancel-tunecore) - [ Can I move my ISRCs and UPCs from TuneCore to Kinjari? ](#can-i-move-my-isrcs-and-upcs-from-tunecore-to-kinjari) - [ Should a small label compare Rising or Professional? ](#should-a-small-label-compare-rising-or-professional) - [ Does Kinjari review releases before delivery? ](#does-kinjari-review-releases-before-delivery) - [ Where can I check the current TuneCore prices myself? ](#where-can-i-check-the-current-tunecore-prices-myself) **Kinjari is a practical TuneCore alternative for artists who prefer monthly billing, want Beatport included and do not want ordinary cancellation to remove their released catalogue.** TuneCore is the stronger fit if your priority is the lowest annual base price and keeping 100% of mainstream digital-store revenue. The price changes once you add Beatport, social-platform commission and the policy for keeping music live, so compare the version of each service you would actually use. Figures below use current public US prices, with dates next to the numbers that matter. Kinjari vs TuneCore at a glance ------------------------------- [Kinjari Artist](/music-distribution)TuneCore Rising Artist**Base price**$3 per month$24.99 per year**Release limit**UnlimitedUnlimited**Digital services**100+150+**Main DSP revenue**Keep 90%Keep 100%**Social platforms and Content ID**Included; keep 90%Included; keep 80% (20% fee)**Beatport**Included for eligible electronic musicExtra Beatport fee on top of the Unlimited plan**Billing**MonthlyAnnual**After ordinary cancellation**Released music stays live; account becomes management-onlyCancelled releases come down at the end of their renewal periodThe headline price ------------------ TuneCore’s Rising Artist plan is $24.99 a year. It includes unlimited releases to more than 150 digital stores, scheduling, collaborator splits and YouTube Content ID for one artist. [Kinjari Artist](/music-distribution) is $3 a month, or $36 across twelve months if you keep it for a full year. It includes unlimited releases, more than 100 platforms, Beatport for eligible electronic music, YouTube Content ID, release scheduling, storage and unlimited artist aliases. See [current Kinjari plans](/pricing). For a straightforward artist who wants Spotify, Apple Music and the other large streaming services, TuneCore has the lower fixed annual price and keeps 100% of that digital-store revenue. Kinjari costs $11.01 more over twelve months and keeps 10% of net royalties. The calculation changes for electronic artists who need Beatport, for catalogues that earn meaningful social or Content ID income, and for anybody who values a monthly plan or the option to stop uploading without taking down the back catalogue. What TuneCore’s plans include ----------------------------- TuneCore currently offers three Unlimited plans: PlanAnnual priceMain differenceRising Artist$24.99One artist, unlimited releases and core distribution toolsBreakout Artist$44.99Adds Store Automator, artwork tools and faster stated supportProfessional$54.99Adds multiple artists, custom label name and priority support; each additional primary artist costs $14.99 a yearTuneCore also offers pay-per-release pricing: $24.99 a year for a single and $44.99 for an album in the first year, with the album renewing at $56.49. For an artist releasing more than once, an Unlimited plan is normally the obvious TuneCore comparison. TuneCore’s strengths are clear: long market presence, broad store coverage, low annual entry cost and no commission on ordinary streaming and download income. Where the comparison gets harder for TuneCore is annual billing, separate Beatport pricing, the 20% fee on social-platform and Content ID revenue, and the renewal policy that ties cancelled releases to takedown at period end. Beatport changes the comparison ------------------------------- If you release eligible electronic music and need Beatport, treat that as a separate cost on TuneCore rather than an included Unlimited-plan feature. Kinjari includes [Beatport distribution](/beatport-distribution) in the Artist plan for eligible releases. The annual totals and break-even maths for Beatport add-ons sit in our [Beatport cost breakdown](/blog/distrokid-beatport-cost). The short point here is simple: Beatport is included with Kinjari Artist and priced separately with TuneCore’s Unlimited plans. TuneCore’s own Beatport guidance also notes genre eligibility and that releases may appear under the TuneCore label name in Beatport’s catalogue. If you need an imprint-style Beatport presence, compare that detail carefully against Kinjari’s label delivery options. YouTube Content ID and social-platform income --------------------------------------------- Both services include YouTube Content ID, subject to eligibility. That eligibility matters: non-exclusive beats, production loops, public-domain recordings and several other types of audio may not be suitable for Content ID regardless of distributor. TuneCore says there is no upfront Content ID fee and that artists receive 80% of revenue generated across YouTube Content ID and its other social platforms (a 20% fee). Its Content ID help pages explain the vetting and collection process. Kinjari includes [YouTube Content ID](/youtube-contentid) in the $3 plan and applies the