Magroove

Magroove is a Brazilian music distributor founded in 2019 by Vitor Cunha and Fabrício Schiavo. Headquartered in Paris with operations in 196 countries and over 1 million users, Magroove offers two distribution models: a free tier that retains the first $5 of royalties per release per year, and a DIY subscription at $9.99/year for unlimited uploads with 100% royalties. The company differentiates itself through a proprietary AI music discovery app with 850,000+ users that recommends music to listeners based on AI analysis. Magroove is particularly strong in Latin American markets, with Portuguese-language support and a dedicated Brazilian market product called Magroove Stars.

Pricing and Plans

Magroove offers two main models plus a premium Brazilian-market service:

• Free tier ($0): No upfront cost. Magroove retains the first $5 of royalties generated by each release (single, EP, or album) per year. After the first $5, you keep 100%. This model democratizes access for artists with zero budget.
• DIY Subscription ($9.99/year): Unlimited uploads, 100% royalties, no commission. You keep 100% of your rights and 100% of your royalties. Fixed annual price with no hidden fees.
• Magroove Stars (custom pricing): Exclusive to the Brazilian market. Includes distribution, individualized attention from a manager, and a team of specialists available to handle releases across different areas. Attracted artists like Tauã Cordel, Flaira Ferro, and Luana Camarahy.

The DIY subscription at $9.99/year is the cheapest paid distributor on the market, undercutting Anti-Joy ($14.99/year) and DistroKid ($24.99/year) significantly.

The Free Tier Math

The free tier's $5 retention per release per year is the catch. For active artists:

• 12 singles per year x $5 retained = $60 lost per year
• DistroKid costs $24.99/year for unlimited uploads with 100% royalties
• If you release more than 5 songs per year, the free tier costs more than DistroKid

The free tier makes sense for artists releasing 1 to 4 songs per year who have zero budget. For anyone releasing more frequently, the $9.99/year DIY subscription is the better choice.

What Sets Magroove Apart

1. Cheapest paid distribution: At $9.99/year for unlimited uploads with 100% royalties, Magroove DIY is the cheapest paid distributor on the market. No competitor is cheaper.
2. AI music discovery app: Magroove has a proprietary music recommendation app with 850,000+ users. The AI analyzes your music and recommends it to listeners who enjoy similar styles. This is an attempt to break the Spotify bubble and give independent artists a discovery channel outside the major DSPs.
3. 196 countries: Magroove operates in 196 countries, giving it global reach despite its Brazilian origins.
4. 1 million+ users: The platform has over 1 million users and artists, providing a substantial community.
5. Pre-save links included free: Create pre-save links for every release at no cost. Pre-saves help get music into the biggest playlists on Spotify and other major streaming platforms.
6. Donations and merch: Collect donations from fans, sell music downloads and custom merch through a personalized page. Magroove handles production and shipping.
7. Portuguese-language support: Magroove offers support in Portuguese, giving it an advantage in the Brazilian market where DistroKid and TuneCore operate primarily in English.
8. Magroove Stars for Brazilian market: A premium service with dedicated management and specialist teams, exclusive to Brazil. This fills a gap for Brazilian artists who want more hands-on support.

Submission and Upload Process

1. Create a free Magroove account.
2. Choose a model: Free tier or DIY Subscription ($9.99/year).
3. Upload your music to digital stores like Spotify and Apple Music.
4. Enter metadata and artwork.
5. Magroove distributes to 40+ streaming services in 196 countries.
6. Withdraw royalties via wire transfer once you have earned at least $50 USD.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Only 40+ stores. Magroove distributes to 40+ stores, which is significantly fewer than DistroKid (150+), Too Lost (450+), or DistroVibe (450+). You miss out on regional platforms and niche stores.
• Free tier is expensive for active artists. The $5 retention per release per year adds up quickly. If you release 12 singles per year, you lose $60. DistroKid costs $24.99/year total.
• Reported support delays. Users report response times exceeding 1 week from support. This is slower than DistroKid, Anti-Joy (claims 2-minute response), or DistroVibe (24-hour SLA).
• Copyright flagging issues. There are reports of original music being incorrectly flagged for copyright issues, delaying releases by weeks. This is a concerning pattern for a distributor.
• No publishing administration. Magroove does not provide publishing admin. You need separate PRO and MLC registration.
• No sync licensing. No built-in sync placement service.
• No YouTube Content ID. Not prominently featured.
• $50 withdrawal threshold. You must earn at least $50 USD before you can withdraw royalties. This is higher than most competitors (DistroKid has no minimum, SoundCloud has $25).
• Limited information on delivery speed. Magroove does not prominently publish delivery timelines. Reports suggest delivery can be slower than competitors.
• Smaller store coverage limits reach. With only 40+ stores compared to 150+ for DistroKid or 450+ for Too Lost, your music reaches fewer platforms. If you want maximum store coverage, choose a distributor with a larger network.

