# DistroKid vs ASCAP

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ASCAP at none against DistroKid's 5. DistroKid's advantage is ratings volume (25K vs 32) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DistroKid sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year. ASCAP asks for nothing beyond the download.

DistroKid holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DistroKid has 25K ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of DistroKid's written reviews are positive against 70% of ASCAP's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

DistroKid ships an update every 5 weeks, ASCAP monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DistroKid | ASCAP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distrokid/id1548832265/reviews)** | [4.6 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascap/id6470041308/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 32 |
| Positive reviews | 64.5% of reviews | **70.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#17** | — |
| Size | 106 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [DistroKid Holdings, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1533685484) | [ASCAP](https://appshunter.io/developer/388644792) |

## What reviewers say

### DistroKid

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distrokid/id1548832265)

**Currently charting:** #17 Top Grossing · Music, #115 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

This app allows independent artists to distribute their music to over 150 streaming platforms. It offers unlimited uploads, keeps 100% of artist earnings, and provides tools for promotion and earnings management.

**Highlights:** Unlimited music uploads, 100% earnings retention, Access to artist accounts, Create promo cards, Earnings notifications and withdrawals, Streaming stats on the go, Edit releases anytime

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Musician  Plan | $24.99 | per year |
| Musician Plus | $44.99 | per year |
| Ultimate - 5 | $89.99 | per year |
| Ultimate - 10 | $157.99 | per year |
| Ultimate - 20 | $269.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick distribution
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Affordable pricing
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Withdrawal issues
- 🐛 Accounts being deleted without notice
- 🐛 Delayed customer support response
- 💰 Expensive additional features
- 🐛 Inability to edit artist profiles

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription plan issues
- Inability to log in or access account
- Incorrect file uploads
- Unresponsive customer support

**Requested features**

- Add draft option for uploads
- Expand genre options
- Improve credit management during uploads
- Reevaluate pricing structure
- Integrate music video distribution


### ASCAP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascap/id6470041308)

This app helps ASCAP members manage their music catalog, register new works, and track royalty distributions. It also offers tools for finding collaborators, accessing educational resources, and discovering industry events.

**Highlights:** Manage music and metadata, Register new music, Scan catalog for data health, Check royalty distributions, Find collaborators, Access music industry education, Discover events

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DistroKid free?

DistroKid is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ASCAP free?

ASCAP is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, DistroKid or ASCAP?

DistroKid is rated higher. DistroKid averages 4.9 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while ASCAP averages 4.6 from 32 ratings.

### Do DistroKid or ASCAP have ads?

Neither DistroKid nor ASCAP shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DistroKid or ASCAP?

DistroKid ships an update every 5 weeks, and ASCAP monthly. Most recently, DistroKid was updated on October 17, 2026 and ASCAP on October 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*