same 10% commission used for other positive statement lines, so the artist keeps 90%. If Content ID and social-platform revenue are important to your catalogue, compare the percentage as well as whether the feature appears in the plan table. A catalogue that earns little from social platforms will care more about the base plan price. A catalogue that earns heavily from TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or Content ID claims will care about the 10% versus 20% difference. What happens when you cancel? ----------------------------- This is one of the clearest differences between the two products. TuneCore lets you cancel the renewal of an individual active release. Its current help pages say that release is taken down at the end of the renewal period. You can also request an earlier takedown. Store processing times vary, so the music does not vanish from every service in the same minute. With Kinjari Artist, an ordinary cancellation ends the paid plan at renewal and moves the account to management-only. Releases already distributed through Kinjari stay live. You can receive and withdraw royalties, but you cannot upload new releases. The full cancel meaning (royalties, exceptions and checklist) is in our guide to [what happens when you cancel a music distributor](/blog/what-happens-when-you-cancel-music-distributor), and the contractual position sits in the [Terms and Conditions](/terms). That does not make Kinjari releases untouchable. Rights complaints, store decisions, payment chargebacks or serious breaches are separate issues. It does mean that simply deciding not to continue the monthly plan is not, by itself, a catalogue takedown. If you expect to release for one busy year and then leave a small catalogue untouched, that difference may matter more than $11.01 in fixed annual cost. Worked examples: who pays what in practice ------------------------------------------ These examples use published US prices checked on 7 September 2026, before tax. They are not predictions of what your music will earn. ### Basic solo artist, no Beatport You release a few singles a year to Spotify, Apple Music and the other large services. You do not need Beatport. Social and Content ID income is small. - **TuneCore Rising Artist:** $24.99 a year, keep 100% of standard DSP royalties. - **Kinjari Artist:** $36 a year if kept for twelve months, keep 90% of net royalties. On fixed cost alone, TuneCore is $11.01 cheaper over a full year. If your DSP royalties are meaningful, keeping 100% rather than 90% also favours TuneCore. Kinjari still wins on monthly flexibility and the stay-live cancellation policy, but not on the headline annual arithmetic for this simple case. ### Electronic artist who needs Beatport You need Beatport for club and electronic discovery. Treat Beatport as a required channel, not a nice-to-have. Kinjari includes Beatport in the $3 Artist plan. TuneCore prices Beatport separately on top of Rising, Breakout or Professional. The detailed annual totals live in the [Beatport cost post](/blog/distrokid-beatport-cost). If Beatport is non-negotiable, Kinjari’s included delivery removes a recurring add-on from the TuneCore side of the ledger. Then compare royalty share, genre eligibility and how each service presents your releases on Beatport. ### Social-heavy catalogue A meaningful share of your income comes from TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube Content ID rather than from Spotify streams alone. - **TuneCore:** 20% fee on that social and Content ID revenue (artist keeps 80%). - **Kinjari:** same 10% commission as other positive lines (artist keeps 90%). On a catalogue that earns $2,000 a year from social and Content ID lines, TuneCore’s 20% fee is $400 and Kinjari’s 10% is $200. That is a $200 difference before you even compare the base plan. On a catalogue that earns almost nothing from those lines, the percentage barely moves the total and the $24.99 versus $36 base price matters more. Use your last statements. Guessing the mix is how artists pick the wrong distributor. ### Part-year monthly need You are releasing for a campaign window of three to six months, or you want the option to pause distribution spend between projects without locking into a full annual Unlimited plan. - **TuneCore Rising:** $24.99 for the year, even if you only needed the account for part of it. - **Kinjari Artist:** $3 per month while the paid plan is active. Three months is $9; six months is $18. If you cancel Kinjari after the campaign, already-released music can stay live on a management-only account. If you cancel a TuneCore release renewal, that release is scheduled for takedown at the end of its period. For short campaigns with a catalogue you still want online afterwards, monthly billing plus stay-live cancellation is often the more useful product shape, even when the full-year sticker price looks higher. Which service is cheaper? ------------------------- For one artist who needs standard digital stores and earns any meaningful streaming income without Beatport, TuneCore Rising is cheaper on the published numbers: $24.99 a year and no commission on standard DSP royalties. Kinjari can be cheaper when: - you only need distribution for part of a year and prefer monthly billing; - you