ORB Entertainment vs TuneCore
Searching for a TuneCore alternative for independent artists? Compare the plan that fits your release schedule, the tools you need and the payment options available in your country.
ORB Starter — Free trial: First single, one one-time credit, 30-day window from approval, 100% royalties
ORB Artist — ₦9,600/quarter (₦3,200/month equivalent): 5 included track credits per cycle; extra credits sold separately. Analytics, AI cover art, promo graphics, smart links and catalog transfer. 100% royalties.
ORB Artist Plus — ₦15,000/quarter (₦5,000/month equivalent): 5 included track credits per cycle; extra credits sold separately. Artist tools plus eligible Content ID/OAC requests, publishing line and lyrics. 100% royalties.
ORB Label & Team — ₦24,000/quarter (₦8,000/month equivalent): 15 included track credits per cycle; extra credits sold separately. Unlimited roster artists and label tools. 100% royalties.
TuneCore Free — $0: 1 release; stays live for 30 days after approval unless you upgrade
TuneCore Rising Artist — $14.99/year: Unlimited releases for 1 artist
TuneCore Breakout Artist — $34.99/year: Unlimited releases + extra tools for 1 artist
TuneCore Professional — $84.99/year: Up to 5 artists + advanced features
Starting price: ORB — Free trial → Artist ₦9,600/quarter in Nigeria or $6.99/quarter international base. Extra credits available separately.; TuneCore — Free (1 release) → $14.99/yr unlimited
Royalty cut: ORB — 0% — keep 100%; TuneCore — 0% — keep 100% on current plans
Pay in local currency: ORB — ✓ 30+ African currencies; TuneCore — ✗ USD only
Withdrawal destinations: ORB — ✓ ORB-processed: local bank currency or USD wire / PayPal / Payoneer; TuneCore — ✗ USD via PayPal / Payoneer
Free plan release limit: ORB — 1 release on all platforms; live for 30 days after approval, then upgrade to keep it live; TuneCore — 1 release, very limited
Boomplay & TikTok: ORB — ✓ First-class delivery + analytics; TuneCore — ✓ Delivered
Pre-save & smart links: ORB — ✓ Included on Artist plan; TuneCore — Limited / add-on
Spotify for Artists verification: ORB — ✓ Submitted on your behalf; TuneCore — ✓ Self-serve
Royalty splits: ORB — ✓ Included on every plan; TuneCore — ✓ Included
Catalog transfer: ORB — Included with paid plans; original audio and normal resubmission required; TuneCore — ✗ Self-serve
Track credits: ORB — 5 per billing cycle on Artist; 15 on Label; extras from wallet; TuneCore — ✗ Plan must be active
Africa-based support: ORB — ✓ Yes; TuneCore — ✗ US-based
Artist controls and creative tools: ORB combines music distribution with artist controls and creative tools, not only local payments. Artists manage release metadata, release dates, store selection and participant credits; royalty splits are available on every plan. Paid artist plans include analytics, audience insights, AI cover artwork, promotional graphics and track-audio teaser videos, smart links and catalog-transfer access. Managed Meta and Google/YouTube advertising is available on every plan with a separately funded campaign budget; artists choose their budget, targeting and creative and can review campaign results. YouTube Content ID requests and YouTube Official Artist Channel (OAC) claims are distinct ORB services for eligible Artist Plus and Label artists: Content ID is requested for qualifying releases, while OAC claims concern the artist's channel. YouTube controls final eligibility and approval. Artist and catalog management includes release metadata, scheduling, store selection and collaborator credits; Label adds roster management, multi-artist analytics and a custom label name. Availability depends on the plan and service requirements; ORB does not claim every competitor feature or guaranteed streams.
Withdraw your exact wallet amount: Your immutable ORB wallet ledger keeps the exact withdrawal amount. ORB processes requests: local-bank destinations use the bank's supported local currency; wire, PayPal, and Payoneer destinations use USD. Any FX quote is provided by ORB team before processing.
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 TikTok are first-class platforms. Afrobeats, Amapiano, Bongo Flava, Mbalax, Coupé-Décalé, Highlife, Kwaito — ORB understands the genres, the markets, and the artists.
Flexible track credits: Paid subscribers can buy additional track credits from their ORB Wallet: ₦250 per track on quarterly billing, ₦500 on six-month billing, or ₦1,000 on annual billing. That averages ₦83.33/month per extra track, not ₦85. These are add-on charges alongside a paid plan, not a standalone ₦83.33 monthly subscription. Active catalog tracks above the plan allowance may also incur extra-track charges at renewal. Ordinary extra credits do not provide lifetime distribution or replace optional Track Coverage.
