DistroKid payment methods
Everything you need to know about paying for your music distribution
DistroKid takes credit cards, debit cards, prepaid Visa/Mastercard cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. They don't accept PayPal or crypto. Their plans cost $24.99 to $89.99 per year, and you need to keep your subscription active to keep your music on streaming platforms. A prepaid credit card from Rewarble is a good method to pay for Distropay if you don't have a credit card or just want to pay using alternative payment methods like crypto, and PayPal.
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What payment methods does DistroKid accept?
Here's what works:
- Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
- Debit cards from any bank
- Prepaid cards (as long as they're Visa or Mastercard)
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
PayPal and cryptocurrency don't work right now.
Can you pay without a credit card?
Yeah, definitely. You've got a few options:
Debit Cards Your regular bank debit card works just like a credit card on their site.
Prepaid Cards Load up a prepaid Visa or Mastercard with money and use that.
Digital Wallets Apple Pay or Google Pay work too, as long as they're linked to a bank account or debit card.
These options are great if you don't have a credit card or just don't want to use one.
What is DistroKid?
DistroKid gets your music onto Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and over 40 other streaming platforms. You pay one flat fee per year and can upload as much music as you want.
Some quick facts:
- They distribute about one-third of all new music worldwide
- You keep 100% of your royalties
- No extra charges per release
Most other distributors charge you for each song or album. DistroKid's model works better if you're putting out music regularly.
How Does DistroKid Work?
Pretty simple process:
Step 1: Sign up
Pick a plan and set up your artist profile.
Step 2: Upload your music
Send them your audio files (WAV or FLAC work best), cover art (at least 3000x3000px), and your release info.
Step 3: They distribute it
DistroKid sends your music to Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube Music, and over 40 other platforms.
Step 4: Get paid
When people stream your songs, the platforms pay royalties. DistroKid collects that money and puts it in your DistroKid Bank.
Splitting Money with Collaborators
If you work with other people, you can set up automatic splits. Choose the percentages once, and everyone gets paid their share.
How much does DistroKid cost?
They've got three plans:
Musician Plan: $24.99/year
- Upload as much as you want under one artist name
- Keep all your royalties
- Gets your music on all the major platforms
- Basic features included
Musician Plus Plan: $44.99/year
- Everything from Musician
- Custom label names
- Schedule release dates in advance
- Set up iTunes pre-orders
- Add lyrics to your songs
Ultimate Plan: $89.99/year
- Two artist names
- All the Musician Plus features
- Split revenue with collaborators
- Priority customer support
- Add team members to your account
Annual vs. Monthly Paying yearly costs about 15-20% less than monthly payments over the year. If you're releasing music often, annual makes more sense. We also advice leaving a legacy add-on This keeps your music online forever, even if you stop paying for your subscription.
How do I pay with a prepaid card?
Buying a Rewarble voucher
Step 1: Get a Visa or Mastercard gift card from a Rewarble partner
Step 2: Redeem your code at Rewarble.com/redeem
Step 3: Choose a Visa or mastercard that fots you the best
Step 4: Load enough money Make sure there's enough on the card to cover your plan ($24.99-$89.99).
Connect to your Distrokid account
Log into DistroKid > Go to Account Settings > Click Payment Methods > Enter your prepaid card info
Things to know about prepaid cards
- You can use them for multiple purchases at different stores
- They work just like regular cards
- No credit check needed
- You can reload them or use it for one time
- Your personal details remain private
- Instant issuance without lengthy verification
Can you pay with cryptocurrency?
No. They don't accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any other crypto.
What you can do instead:
You can easily buy a Visa or Mastercard gift card from our partners to pay for DistroKid with cryptocurrencies. You instantly receive a code by email, redeem it at Rewarble and create your own virtual credit card to pay for DistroKid.
When do I get paid from DistroKid?
It takes 3-4 months after people stream your music. That's because streaming platforms need time to count everything and report your earnings.
Here's how it works
- January streams → You get paid in April
- February streams → You get paid in May
- March streams → You get paid in June
Once the money shows up in your DistroKid Bank, withdrawing it takes up to 14 business days.
Why so long? Spotify, Apple Music, and the others all report earnings on different schedules. DistroKid has to wait for all those reports before they can pay you.
Which payment method should I use?
Depends on what works for you:
Debit card
- Renews automatically
- Needs an active bank account
- Direct connection to your bank
Prepaid card
- Control exactly how much you spend
- Can't overdraft
- You have to watch the balance
- Works without a bank account or lengthy verification
FAQ
Does DistroKid offer a free trial?
No. You have to pay upfront for annual or monthly plans.
Can I use a virtual credit card?
Yeah, as long as it's Visa or Mastercard and has enough money on it.
What happens to my music if I don't renew?
It gets removed from all streaming platforms within 30 days, unless you bought the Leave a Legacy add-on.
Can I change my plan after signing up?
Yes. You can upgrade anytime. Contact support and they'll adjust the price difference.
Is DistroKid cheaper than other distributors?
Depends on how much music you release. DistroKid's unlimited model is different from the per-release pricing that TuneCore or CD Baby use. If you're releasing multiple tracks per year, the subscription model usually saves money.
Bottom line
DistroKid accepts credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. They don't take crypto directly, but you can convert gift cards into prepaid credit cards that work on the platform. Plans run from $24.99 to $89.99 per year with unlimited uploads.
You'll get paid 3 to 4 months after streams happen, which is standard for how streaming platforms report earnings. Annual billing saves you about 15 to 20% compared to monthly payments. Pick whichever payment method keeps your subscription active and works with your budget, because that's what keeps your music online and the royalties coming in.
