COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
What's included in the free trial?
Every new account starts with a 7-day free trial. You get full dashboard access to explore the platform, manage your catalog, and set up your label. You are not charged during the trial. Card details are taken at signup so your account carries on without interruption if you stay, and cancelling before day seven means nothing is billed. Build your whole catalog during the trial. Releases go out to stores once you are on a paid plan and your account is verified, and from there every release passes automated validation on save plus a manual review by our team, both included on every plan.
Do I need technical knowledge to use LabelGrid?
Not at all. Upload your audio and artwork, fill in the metadata, pick your stores and hit distribute. There is nothing to install and nothing to configure. Validation runs every time you save and names the exact field and track when something needs fixing, so a problem surfaces while you are still in the release rather than coming back later as a store rejection you have to decode. If you're a developer or distributor looking to build on top of LabelGrid, we also offer a full REST API with sandbox environment and documentation.
Can I switch from another distributor?
Yes. You can import your existing catalog into LabelGrid and keep your ISRCs and UPCs. There's no need to take down releases from other platforms first. Import your catalog, keep your ISRCs and UPCs, and move releases across one at a time or all at once, whichever suits you.
Is LabelGrid only for record labels?
No. LabelGrid serves independent artists, record labels, and distributors, with solo artists starting on the Solo plan. Labels, multi-imprint operations and distributors move up to Basic, Pro, Custom or an Engine API plan for the tooling they need: multiple label slots, artist statements and expense tracking, SOBO delivery on their own deals, white-label portals and the REST API. Each plan's track allowance and price is published on the pricing page.
What makes LabelGrid different from other distributors?
LabelGrid combines distribution, royalty accounting, catalog management, and marketing tools in one platform, with a full REST API and an official WordPress plugin. We're a Spotify Preferred Provider, support Merlin Network members, and publish our pricing with no per-release fees.
Does LabelGrid have an API?
Yes. LabelGrid offers a full REST API with a public sandbox environment, webhook notifications, and DDEX import support. API plans are designed for distributors and platforms that want to build their own branded distribution service on LabelGrid infrastructure. Learn more about the API.
Does LabelGrid protect my content from AI training?
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.
How does LabelGrid handle AI disclosure for streaming platforms?
LabelGrid has built-in AI disclosure fields at both release and track level. When you upload, you declare whether AI was used for artwork and audio. This data gets sent automatically to DSPs including Apple Music (Transparency Tags), Spotify (DDEX standard), and others. Your disclosure stays consistent across all platforms.
Does LabelGrid detect artificial streaming?
Yes. Stream Radar is LabelGrid's streaming-integrity monitor: it watches your whole catalog live and flags the tracks and releases showing patterns consistent with artificial streaming, so you can pause a campaign, talk to the artist and document what you found before DSP fees, takedowns or strikes arrive. It is an early-warning signal rather than a verdict. Most artificial streaming traces back to third-party promotion an artist bought in good faith. Stream Radar is built on the same detection LabelGrid runs on its own catalog and is an addon on Engine API plans, the plans Imprint also runs on (talk to us about Imprint). Detection stays out of customer analytics entirely, so nothing in your streaming charts doubles as a judgement on an artist.
Where do I get help, and are the API docs public?
The help centre at help.labelgrid.com is public and searchable, with guides for distribution and royalty accounting, for artist payouts, for validation and review, plus content guidelines, and no login needed. The full API documentation is public too: you can read every endpoint and work in the public sandbox before you subscribe, with no demo call in the way. If a release has been in review longer than you expected, contact support and we will tell you exactly where it is.