Free music distribution: what is the catch?

A free distributor charges nothing to upload and keeps a percentage of what your releases earn. MOOZLO, for example, keeps 15% and pays you 85%. If a release earns nothing, you pay nothing.

Paid distributors flip it: you pay a yearly or per-release fee and keep all, or nearly all, of the earnings.

It depends on how much your music earns. With a 15% share and a $24.99 yearly fee as the alternative, the two cost the same at about $167 of earnings a year. Below that, the free model costs you less; above it, a flat fee keeps more of your money.

• Many releases and small earnings, as when you are starting out: a free share-based model costs you almost nothing.
• A few releases that earn well: a flat fee is usually cheaper once your yearly earnings pass the break-even point.
• Releasing often under several names or a label: check whether the plan limits the number of releases or artist names. MOOZLO's does not.

• Whether releases are taken down if you stop paying or cancel a subscription.
• Fees that apply on top, such as for YouTube Content ID or social platforms.
• Whether the licence is exclusive — it should not be.
• The payout minimum and the cost of withdrawing.

Nothing upfront, and nothing else: unlimited releases, unlimited artist names, your own label name and YouTube Content ID are all included, and 15% of earnings is the whole price. The licence is non-exclusive, you keep ownership of your music, and you can take any release down at any time.