Why does CD Baby take 9% of my streaming royalties?

CD Baby's Standard plan is structured as a one-time upfront fee ($9.95 per single or $29 per album) plus a 9% commission on all streaming royalties for the life of the release. It's the original distribution model from the CD/iTunes era. ORB charges 0% — you keep 100% of your royalties on every plan.

Is ORB cheaper than CD Baby?

Yes, especially for any artist releasing more than a few songs per year. CD Baby costs $9.95 per single plus 9% of all your streaming royalties forever. ORB's Artist plan is ~$3/month (~$36/year) for unlimited releases with 0% commission. For a DJ or producer releasing 10+ tracks a year, ORB is dramatically cheaper.

Can I transfer my music from CD Baby to ORB?

Yes. Submit a free Catalog Transfer request in your ORB dashboard with your CD Baby release list. Our team coordinates the migration with no downtime, and your streams and stats stay intact. You'll stop paying CD Baby's 9% commission immediately after transfer completes.

Does CD Baby pay in local African currency?

No. CD Baby pays in USD via PayPal or Payoneer. African artists then convert to their local currency, losing 5–10% to FX and bank fees. ORB pays directly in Naira, Cedis, Rand, Shillings, CFA Francs and 30+ other African currencies into your local bank or mobile money — no conversion fees.

Should I stay on CD Baby if I've already paid the upfront fee?

Even after paying CD Baby's upfront fee, you're still losing 9% of every royalty payment forever. Most artists recover the cost of switching within a few months because of the 0% commission on ORB. New releases especially should go through ORB from day one.

ORB Entertainment vs CD Baby

CD Baby is one of the oldest music distributors — it pioneered indie distribution in the 1990s. But its pricing model (one-time fee + 9% commission on streaming royalties) is becoming outdated, especially for African artists.

ORB Starter — Free: 1 release, distribution to 150+ platforms, 100% royalties

ORB Artist — ₦5,000/month (~$3): Unlimited releases, 100% royalties, smart links, analytics, promo assets, YouTube monetization, Spotify for Artists verification

ORB Label & Team — ₦8,000/month (~$5): Everything in Artist + unlimited roster artists, royalty splits, team collaboration

CD Baby Standard Single — $9.95 per single: One-time fee, 9% commission on streaming royalties

CD Baby Standard Album — $29 per album: One-time fee, 9% commission on streaming royalties

CD Baby Pro Single — $39.95 per single: Includes Sync Licensing, YouTube monetization, publishing admin

CD Baby Pro Album — $89 per album: Same as Pro Single, for albums

Upfront pricing: ORB — Free → ~$3/month unlimited; CD Baby — $9.95 per single, $29 per album

Royalty cut: ORB — 0% — keep 100%; CD Baby — 9% commission on streaming royalties (Standard)

Unlimited releases: ORB — ✓ Artist plan ~$3/month; CD Baby — ✗ Pay per release forever

Pay in local currency: ORB — ✓ 30+ African currencies; CD Baby — ✗ USD only

Get paid in local currency: ORB — ✓ Local bank / mobile money; CD Baby — ✗ USD via PayPal / Payoneer

Boomplay & Audiomack: ORB — ✓ First-class delivery + analytics; CD Baby — ✓ Delivered

Pre-save & smart links: ORB — ✓ Included on Artist plan; CD Baby — Limited

Free catalog transfer in: ORB — ✓ Done for you; CD Baby — ✗ Self-serve

Never blocked from releasing: ORB — ✓ Submit on credit; CD Baby — ✓ One-time fee — once paid you're set

Africa-based support: ORB — ✓ Yes; CD Baby — ✗ US-based

Get paid in your local currency: ORB pays royalties directly in Naira, Cedis, Rand, Shillings, CFA Francs and 30+ African currencies — no USD conversion fees, no waiting on PayPal exchange rates. Withdraw to your local bank or mobile money the same day.

Pay in your local currency: Subscribe in your own currency through Paystack or Flutterwave. No need for an international card, no failed transactions because of FX limits.

Built for African artists: Boomplay and Audiomack are first-class platforms. Afrobeats, Amapiano, Bongo Flava, Mbalax, Coupé-Décalé, Highlife, Kwaito — ORB understands the genres, the markets, and the artists.

Never blocked from releasing: If you run out of track credits on a paid plan, you can keep submitting. The cost is added to your next bill. Your creative flow never stops because of billing — something no other distributor offers.

CD Baby's per-release pricing made sense in 2005. In 2026, with streaming volume what it is, paying 9% of every royalty payment forever plus $9.95 per single is the most expensive way to distribute. ORB's ~$3/month for unlimited releases + 0% commission saves a serious independent artist hundreds of dollars per year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does CD Baby take 9% of my streaming royalties?: CD Baby's Standard plan is structured as a one-time upfront fee ($9.95 per single or $29 per album) plus a 9% commission on all streaming royalties for the life of the release. It's the original distribution model from the CD/iTunes era. ORB charges 0% — you keep 100% of your royalties on every plan.
Is ORB cheaper than CD Baby?: Yes, especially for any artist releasing more than a few songs per year. CD Baby costs $9.95 per single plus 9% of all your streaming royalties forever. ORB's Artist plan is ~$3/month (~$36/year) for unlimited releases with 0% commission. For a DJ or producer releasing 10+ tracks a year, ORB is dramatically cheaper.
Can I transfer my music from CD Baby to ORB?: Yes. Submit a free Catalog Transfer request in your ORB dashboard with your CD Baby release list. Our team coordinates the migration with no downtime, and your streams and stats stay intact. You'll stop paying CD Baby's 9% commission immediately after transfer completes.
Does CD Baby pay in local African currency?: No. CD Baby pays in USD via PayPal or Payoneer. African artists then convert to their local currency, losing 5–10% to FX and bank fees. ORB pays directly in Naira, Cedis, Rand, Shillings, CFA Francs and 30+ other African currencies into your local bank or mobile money — no conversion fees.
Should I stay on CD Baby if I've already paid the upfront fee?: Even after paying CD Baby's upfront fee, you're still losing 9% of every royalty payment forever. Most artists recover the cost of switching within a few months because of the 0% commission on ORB. New releases especially should go through ORB from day one.