Distributor comparison
ONCE vs UnitedMasters
for AI music
UnitedMasters markets a "free" tier that takes 10% of your royalties forever. ONCE is $2 per AI release, paid once, with 100% royalties and no subscription.
Disclosure: We're ONCE. We built one of the two distributors in this comparison. Every number on this page comes from UnitedMasters' own pricing and support pages as of June 2026. If anything's stale, email us and we'll fix it.
| ONCE | UnitedMasters | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $2 per AI song / $1 per human song, paid once | Free (90% royalties) or $19.99–$59.99/year |
| Tracks live if you stop paying | Forever | Removed when subscription lapses |
| Royalty split | 100% to artist | 90% on free tier; 100% on paid plans |
| AI music policy | Explicit support, auto-disclosure to DSPs | Allowed, but AI tracks often ineligible on Meta/TikTok |
| AI provenance scanning | Built in (Vobile partnership) | None |
| Brand & sync partnerships | Not bundled | NBA, State Farm, etc. (SELECT tier) |
| MCP / AI agent support | Public MCP server at /mcp | None |
Where ONCE wins
- No revenue share. UnitedMasters' free tier takes 10% of every royalty payment, forever.
- Pay once ($2 AI / $1 human), not $19.99–$59.99 every year.
- Stop paying ONCE? Tracks stay live. Let UnitedMasters lapse? Tracks come down.
- 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 - UnitedMasters leaves compliance on you and restricts AI on Meta/TikTok.
- ONCE's MCP server lets AI agents distribute tracks programmatically.
When UnitedMasters is still the right call
- You want access to UnitedMasters' brand partnerships (NBA, State Farm, etc.) on the SELECT tier.
- You're chasing sync licensing opportunities through their platform.
- You prefer a mobile-first app workflow and don't mind the subscription model.
Verdict
For AI music distribution in 2026, ONCE wins on cost, on royalty retention (especially vs the free tier), and on AI compliance. UnitedMasters' edge is brand and sync partnerships - real opportunities, but a different product than pure distribution. If you're not actively pursuing brand deals, the 10% free-tier cut alone makes UnitedMasters one of the most expensive options in this list.
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
Is UnitedMasters actually free?
The DEBUT tier is free to sign up, but UnitedMasters keeps 10% of your royalties forever on that plan. If your AI track earns $1,000 in lifetime royalties, that's $100 gone. ONCE charges $2 once for an AI release and you keep 100% - no revenue share on any tier.
Does UnitedMasters allow AI music?
Yes, with caveats. UnitedMasters doesn't explicitly ban AI-generated music, but fully AI content is often ineligible for monetization on Meta and TikTok. AI voice impersonation and beats imitating major artists are rejected. ONCE scans every upload for AI provenance and delivers disclosure metadata to every DSP automatically.
When is UnitedMasters SELECT worth $59.99/year?
If you're specifically chasing UnitedMasters' brand partnerships (NBA, State Farm, American Eagle) or sync licensing opportunities, SELECT adds real value beyond distribution. For pure AI music distribution to Spotify and Apple Music, ONCE's pay-once model wins decisively - ten AI tracks on ONCE = $20 once vs $59.99/year on SELECT.
Can I move from UnitedMasters to ONCE?
Yes. Re-release tracks through ONCE ($1 human / $2 AI, with the extra AI dollar funding the Artist Compensation Fund) and let your UnitedMasters subscription lapse. Preserve ISRCs where possible so streaming history transfers cleanly.