need Beatport and the add-on arithmetic tips the combined total; or - a larger share of your income comes from social platforms, where Kinjari keeps 10% and TuneCore says it keeps 20%. Kinjari can also be the better commercial choice even when it is not the cheapest. Included Beatport delivery, monthly payment and the stay-live cancellation policy solve different problems from the annual sticker price. Release workflow ---------------- Both let independent artists deliver unlimited music. The useful differences are in the details around that delivery. TuneCore’s Rising plan includes scheduling, splits, analytics and Content ID. Breakout adds tools such as Store Automator and artwork helpers. Professional adds multi-artist management, custom label naming and faster stated support response times. If you are comparing a roster workflow, start with Professional rather than Rising. Kinjari Artist includes scheduling, Content ID, Beatport, release tracking, storage and aliases in one plan. Releases go through human review before delivery. Kinjari aims to approve and process complete releases within seven working days, after which each store adds its own processing time. That is an approval target, not a live-date promise. Leave buffer before campaign dates. Practical checks on either service: 1. Upload the final WAV masters and correctly sized artwork. 2. Use consistent artist names, titles, versions and original release dates. 3. Keep ISRCs and UPCs stable when reissuing or migrating. 4. Confirm store destinations before you submit. 5. Check the live listing after delivery rather than assuming the dashboard equals the store page. If you run a roster rather than one artist identity, compare TuneCore Professional with the [Kinjari Label plan](/music-distribution-for-independent-labels), not the $3 Artist plan. The Label plan is designed around submissions, approval, team access, statements, splits and recoupment. Professional’s $54.99 Unlimited plan plus $14.99 per additional primary artist is a different product shape from a dedicated label seat model. Match the comparison to the job. Label vs Professional: do not compare the wrong tier ---------------------------------------------------- Artists shopping for a TuneCore alternative often land on Rising versus Kinjari Artist. That is fair for a solo act. It is the wrong comparison for an imprint. TuneCore Professional adds multi-artist tools and a custom label name on an Unlimited plan. Kinjari Label adds roster workflows, artist sub-accounts, submission and approval, Beatport label options, automatic split reporting and advanced label analytics at $39 a month. Those are different jobs: several artist profiles on one Unlimited plan versus running a small label’s release and royalty operations. If you are deciding for a roster, read the Label page and ignore the $3 Artist number until you know you only need one identity. Moving from TuneCore to Kinjari ------------------------------- Do not cancel TuneCore first. Save your WAV files, artwork, metadata, UPCs, ISRCs, store links and statements. Create matching releases in Kinjari with the same recordings, ISRCs, artist names, titles and original release dates. Wait until the replacement releases are live and correctly matched in the stores. Then cancel the old renewal or request the old delivery’s removal. Our guide to [switching music distributors](/blog/switch-music-distributors) covers the full sequence and the checks that protect streams and playlists. A sensible way to decide ------------------------ 1. List the stores you actually need this year, including Beatport if it matters. 2. Estimate how much of your income comes from standard DSPs versus social platforms and Content ID. 3. Decide whether you need monthly billing or a stay-live cancel policy. 4. Compare Rising (or Professional for a roster) with the matching Kinjari Artist or Label plan on those points, not on marketing headlines alone. TuneCore is a strong low-fixed-cost option for a solo artist using mainstream services and earning enough that a 10% commission matters. Kinjari is the sharper alternative for monthly flexibility, included Beatport, a lower social-platform share and a catalogue that stays live after ordinary cancellation. If DistroKid is also on your shortlist, compare it in our [DistroKid alternative guide](/distrokid-alternative). If the Kinjari model fits, [compare the plans](/pricing). Frequently asked questions -------------------------- ### Is Kinjari cheaper than TuneCore? Not always. For a full year of standard DSP distribution without Beatport, TuneCore Rising at $24.99 is cheaper on fixed cost than Kinjari’s $36, and TuneCore keeps 100% of those DSP royalties. Kinjari can cost less for part-year use, Beatport-heavy setups and social-heavy catalogues. Run your own mix of plan months, add-ons and revenue lines. ### Does TuneCore keep 100% of all royalties? TuneCore keeps no commission on ordinary streaming and download income from its digital-store network. It charges a 20% fee on social-platform and YouTube Content ID revenue. Read the plan details for the lines that matter to your catalogue. ### Is Beatport included with TuneCore Rising? No. Beatport sits outside the Unlimited plan price. Kinjari includes