Alternativa a Record Union para sellos y distribuidores

Record Union has been in the distribution business since 2008, with a strong Spotify legacy as one of the platform's earliest independent partners. But with paid add-ons for basics like UPC codes and Content ID, and no API, labels looking to scale need more. LabelGrid delivers all major DSPs, flat annual pricing, Dolby Atmos in every plan, a full REST API, and the professional infrastructure labels need — all in a single annual subscription with no hidden fees.

COMPARATIVA LADO A LADO

Cómo se comparan

Feature LabelGrid Record Union
DSP count All major DSPs included in all plans 5 (Top Dog plan) / 20+ (World Domination plan)
Commission No per-release commission. Flat annual pricing (5% platform fee) 0% (artist keeps ~85%, 92.5% with upgrade)
API access Yes — full REST API with public docs and sandbox No
White-label platform Yes — included No
Multi-label management Yes — unlimited labels No
YouTube Content ID Included (80% of revenue to you) $10-20 per release add-on
UPC codes Included in all plans $10 each (add-on)
Pricing model Annual subscription — all features included Per-track annual fee + paid add-ons (UPC, Content ID)
DDEX compliance DDEX 3.8.2 + 4.3.2 Not listed as DDEX member
WordPress plugin Yes — included in all plans Not offered
AI Content Protection AI DSP delivery opt-in, disabled by default No specific AI provisions
Competitor information last verified: March 2026. Features and pricing may have changed — verify from each platform’s current website before making decisions.

POR QUÉ LOS SELLOS CAMBIAN

Por qué los sellos van más allá de Record Union

Record Union was founded by musicians and has earned genuine loyalty for its human-first customer support and long Spotify history. But as labels grow, three structural limitations become increasingly difficult to work around. The most pressing is the restricted DSP network. Record Union's cheapest plan (Top Dog) delivers to just 5 platforms — Spotify, Apple Music, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Music. Even the World Domination plan only reaches a limited set of stores. For labels targeting regional stores, specialty platforms, or emerging markets, that coverage is far too narrow. LabelGrid delivers to all major DSPs on every plan, including all major streaming services, download stores, and specialty platforms. Then there is the cost structure. On Record Union, basics that labels expect to be included are paid add-ons: UPC codes cost $10 each, and YouTube Content ID costs $10-20 per release as a separate add-on. For a label with 20 releases, that is $200 in UPC fees alone, plus per-release Content ID charges on top. LabelGrid includes UPC codes, Content ID, and all features in every plan with flat annual pricing. Finally, Record Union offers no API, no white-label capability, and no multi-label management. Labels that need to automate catalog delivery, integrate with their own systems, or manage multiple imprints under one account cannot do it on Record Union.

NUESTRA RECOMENDACIÓN

Más DSP, más herramientas, menos coste

Record Union is a solid choice for individual artists who value responsive human support and have a small catalog distributed to a handful of major platforms. Its legacy as one of Spotify's earliest partners is genuine, and its support team is consistently well-reviewed. But if you are running a label — managing multiple artists, needing broad DSP coverage, tracking royalty splits, or integrating distribution into your workflow — Record Union was not built for that use case. LabelGrid gives you all major DSPs (compared to Record Union's 20+), flat annual pricing with no paid add-ons for UPC codes or Content ID, a full REST API, multi-label management, white-label capability, and Dolby Atmos delivery included in every plan. All plans include flat annual pricing — see our pricing page for current options. Start with a 7-day free trial at app.labelgrid.com. No per-track fees, no UPC charges, no commission.

¿Está listo para probar LabelGrid?

THE REAL COST

Record Union Costs Breakdown

Record Union charges per-release add-on fees for basics that LabelGrid includes:

Feature Record Union Cost LabelGrid
UPC codes $10 each (add-on) Included in all plans
YouTube Content ID $10–20/release add-on Included (80% of revenue to you)
Dolby Atmos Not documented Included
API access Not available Full REST API
Multi-label management Not available Unlimited labels
20 releases (UPC + Content ID add-ons) $200+ in add-on fees Included in fixed annual subscription

Based on publicly available information.

