I recently switched from CD Baby to GYROstream for my music distribution and wanted to share this in public. Some independent artists may find it useful.
why
CD Baby used to be great - you pay once and they handle everything, taking just a percentage of your profits. Simple and straightforward. But since their acquisition, I've noticed significant changes in their service quality:
- Impossible to get any human support
- Extended wait times and inspection queues
- If something goes wrong, sometimes they won't tell you what it is, and since no one in support answers, it's frustrating
my experience with GYROstream
Just a few days ago, I made the switch to GYROstream. While the UI isn't phenomenal, the upload process was swift and a bit more robust than CD Baby, and my EP was released in just two days. The support team also responded promptly to my questions as a new user.
pricing considerations
GYROstream is a bit more expensive than CD Baby. I opted for the yearly plan per release. They also offer a "forever" option where you can pay a one-time fee (about 29.99 AUD for singles or 49.99 AUD for albums)
what's next?
I'm still deciding what to do with my existing releases on CD Baby.