Autohype vs DistroKid — distribution vs daily promotion
DistroKid gets your music onto Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok Sound. Autohype generates and posts daily TikTok videos to drive listeners to those platforms. They do completely different things — here's why you need both.
What is DistroKid?
DistroKid is a music distribution service that delivers your songs to 150+ streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, TikTok Sound, YouTube Music) for a flat annual fee (~$23–$37/year). They handle ISRC codes, splits, and publishing registration. They also offer optional add-ons like YouTube Content ID, store maximizer, and Spotify pre-save pages.
Side-by-side comparison
| 🎵 Autohype | DistroKid | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Generates and posts daily TikTok videos to grow your audience | Delivers your music to 150+ streaming platforms |
| Primary goal | Audience growth — listeners, followers, streams | Distribution — making your music available everywhere |
| TikTok role | Daily content creator that posts your music as viral clips | Makes your music available as a TikTok Sound for creators to use |
| Cost | $97/mo (unlimited daily TikTok posts) | $23–37/year flat (unlimited releases) |
| Promotion | Active — creates and posts content every day | Passive — makes music available but doesn't promote it |
| Spotify growth | Via TikTok discovery → Shazam → Spotify save pipeline | No promotion; relies on discovery through DSP algorithms |
| Required? | For artists who want active TikTok promotion | Required for any artist selling/streaming music online |
| Free trial | 7 days free | No free trial |
Which is right for you?
Artists who already distributed their music (ideally via DistroKid) and now want to drive listeners to it with daily TikTok content. Autohype is the promotion engine on top of distribution.
Start free trial →Every artist who wants their music on streaming platforms. DistroKid is a prerequisite, not a competitor — you need distribution before promotion makes sense.
Try Autohype free for 7 days
No charge today. Cancel anytime. First video posted within 24 hours.
Start your free trial →Frequently asked questions
Do I need DistroKid before I can use Autohype?
Yes — you should distribute your track to Spotify first (DistroKid, Amuse, LANDR, or any aggregator). When TikTok viewers Shazam your song from Autohype's clips, they need to find it on Spotify. Distribution first, promotion second.
Does DistroKid's TikTok Sound feature replace Autohype?
No — DistroKid makes your music available as a TikTok Sound (so other creators CAN use it). Autohype actively creates and posts daily videos using your music to MAKE people discover it. Passive availability vs active promotion.
What's the total monthly cost of using both?
DistroKid: ~$2/month (billed annually at $23/year for unlimited releases). Autohype: $97/month. Total: ~$99/month for complete distribution + daily promotion. Compare that to PR agencies starting at $1,500/month.
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