Beatport for eligible electronic music in the Artist plan. For annual Beatport cost maths across distributors, see the [Beatport cost breakdown](/blog/distrokid-beatport-cost). ### What happens to my music if I cancel TuneCore? Cancelling renewal for a TuneCore release schedules that release for takedown at the end of its renewal period, unless you request an earlier removal. That is different from Kinjari’s management-only model, where ordinary cancellation stops new uploads while existing releases stay live. ### Can I move my ISRCs and UPCs from TuneCore to Kinjari? Yes. Recreate the release with the same masters, ISRCs, titles, artist names and original dates, then wait for the store match before removing the old delivery. Follow the [switching guide](/blog/switch-music-distributors) rather than cancelling first. ### Should a small label compare Rising or Professional? Neither Rising nor a casual glance at Professional is enough. Compare TuneCore Professional (plus $14.99 per additional primary artist) with the [Kinjari Label plan](/music-distribution-for-independent-labels). Look at seats, approvals, statements and splits. The Unlimited upload count alone is not enough. ### Does Kinjari review releases before delivery? Yes. Complete releases go through human review. Kinjari aims to approve and process within seven working days; stores then add their own processing time. Build that buffer into campaign dates. ### Where can I check the current TuneCore prices myself? Use [tunecore.com/pricing](https://www.tunecore.com/pricing). The Rising, Breakout, Professional, pay-per-release and additional-artist figures in this post were checked there on 7 September 2026. You got the music. We'll get it out there. ------------------------------------------ Just $3/mo. You keep 90% of the royalties. [ Let's Do This ](https://app.kinjari.com/register) More from the Blog ------------------ Read even more from our blog. [### We're Removing Per-Track Fees from Kinjari Label Kinjari Label is removing per-track fees beyond 200 tracks. Grow an unlimited catalogue for $39/month, with the existing 10% royalty commission unchanged. ](https://www.kinjari.com/blog/kinjari-label-removes-per-track-fees) [### Best Music Distributors for EDM & Beatport Artists A practical comparison of the best music distributors for EDM artists, from Beatport costs and Volumo access to royalties, label tools and mastering. ](https://www.kinjari.com/blog/best-music-distributor-for-edm) [### How much it really costs to start your own music distribution company The real cost of starting a music distributor on bought infrastructure: $199/mo for the first 2,000 tracks, progressive catalogue bands, 10% of net DSP revenue, and the opex founders forget. ](https://www.kinjari.com/blog/ark-music-distribution-api-pricing) ### Product [Home](https://www.kinjari.com) [For Artists](https://www.kinjari.com/music-distribution) [For Labels](https://www.kinjari.com/music-distribution-for-independent-labels) [For Distributors](https://www.kinjari.com/music-distribution-api) [Biolinks](https://www.kinjari.com/biolinks) [Blog](https://www.kinjari.com/blog) [Sign in](https://app.kinjari.com) ### Legal [Terms and Conditions](https://www.kinjari.com/terms) [Privacy Policy](https://www.kinjari.com/privacy) [Distribution Agreement](https://www.kinjari.com/distribution-agreement) ### Support [Documentation](https://help.kinjari.com/) [Referral Program](https://www.kinjari.com/referrals) [FAQ](https://www.kinjari.com/faq) [Switch Music Distributor Guide](https://www.kinjari.com/switch-music-distributors) ### Platform Features [All Features](https://www.kinjari.com/features) [Biolinks](https://www.kinjari.com/biolinks) [YouTube ContentID](https://www.kinjari.com/youtube-contentid) [Release Calendar](https://www.kinjari.com/release-calendar) [File Manager](https://www.kinjari.com/file-manager) [Revenue Splits](https://www.kinjari.com/features/revenue-splits) ### Useful Tools [Streaming Royalties Calculator](https://www.kinjari.com/artist-tools/streaming-royalties-calculator) [Artist Name Generator](https://www.kinjari.com/artist-tools/name-generator) [All Artist Tools](https://www.kinjari.com/artist-tools) [Easy Song](https://www.easysong.com/?PartnerID=401) ### Music Distribution Platforms [Spotify Distribution](https://www.kinjari.com/spotify-distribution) [Apple Music Distribution](https://www.kinjari.com/apple-music-distribution) [Tidal Distribution](https://www.kinjari.com/tidal-distribution) [Beatport Distribution](https://www.kinjari.com/beatport-distribution) [Deezer Distribution](https://www.kinjari.com/deezer-distribution) [Amazon Music Distribution](https://www.kinjari.com/amazon-music-distribution) [7digital Distribution](https://www.kinjari.com/7digital-distribution) [YouTube Music Distribution](https://www.kinjari.com/youtube-music-distribution) [Volumo Distribution](https://www.kinjari.com/volumo-distribution) [Twitch DJ Program](https://www.kinjari.com/twitch-dj-program) ### Comparisons [Distrokid Alternative](https://www.kinjari.com/distrokid-alternative) [LANDR Distribution Alternative](https://www.kinjari.com/landr-alternative) ![Kinjari logo](/imgs/logo.png) Kinjari is a product of Kinjari, Inc.. 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