# Bandcamp vs DistroKid

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bandcamp at none against DistroKid's 5. DistroKid's advantage is review sentiment (65% vs 51%) and chart position (#18 vs #121). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Bandcamp against 4.9 for DistroKid. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 38K and 27K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 51% of Bandcamp's written reviews are positive against 65% of DistroKid's.

Bandcamp ships an update every 3 weeks, DistroKid every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bandcamp | DistroKid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (38K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bandcamp/id706408639/reviews) | **[4.9 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distrokid/id1548832265/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **38K** | 27K |
| Positive reviews | 50.7% of reviews | **64.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #121 | **#18** |
| Size | 43 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bandcamp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1767769166) | [DistroKid Holdings, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1533685484) |

## What reviewers say

### Bandcamp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bandcamp/id706408639)

**Currently charting:** #121 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Discover and purchase music directly from artists worldwide. Support creators by buying their merchandise and instantly access your purchased music, both online and offline.

**Highlights:** Explore global music catalog, Direct artist support, Purchase merchandise, Wishlist albums and tracks, Online and offline listening, Connect with artists

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for discovering new music
- 👍 Supports independent artists
- 🎧 Excellent audio quality
- 💰 Fair revenue share for artists
- 📥 Ability to download purchases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Poor search and navigation
- 💳 No in-app purchase option
- 📱 Lacks iPad-optimized interface
- 🔇 Missing basic playback features (repeat, shuffle)

**Reported bugs**

- Tracks randomly skipping or not playing
- App crashing after updates
- Purchases not syncing across devices
- Login issues and account problems

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Playlist creation and management
- Improved artist/genre discovery
- Offline listening and caching
- Chromecast/AirPlay support


### DistroKid

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

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Grossing · Music, #120 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bandcamp free?

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

### Is DistroKid free?

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

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

DistroKid is rated higher. Bandcamp averages 4.8 out of 5 from 38K ratings, while DistroKid averages 4.9 from 27K ratings.

### Do Bandcamp or DistroKid have ads?

Neither Bandcamp nor DistroKid shows ads.

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

Bandcamp ships an update every 3 weeks, and DistroKid every 5 weeks. Most recently, Bandcamp was updated on October 25, 2026 and DistroKid on October 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Bandcamp or DistroKid?

Bandcamp currently peaks at #121 in the App Store charts, and DistroKid at #18. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*