Songtrust vs TuneCore Publishing: what's the difference?
Mostly price. Both collect the publisher’s share of your songwriting royalties worldwide, but they charge different signup fees and commissions.
Both are publishing administrators. They register your songs with societies and digital services, then collect the mechanicals and publisher performance money you’d otherwise miss. You keep your copyrights with either one.
| Songtrust | TuneCore Publishing | |
|---|---|---|
| Signup | $100 per writer | $75 per writer |
| Performance | 15% | 20% |
| Mechanicals | 20% | 20% |
| Sync | not listed | 50% |
Songtrust’s numbers come from its pricing page. TuneCore’s come from its help page on Publishing cost. An older TuneCore help page still says 15%, so check your agreement before you sign.
Both need you in a PRO first. Songtrust’s help center says you “must be a member of a PRO or CMO,” and TuneCore says your writer share keeps coming straight from your PRO.
If you cancel Songtrust, it keeps collecting for one year on money earned while you were a member. TuneCore’s agreement runs a full year before you can end it, and it keeps a 12-month collection tail too.
If you already distribute through TuneCore, its dashboard pulls in your track data, which saves typing. Our TuneCore review covers that side. Not sure you need an admin at all? The mechanical royalties guide compares one with joining The MLC yourself.