Songtrust is one of the best-known publishing administrators for independent artists — but it charges a $150 upfront fee and takes 15% of all your publishing royalties, permanently. For artists building a catalog, that 15% compounds significantly over time.
Here are five alternatives to Songtrust, ranging from free DIY options to full-service publishing administration, with clear guidance on who each is best for.
Why Artists Look for Songtrust Alternatives
Songtrust's model works well for artists who want a low-effort, set-it-and-forget-it publishing solution. But there are real reasons to look elsewhere:
- The 15% take is permanent. Songtrust keeps 15% of every publishing royalty it collects, whether it actively recovered the royalty or it simply flowed through their system automatically.
- The $150 upfront fee is a barrier for artists with small catalogs or early careers.
- Songtrust does not fix metadata mismatches. If your ISRC or ISWC doesn't match across systems, Songtrust does not audit or repair those errors — the royalties simply don't arrive.
- International CMO filing depth varies. Songtrust files with many CMOs through reciprocal agreements, but direct filings in major markets (Germany, France) are not always available.
Alternative 1: Join ASCAP or BMI Directly (Free)
Best for: US songwriters who want to collect performance royalties at no cost
ASCAP and BMI are both free to join (ASCAP has a one-time $50 registration fee; BMI is free). You can register your compositions directly and collect US performance royalties without any third-party administrator taking a cut.
What this covers:
- US radio and TV performance royalties
- US streaming performance royalties
- International royalties via reciprocal agreements
What this does NOT cover:
- US mechanical royalties (The MLC — register separately for free)
- SoundExchange digital performance royalties (register directly, free)
- Metadata mismatch repair
- Proactive monitoring or international CMO filing
When to use it: If your listeners are mostly in the US and you are comfortable managing your own registrations, going direct is the cheapest option.
Alternative 2: The MLC + ASCAP/BMI Stack (Free)
Best for: US artists who want to capture both performance and mechanical royalties at zero cost
Register with ASCAP or BMI for performance royalties, then register your compositions directly with The MLC (free) for US mechanical royalties. Together, these two registrations cover most of the US publishing income that a basic Songtrust subscription covers — for $0.
What this covers:
- US streaming performance royalties
- US radio and TV performance royalties
- US digital mechanical royalties (The MLC)
What this does NOT cover:
- International CMO collection beyond reciprocal agreements
- Metadata mismatch repair
- SoundExchange (register separately)
When to use it: For US-centric artists comfortable with direct registrations, this stack is free and covers the bulk of domestic publishing income.
Alternative 3: Kobalt KOSIGN
Best for: Established artists with significant international streaming who want maximum coverage
Kobalt's KOSIGN service is a full publishing administrator with direct relationships in major music markets worldwide. It offers stronger international coverage than Songtrust in many markets.
Trade-off: KOSIGN takes approximately 20% of all royalties it collects — higher than Songtrust's 15%. However, it may collect more in international markets where Songtrust relies on slower reciprocal-agreement pipelines.
When to use it: If your catalog has significant streaming in Germany, France, the UK, and other major markets, Kobalt's direct filing capacity may outweigh the higher commission.
Alternative 4: CD Baby Pro
Best for: Artists already using CD Baby as their distributor who want a low-friction publishing add-on
CD Baby Pro is a publishing administration add-on available to CD Baby distribution users. It handles US PRO registration and some international CMO collection for a one-time fee per release (currently around $35–$40 per album depending on the plan).
Trade-off: CD Baby Pro does not take an ongoing percentage of royalties (unlike Songtrust's 15%), making it potentially cheaper long-term. However, it does not match Songtrust's international depth, and it does not handle metadata mismatch repair.
When to use it: For CD Baby users who want basic publishing administration without ongoing revenue share, and whose catalog is mostly US-focused.
Alternative 5: CreateBase
Best for: Independent artists who want active royalty recovery, not just registration
CreateBase is not a traditional publishing administrator. It audits your full catalog — checking ISRCs, ISWCs, PRO registrations, MLC records, and distributor metadata — to find royalties you are missing and actively recover them.
Key difference from Songtrust: CreateBase takes a share only of what it actively recovers. It does not take 15% of royalties that were already flowing correctly through your existing registrations. And unlike Songtrust, it identifies and fixes the metadata mismatches that cause most missed royalties in the first place.
When to use it: If you have an existing catalog with several years of streaming history and suspect you have uncollected royalties from ISRC mismatches, unregistered co-writers, or gaps in your PRO/MLC filings.
Comparison Table
| Songtrust | ASCAP/BMI Direct | The MLC Direct | Kobalt KOSIGN | CD Baby Pro | CreateBase | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront fee | $150 | $0–$50 | $0 | Varies | ~$35–40/release | Free audit |
| Ongoing % | 15% | 0% | 0% | ~20% | 0% | % of recovered only |
| US performance | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Via PRO |
| US mechanicals | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SoundExchange | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| International CMO | Yes (reciprocal) | Limited | No | Direct (major markets) | Limited | Yes |
| Metadata repair | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Neighboring rights | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Which Songtrust Alternative Is Right for You?
- Small catalog, US audience: Register directly with ASCAP/BMI and The MLC for free
- Established catalog, international streaming: Kobalt KOSIGN or CreateBase
- Already on CD Baby: CD Baby Pro for a one-time fee
- Existing catalog with royalty gaps: CreateBase for active recovery
No single alternative is right for every artist. The most important factor is where your listeners are and whether you have evidence of missed royalties — such as streams that never produced publishing income.
Sources
- ASCAP 2025 Annual Report: $1.759B distributed (record)
- The MLC 2023 Annual Royalty Recap: $400M+ in unmatched blanket and historical royalties
- SoundExchange 2024: $1.05B distributed
- CISAC Global Collections Report 2024: €12.59B collected globally by all CMOs