wavbee vs TuneCore
wavbee vs TuneCore — no per-release charges, no social platform commission
TuneCore's India plans start at ₹1,599/year plus GST — and every plan gives up 20% of your TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube revenue. wavbee includes everything at ₹1,080/year ($15/yr) with no commission on any platform.
All plans, side by side
Prices and features verified against TuneCore's published pricing on 6 July 2026.
| Plan | Price | Royalties | Delivery | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artist | $15/yr (₹1,080/yr) | 90% | 1–4 days | Unlimited releases · Content ID · playlist pitching · daily analytics — all included |
| Artist Pro | $33/yr (₹2,520/yr) | 100% | Under 3 days — guaranteed | Everything in Artist · priority release review |
| Label | $30/yr (₹2,520/yr) | 90% | 1–4 days | Unlimited artists & releases · revenue splits & reporting |
| Label Growth | $75/yr (₹6,250/yr) | 95% | 1–4 days, priority queue | Everything in Label · priority delivery & release review |
| Label Pro | $187.50/yr (₹15,625/yr) | 100% | Under 3 days — guaranteed | Everything in Label Growth · dedicated partnership support |
| Plan | Price | Royalties | Delivery | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rising Artist | ₹1,599/yr + GST ($24.99/yr in the US) | 100% DSPs / 80% social | No delivery-time commitment advertised | Unlimited releases · 20% fee on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook & YouTube earnings |
| Breakout Artist | ₹2,799/yr + GST | 100% DSPs / 80% social | No delivery-time commitment advertised | Unlimited releases · adds store automator & advanced tools · same 20% social fee |
| Professional | ₹4,499/yr + GST ('Best Deal!') | 100% DSPs / 80% social | No delivery-time commitment advertised | Unlimited releases · playlist pitching via TuneCore Accelerator · same 20% social fee |
| Pay-per-release | ₹1,599/single · ₹2,799/album (first year) | 100% DSPs / 80% social | No delivery-time commitment advertised | Albums renew at ₹3,499 + GST every following year to stay on stores |
TuneCore India prices exclude GST ('Applicable GST charges will be added to cart' on tunecore.com/en-in); wavbee's INR prices are what you pay. The 20% social-platform fee applies on every TuneCore plan. Verified against tunecore.com/en-in/pricing and TuneCore's own support KB on 6 July 2026.
Quick comparison
Detailed comparison
Pricing breakdown
wavbee charges a flat annual fee starting at $15/year with unlimited releases included. There are no per-release charges, no percentage-based commissions, and no tiered pricing that locks essential features behind higher plans. The 100% royalty Pro plan is just $33/year.
TuneCore India offers two models: pay-per-release (₹1,599/single, ₹2,799/album, with albums renewing at ₹3,499 + GST every year) or three unlimited subscription tiers — Rising Artist ₹1,599/yr, Breakout Artist ₹2,799/yr, and Professional ₹4,499/yr (all plus GST). Professional adds playlist pitching via TuneCore Accelerator. Every plan takes a 20% commission on social platform and Content ID revenue — a cost that grows with your success.
The 20% social platform commission
wavbee treats all platforms equally. Whether your streams come from Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube, you earn the same royalty rate (90-100% depending on your plan). There is no separate commission on any platform.
TuneCore keeps 20% of your revenue from TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and CapCut on every plan. This means if a TikTok sound drives significant streams, TuneCore takes a fifth of that revenue. As social platforms become a bigger share of music discovery and income, this commission becomes increasingly costly.
Content ID and YouTube monetization
Content ID is included on every wavbee plan at no extra cost and with no revenue share. When someone uses your music in a YouTube video, you earn 90-100% of the ad revenue depending on your plan.
TuneCore includes Content ID but takes a 20% commission on all Content ID revenue. If your music gets used in viral YouTube videos, TuneCore's cut can add up to significant amounts. This is in addition to their base subscription fee.
Support and artist services
wavbee's support team responds within 12 hours on weekdays via email, WhatsApp, and Instagram DMs. Support is available in English, Malayalam, Hindi, and Telugu. Every plan includes active playlist pitching where the team helps promote your releases.
TuneCore uses a ticketing system with multi-day response times. Playlist pitching is only available on the Professional plan ($54.99/yr) through TuneCore Accelerator. TuneCore also offers publishing administration ($75 setup + 20% commission) and sync licensing (50% commission) as separate paid services.
Who should choose TuneCore
Choose wavbee if you want flat, predictable pricing with no commissions on any platform. wavbee is the better choice for artists who earn revenue from social platforms and YouTube, and for Indian artists who need UPI payments and regional language metadata support.
Choose TuneCore if you prefer a well-established brand with a long track record (founded 2005) and you don't mind the 20% social platform commission. TuneCore is a reasonable choice if most of your revenue comes from DSPs like Spotify and Apple Music where they don't take a commission.
How to switch from TuneCore to wavbee
Apply to wavbee
Sign up at wavbee.com/apply and choose your plan. Approval is fast — most applications are reviewed within 24 hours.
Upload your catalog
Re-upload your existing releases using the same ISRC codes and UPC barcodes from TuneCore. This preserves your streaming history and playlist placements.
Wait for delivery
wavbee delivers to 100+ platforms within 1-4 days. Keep your TuneCore subscription active during the transition to avoid gaps.
Cancel TuneCore
Once all your releases are live via wavbee, cancel your TuneCore plan. If you used TuneCore's per-release model, your music stays up — but future releases go through wavbee.
The verdict
TuneCore is a legacy name in music distribution with a strong reputation. However, their 20% commission on social platforms and Content ID makes it increasingly expensive as these platforms grow. For artists who earn from TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram — which is most artists today — wavbee's zero-commission model saves real money. If your revenue is almost entirely from traditional DSPs and you prefer a well-known brand, TuneCore still works.
Frequently asked questions
Does TuneCore really take 20% of social media revenue?
Yes. As of their 2024 plan restructure, TuneCore takes 20% of revenue from TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and CapCut on all plans including the cheapest Rising plan ($24.99/yr). wavbee does not take any commission on any platform.
Can I release a song credited to two lead artists?
On wavbee, yes — every release can credit up to 4 primary artists (the first is your account's artist name) plus up to 3 featuring artists per track, on any plan, at no extra cost. TuneCore makes "Multiple Main Artists" a Professional-plan feature only (₹4,499/$54.99 a year), and then charges an add-on for each additional primary artist ($14.99/year each). On the cheaper Rising and Breakout plans you cannot add a second primary artist at all. Featured artists are free on both — the difference is co-headlined primary artists.
Is wavbee cheaper than TuneCore?
Yes. wavbee starts at ₹1,080/year ($15/year) with unlimited releases and no commissions — that's the price you pay, no GST added on top. TuneCore India starts at ₹1,599/year plus GST and adds a 20% commission on social and Content ID revenue. For artists earning from YouTube and TikTok, wavbee is significantly cheaper overall.
How do I switch from TuneCore to wavbee?
Apply at wavbee.com/apply, re-upload your releases using the same ISRC codes and UPC barcodes, and cancel TuneCore once your wavbee releases are live. Your streaming history and playlist placements are preserved.
Does wavbee support per-release pricing like TuneCore?
No. wavbee only offers annual subscription plans starting at ₹1,080/$15 per year with unlimited releases. There is no per-release option. For most artists releasing regularly, this is much cheaper than TuneCore's ₹1,599-per-single pricing — one wavbee year costs less than one TuneCore single in India, and albums renew at ₹3,499 + GST every year on top.