TuneCore's new tiered pricing is genuinely competitive globally. For African artists though, the FX losses on payouts plus paid add-ons for features ORB includes mean ORB ends up cheaper and easier to use end-to-end. If you're already on TuneCore, catalog transfer is included with an active paid ORB plan. ORB also combines release controls, royalty splits, AI artwork, promotional assets and analytics with separately funded managed ad campaigns. Paid artists can purchase extra track credits at the published per-cycle price; compare the total cost for your actual release volume.
Is ORB Entertainment a TuneCore alternative?
Yes. Artists can use ORB to submit music to supported stores, manage releases, set royalty splits and access artist tools. Check which features are included in the plan you select. Compare subscription renewal, track allowances and optional services against TuneCore's current plan terms.
How do I compare TuneCore and ORB for my release schedule?
List the tracks you expect to submit during each billing cycle, including tracks in EPs and albums. ORB uses one credit per approved track, with additional credits available to paid artists. Use current pricing and your own release schedule to compare total cost; neither a low headline price nor an unlimited-release label settles every comparison.
ORB Entertainment is an independent service, not affiliated with TuneCore. Prices, features and terms can change; check each provider's current checkout before deciding.
How to transfer your catalog from TuneCore to ORBFrequently Asked Questions
- Is ORB Entertainment better than TuneCore for African artists?
- For African artists, ORB keeps the exact withdrawal amount in its immutable wallet ledger and ORB processes requests to supported destinations. Local-bank destinations use the bank's supported local currency; wire, PayPal, and Payoneer destinations use USD. ORB also includes smart release links, promotional assets, and Spotify for Artists verification on the Artist plan.
- How do I transfer my catalog from TuneCore to ORB?
- Yes, with an active paid ORB plan. Prepare release drafts, upload the original masters and artwork, preserve the original ISRC and UPC identifiers, and submit each release normally. Verify replacement delivery before requesting removal from TuneCore. Store matching, stream retention and uninterrupted availability are not guaranteed. Catalog transfer has no separate service fee; normal track-credit requirements apply.
- Does TuneCore still take a percentage of royalties?
- On current plans (Free, Rising Artist, Breakout Artist, Professional), TuneCore lets you keep 100% of streaming royalties. ORB also takes 0% — you keep 100%. ORB processes withdrawals from the immutable wallet ledger; local-bank destinations use the bank's supported local currency, while wire, PayPal, and Payoneer destinations use USD.
- Which is cheaper, ORB or TuneCore?
- The cheaper option depends on release volume, plan features, renewal terms and optional services. Artist: ₦9,600 per quarter (₦3,200/month equivalent), ₦19,200 per six months, or ₦36,480 per year; 5 included track credits per billing cycle. Artist Plus: ₦15,000 per quarter (₦5,000/month equivalent), ₦30,000 per six months, or ₦57,000 per year; 5 included track credits per billing cycle. Label & Team: ₦24,000 per quarter (₦8,000/month equivalent), ₦48,000 per six months, or ₦91,200 per year; 15 included track credits per billing cycle. International base prices are Artist $6.99 per quarter, Artist Plus $10.99 per quarter, Label & Team $16.99 per quarter. Supported countries receive configured local-currency quotes; these are not conversions of the Nigerian monthly-equivalent prices. Paid subscribers can buy additional track credits from their ORB Wallet: ₦250 per track on quarterly billing, ₦500 on six-month billing, or ₦1,000 on annual billing. That averages ₦83.33/month per extra track, not ₦85. These are add-on charges alongside a paid plan, not a standalone ₦83.33 monthly subscription. Active catalog tracks above the plan allowance may also incur extra-track charges at renewal. Ordinary extra credits do not provide lifetime distribution or replace optional Track Coverage. Compare the competitor's current checkout and terms; ORB does not guarantee the lowest total cost for every artist.
- Does TuneCore distribute to Boomplay and TikTok?
- Yes. The difference is how each platform treats those services. ORB optimizes scheduling, metadata, and analytics for Boomplay and TikTok because they're the platforms African listeners actually use. TuneCore treats them as just two of 150 destinations.
- How much does ORB cost in Nigeria?
- Artist: ₦9,600 per quarter (₦3,200/month equivalent), ₦19,200 per six months, or ₦36,480 per year; 5 included track credits per billing cycle. Artist Plus: ₦15,000 per quarter (₦5,000/month equivalent), ₦30,000 per six months, or ₦57,000 per year; 5 included track credits per billing cycle. Label & Team: ₦24,000 per quarter (₦8,000/month equivalent), ₦48,000 per six months, or ₦91,200 per year; 15 included track credits per billing cycle. New paid subscriptions start at quarterly billing. Monthly amounts are equivalents, not monthly checkout prices. Annual plan billing saves 5%.
- Why do I see Artist at ₦3,200 and Artist Plus at ₦5,000 per month?
