Amuse Distribution Review 2025: Pricing, Features & Everything You Need to Know

Top Reason to Choose Amuse Distribution 

Team Management. Amuse allows account holders to add Team Members with Roles. Your Manager can be granted access to edit and create releases but not withdraw funds which is valuable if that’s something you need to do. View the full breakdown of Amuse in our distribution comparison charts. 

Top Features

Stream Check 

Stream Check is a feature that monitors streaming fraud for each release and provides notification if your releases are at risk of being removed. It's a heads-up feature that punts the responsibility of actions onto the artist who may not be in a position to stop the activity. 

Not subject to tax withholdings 

If you reside in a country without a US tax treaty you're subject to a 30% tax withholding but Amuse operates outside of the US so its artists avoid that. 

Things to note

Stores

Amuse has a limited inventory of stores so if maximum reach is your focus, you may be dissatisfied with Amuse. Though they’ve done better over the years, they still pale in comparison to the number of stores offered by distributors like Tunecore, CD Baby, etc.

Transaction fees

Amuse doesn’t explicitly state that it caps transaction fees. Instead, it states the usual range of fees artists pay: $1 - $8 but up to $15.  When is the fee $1, under what circumstances could it be $8 or $15? Amuse doesn't specify. Without it being capped, it means you pay more if you earn more and Amuse doesn’t clarify whether that is or isn’t the case.

The Rundown 

Model: 

Unlimited Distribution for an annual fee. 

Price: 

Boost: $19.99 | Pro: $59.99

Transaction Fees: 

$1 - $8: Unclear on when you pay what. 

Stores: 

Limited inventory 

Distribution to New Stores: 

Undisclosed

Artists: 

Unclear - Amuse Pro allows you to connect multiple artist accounts but doesn't specify whether each account needs a separate subscription. Connecting accounts allows you to sign into multiple accounts using a single login. 

Split Pay: 

Include - No fee. 

Keeps Music Live: 

Music gets removed from all stores if you cancel or can no longer afford to pay. 

Exclusivity:

No exclusivity clauses in the terms so you're free to do what you want with your releases. 

Customer Support:

Average at best. 

Content ID:

Boost: Keep 85% | Pro: Keep 100%

UPC Codes:

Included + You can bring your own

Check the Comparison Charts for the most updated and expansive information 

Assessment 

Amuse is a music distribution service that entered the market offering unlimited distribution for free. There were no fees attached: no upfront fee, no annual fee, no percentage of revenue, nothing. It claimed that it had a successful music label that provided the revenue to run its distribution service which it used to identify talent it could sign and develop. Effectively, it was aimed at trying to capture artists before their true market value was realized preventing the label from having to compete with other labels in bidding wars for talent. The goal of Amuse was never to be the best distribution service. The whole setup looked great but was functionally basic. The royalty reports were basic and they got you into a basic package of stores. You didn’t pick Amuse because it was the best, you picked Amuse because it was free. Now, Amuse is a more traditional music distribution service and aims to compete with companies like Tunecore, Distrokid, and CD Baby on the merit of its service, but it falls short in several key areas. 

There isn't anything about Amuse that stands out, So I can say, "If you want this feature, use Amuse." It offers the same service every other distributor offers but gets you into fewer stores. I know it would like Advance payouts to be that thing, but advance payouts come with fees, so they're effectively another product artists have to pay for and not a beneficial feature. If I get an advance payment from my employer, they're paying me what I'll earn in advance. When it comes time to give me my paycheck, they keep it. I'm not charged a fee, being charged a fee is more in line with a loan because it's interest. You're being charged interest. That being said, Advanced payments aren't the thing. 

As an artist that resides in a country without a US Tax-treaty using Amuse will allow you to avoid the 30% tax withholdings you're subject to using US-based distributors so it works if that's your situation.