Who Magroove Is Best For

Magroove is best for Brazilian and Latin American artists who want the cheapest possible distribution with Portuguese-language support. The DIY subscription at $9.99/year is the cheapest paid option on the market. The AI music discovery app provides a unique promotional channel that no other distributor offers. For Brazilian artists who want dedicated management, Magroove Stars fills a gap that international distributors do not serve.

Magroove is less ideal for artists who need maximum store coverage (use DistroKid, Too Lost, or DistroVibe for 150+ to 450+ stores), artists who need publishing admin or sync licensing (use TuneCore, Songtradr, or Ditto), or artists who prioritize fast and reliable support. The reported support delays and copyright flagging issues are concerning for artists with time-sensitive release schedules.

Royalty Retention

Magroove offers two royalty models depending on your plan:

• Free tier: Magroove retains the first $5 of royalties generated by each release per year. After the first $5, you keep 100%. If a release earns less than $5 in a year, Magroove keeps all of it.
• DIY Subscription ($9.99/year): You keep 100% of royalties on all releases. No commission. No per-release cap.

The free tier's $5 retention is per release, not per account. An artist with 12 singles each earning $5 per year loses $60 total. The DIY subscription eliminates this cap entirely.

Store Count and Delivery Speed

Magroove distributes to 40+ streaming services in 196 countries. This includes Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and TikTok. The store count is lower than DistroKid (150+), Too Lost (450+), or DistroVibe (450+).

Magroove does not prominently publish delivery timelines. Reports from users indicate delivery can take 4 weeks in some cases. This is slower than DistroKid (24 to 72 hours) or Amuse (24 hours for paid plans). Plan releases well in advance of your target date.

Publishing Admin and YouTube Content ID

Magroove does not provide publishing administration. You need separate PRO (Performing Rights Organization) and MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective) registration to collect mechanical and performance royalties.

YouTube Content ID is not prominently featured. Magroove does not advertise Content ID monetization as a standalone service. If YouTube revenue is a priority, consider DistroKid (Content ID for $4.95 per single or $14.95 per album per year plus 20% of revenue) or ONErpm (Content ID included free with 15% commission).

Sync Licensing

Magroove does not offer a built-in sync licensing service. There is no platform for pitching music to film, TV, or advertising placements. If sync licensing is a priority, consider TuneCore, Songtradr, or Ditto Music. Browse our sync licensing directory for options.

Royalty Splits

Magroove does not prominently feature royalty splitting with collaborators. There is no automated split payment system advertised. If you need to split royalties with bandmates, producers, or featured artists, you must manage payments manually. DistroKid, Too Lost, and Stem all offer automated royalty splits.

Release Protection

Magroove does not clearly state what happens to your releases if you cancel your DIY subscription. The free tier does not require cancellation since there is no subscription. For the DIY tier, contact Magroove directly to confirm whether releases stay online after cancellation. DistroKid charges a one-time "Leave a Legacy" fee per release to keep music online after cancellation. CD Baby keeps releases live permanently with no subscription.

AI Music Policy

Magroove does not publicly state its policy on AI-generated music. There is no published documentation about accepting or rejecting AI-assisted or AI-generated content. Magroove uses AI in its own music discovery app, but this is separate from its distribution policy. Artists producing AI-generated music should contact Magroove directly to confirm acceptance before uploading.

Hidden Costs

Magroove states no hidden fees on its DIY subscription. Potential costs to consider:

• The free tier's $5 retention per release per year is effectively a hidden cost for active artists. At 12 releases per year, this totals $60 in retained royalties.
• The $50 USD withdrawal threshold means you cannot access small royalty balances. DistroKid has no minimum withdrawal.
• Wire transfer fees may apply to royalty withdrawals, particularly for international artists outside Brazil.
• Magroove Stars pricing is custom and not published. Contact Magroove for a quote.

Comparison Table

Videos

Compare with Other Distributors

• DistroKid - Flat $24.99/year subscription with 100% royalties and 150+ stores
• RouteNote - Free tier with 85% royalties and 100+ stores
• ONErpm - Free tier with 85% royalties and 200+ stores
• Anti-Joy - $14.99/year subscription with 100% royalties
• Amuse - Mobile-first distributor with free tier and fast delivery

Related Resources

• Music Distribution Services Compared - Broader distributor comparison
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Project your earnings
• Magroove Official Website - Current pricing and sign-up