- These are different plans and monthly equivalents. Artist costs ₦9,600 for three months; Artist Plus costs ₦15,000 for three months. Label & Team costs ₦24,000 for three months. They are not alternative prices for the same Artist plan. Checkout displays the full selected-cycle amount and currency.
- How much do extra track credits cost?
- Paid subscribers can buy additional track credits from their ORB Wallet: ₦250 per track on quarterly billing, ₦500 on six-month billing, or ₦1,000 on annual billing. That averages ₦83.33/month per extra track, not ₦85. These are add-on charges alongside a paid plan, not a standalone ₦83.33 monthly subscription. Active catalog tracks above the plan allowance may also incur extra-track charges at renewal. Ordinary extra credits do not provide lifetime distribution or replace optional Track Coverage.
- Can I release more than the included five or fifteen tracks?
- Yes. Paid subscribers can purchase extra credits instead of upgrading solely to add tracks. Artist and Artist Plus include five credits per cycle; Label includes fifteen. For example, three extra credits on a quarterly plan cost ₦750 in addition to the subscription. Paid subscribers can buy additional track credits from their ORB Wallet: ₦250 per track on quarterly billing, ₦500 on six-month billing, or ₦1,000 on annual billing. That averages ₦83.33/month per extra track, not ₦85. These are add-on charges alongside a paid plan, not a standalone ₦83.33 monthly subscription. Active catalog tracks above the plan allowance may also incur extra-track charges at renewal. Ordinary extra credits do not provide lifetime distribution or replace optional Track Coverage.
- What artist controls and tools does ORB offer?
- ORB combines music distribution with artist controls and creative tools, not only local payments. Artists manage release metadata, release dates, store selection and participant credits; royalty splits are available on every plan. Paid artist plans include analytics, audience insights, AI cover artwork, promotional graphics and track-audio teaser videos, smart links and catalog-transfer access. Managed Meta and Google/YouTube advertising is available on every plan with a separately funded campaign budget; artists choose their budget, targeting and creative and can review campaign results. YouTube Content ID requests and YouTube Official Artist Channel (OAC) claims are distinct ORB services for eligible Artist Plus and Label artists: Content ID is requested for qualifying releases, while OAC claims concern the artist's channel. YouTube controls final eligibility and approval. Artist and catalog management includes release metadata, scheduling, store selection and collaborator credits; Label adds roster management, multi-artist analytics and a custom label name. Availability depends on the plan and service requirements; ORB does not claim every competitor feature or guaranteed streams.
- Does ORB offer YouTube Content ID?
- Yes. Eligible Artist Plus and Label & Team artists can request YouTube Content ID for qualifying releases and track their request status through ORB. Artists must confirm exclusive rights to the content; YouTube determines eligibility, matching, claims and any resulting monetization. Content ID is separate from an Official Artist Channel claim and does not enroll or monetize the artist's entire channel.
- Can I claim a YouTube Official Artist Channel (OAC) through ORB?
- Yes. Eligible Artist Plus and Label & Team artists can submit a YouTube Official Artist Channel (OAC) claim through ORB. Applicants must be verified, own or operate the artist channel, confirm compliance with YouTube's Community Guidelines, and have at least three live official releases distributed to YouTube through ORB. ORB supports the claim workflow; YouTube controls final approval. OAC claims are separate from release-level Content ID requests.
- What artist-management tools does ORB provide?
- Artists can manage their releases and catalog, metadata, release dates, store selection, collaborator credits and royalty splits. Paid artist plans add creative and promotional tools, analytics, smart links and catalog transfer. Label & Team adds artist-roster management, a custom record label and multi-artist analytics. Managed advertising lets artists set a separate campaign budget, targeting and creative and review results. Content ID and OAC claim workflows are available to eligible Artist Plus and Label artists. Compare the specific tools, plan requirements and total costs you need rather than assuming any distributor's offerings are identical.
- How does ORB pricing work outside Nigeria?
- International base prices are Artist $6.99 per quarter, Artist Plus $10.99 per quarter, Label & Team $16.99 per quarter. Supported countries receive configured local-currency quotes; these are not conversions of the Nigerian monthly-equivalent prices.
- What does the Free trial include?
- One first single release creation with one one-time track credit. Never-paid Free releases have a 30-day distribution window from approval, not from the scheduled release date. Artists keep 100% of royalties reported to ORB; store availability remains subject to rights and store policies.
- Does ORB offer unlimited releases?
- ORB uses transparent track credits, not unlimited all-inclusive uploads. Additional paid-plan credits are available from the Wallet at the published per-cycle rate. Label's unlimited roster artists do not mean unlimited included track credits.
- Is ORB Entertainment a TuneCore alternative?
- Yes. Artists can use ORB to submit music to supported stores, manage releases, set royalty splits and access artist tools. Check which features are included in the plan you select. Compare subscription renewal, track allowances and optional services against TuneCore's current plan terms.