Distributor comparison
ONCE vs Ditto
for AI music
Ditto Starter is ~$19/year but your music comes down if you cancel. ONCE is $2 per AI release, paid once, and the track stays live forever.
Disclosure: We're ONCE. We built one of the two distributors in this comparison. Every number on this page comes from Ditto's own pricing page as of June 2026. If anything's stale, email us and we'll fix it.
| ONCE | Ditto | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $2 per AI song / $1 per human song, paid once | $19–$59/year subscription (Starter to Pro) |
| Tracks live if you stop paying | Forever | Removed on Starter; Pro has Release Protection |
| Royalty split | 100% to artist | 100% while subscribed |
| AI music policy | Explicit support, auto-disclosure to DSPs | Allowed if you hold rights; opt-in AI licensing program |
| AI provenance scanning | Built in (Vobile partnership) | None |
| YouTube Content ID | Not bundled | Included on Pro ($59/year) |
| MCP / AI agent support | Public MCP server at /mcp | None |
Where ONCE wins
- Pay once ($2 AI / $1 human), not $19–$59 every year.
- Tracks stay live forever on every plan - Ditto removes Starter releases when you cancel.
- ONCE is the ethical AI distributor: the extra dollar on every AI release routes to the Artist Compensation Fund.
- Automatic AI provenance scanning and DSP disclosure - Ditto requires you to self-certify rights.
- No need to upgrade to a $59/year Pro plan just to keep your catalog live.
- ONCE's MCP server lets AI agents distribute tracks programmatically.
When Ditto is still the right call
- You want YouTube Content ID, sync pitching, and publishing bundled in one Pro subscription.
- You release very high volume under one or two artist names and the unlimited subscription beats per-track pricing.
- You want Ditto's opt-in AI licensing program to monetize your catalog for model training.
Verdict
Ditto is a solid UK-based distributor with a long track record and genuine label services on higher tiers. For AI music specifically, ONCE wins on per-track cost, on catalog permanence without paying for Release Protection, and on built-in AI compliance. Ditto's Starter plan looks cheap until you realize your catalog disappears the day you stop paying.
Skip the subscription — invite Suno friends instead
Earn +5 free credits when each friend submits their first release. Three friends = 15 free releases.
Common questions
What happens to my Ditto music if I cancel on the Starter plan?
On Ditto's Starter plan (~$19/year), your releases are removed from all stores if you cancel or miss a payment. Release Protection - keeping music live after cancel - requires the Pro plan at ~$59/year. ONCE charges $2 once for an AI release and the track stays live forever, no upgrade tier required.
Does Ditto allow AI music?
Yes, as long as you hold the legal rights and don't infringe copyrights. Ditto also runs an opt-in AI licensing program where artists can earn revenue by licensing their music to train AI models. ONCE takes a different approach: the Artist Compensation Fund routes the AI surcharge back to working musicians, and every upload gets automatic AI provenance scanning and DSP disclosure.
Is Ditto Pro worth $59/year?
Ditto Pro bundles Release Protection, YouTube Content ID, sync pitching, and publishing administration. If you need all four, $59/year can be competitive. But ten AI tracks on ONCE = $20, paid once, with tracks live forever. For AI music catalogs, the per-track math favors ONCE unless you specifically need Ditto's Content ID and sync services.
Can I move from Ditto to ONCE?
Yes. Re-release tracks through ONCE ($1 human / $2 AI) and cancel your Ditto subscription. If you're on Starter without Release Protection, let the Ditto versions lapse first. Preserve ISRCs where possible so streaming history transfers cleanly.