CONTENT PROTECTION

Your Music in the Age of AI

AI companies want access to music catalogs. Major labels are already signing licensing deals, and new AI platforms keep showing up. We’ve addressed this head-on in our Terms of Service, before most distributors have even thought about it.

AI delivery is opt-in and off by default. If AI DSPs become available, you pick which releases go where. Enable auto-delivery for new DSPs? AI platforms are still excluded unless you opt in separately.

Your distribution license covers delivery only. We send your content to the DSPs you choose. Nothing more. No broad «any purpose» language, no grey areas about how your music gets used.

Your music. Your terms. Your control.

Global

DSPs Worldwide

Independent

Ownership

DDEX 4.3.2

Compliant Delivery

Spotify

Preferred Provider

Qué obtiene con LabelGrid

DISTRIBUCIÓN

all major DSPs

Distribuya en todos los principales DSP, incluidos Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, TikTok y más.

API

API REST abierta

Documentación pública, entorno sandbox. Cree integraciones personalizadas y automatice flujos de trabajo.

AUDIO

Dolby Atmos

Audio espacial, Hi-Res y Apple Motion Artworks incluidos en todos los planes sin coste adicional.

SELLOS

Multisello

Sellos ilimitados, contabilidad de regalías, liquidaciones con marca y seguimiento de gastos.

LA INDEPENDENCIA IMPORTA

¿Quién es el propietario de su distribuidor?

Record Union is a Swedish company that has operated in the distribution space since 2008. The platform focuses primarily on individual artists rather than label infrastructure.

LabelGrid is independently owned. No major label parent, no corporate acquirer, no investors with competing interests. Your distribution partner’s incentives align entirely with your success.

PREGUNTAS FRECUENTES

Preguntas frecuentes

Record Union's Top Dog plan distributes to 5 platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube Music). The World Domination plan reaches a limited set of stores. LabelGrid delivers to all major DSPs on all plans.

No. Record Union takes 0% commission on your royalties — you keep the artist’s share (around 85% after the store’s cut, or 92.5% with a paid royalty upgrade). Where Record Union does add cost is per-release add-ons for basics like UPC codes and Content ID. LabelGrid charges flat annual pricing on all plans with those features included.

No. Los códigos UPC están incluidos en todos los planes de LabelGrid sin coste adicional. Record Union cobra 10 $ por cada código UPC.

No. Record Union es una plataforma orientada a artistas sin capacidades de API o integración. LabelGrid ofrece una API REST completa con documentación pública y un entorno sandbox.

Sí. Record Union posee el estatus de Platinum Spotify Preferred Partner, que se remonta a su asociación fundacional en 2009. LabelGrid también es un proveedor preferente de Spotify.

Record Union es ampliamente elogiada por su atención al cliente centrada en el factor humano, con chat en vivo y tiempos de respuesta rápidos. LabelGrid ofrece soporte a través de un sistema de tickets, con gestores de cuentas dedicados disponibles en los planes Custom.

No. YouTube Content ID es un complemento de pago en Record Union, con un coste de 10-20 $ por lanzamiento. LabelGrid incluye Content ID en todos los planes con un reparto de 80/20 (80% para el titular de los derechos).

Yes. Our Terms of Service define ‘AI DSP’ as a separate category: any platform that uses content for AI training, model development, or synthetic media generation. AI DSP delivery is off by default and opt-in only, with controls at both label and release level. Even if you enable auto-delivery for new DSPs, AI platforms are still excluded. Your distribution license covers delivering content to the DSPs you choose. Nothing else.

Yes. LabelGrid accepts AI-assisted and AI-generated music with mandatory disclosure. You declare AI involvement per-track (audio) and per-release (artwork) using three options: no AI used, AI-assisted, or AI-generated. This gets sent to all DSPs automatically, including Apple Music Transparency Tags and Spotify’s DDEX-based labeling. Impersonation, deepfakes, and deceptive metadata are not allowed. Read our full AI content guide.

¿Está listo para probar LabelGrid?

Empiece su prueba gratuita de 7 días. Consulte los precios publicados. No se requiere tarjeta de crédito.