Sentric vs Songtrust vs TuneCore: Publishing Fees and Terms
TuneCore Publishing and Sentric use the same Sentric administration engine, but TuneCore adds a $75 setup fee and dashboard integration while Sentric has no setup fee and a 28-day rolling term. Songtrust is the separate option: $100 setup, 15% performance commission, and 20% mechanical commission under its listed terms. Compare mandate, territory, and collection windows before signing.
Lead visual
Rights live in lanes
01
Composition
writers, publishers, PROs
02
Master
artist, label, recording owner
03
License
use, territory, term, fee
Which publishing admin should an independent artist use?
Start with the collection gap in your catalog. If your PRO or mechanical society already covers the rights and territories you need, an administrator may add cost without adding much reach. If international registrations, statements, or foreign mechanical royalties are the problem, compare each service's mandate against a works list before you compare the logos.
If you've decided a publishing admin is worth the cut, the three names you'll keep running into are Songtrust, TuneCore Publishing, and Sentric. They do roughly the same job: register your compositions with collection societies around the world and chase down royalties you can't easily collect yourself. The difference is in the fees, the contract length, and the reach.
One thing almost nobody mentions up front: TuneCore Publishing is administered by Sentric. So two of your three options are running on the same back end. That matters when you're weighing them, and we'll come back to it.
If your search started as TuneCore Publishing vs Songtrust, add Sentric to the same comparison before you pay anyone. TuneCore Publishing and Sentric share the administration engine, while Songtrust is the separate global-admin option with its own pricing and territory claims.
I'll lay out the numbers plainly. Velveteen does distribution, not publishing admin, so I'm not steering you toward any of these. I just want you to pick the right one for your catalog instead of the one with the loudest ad.
What does each publishing admin charge?
Here are the hard numbers. Songtrust costs the most to start and splits its commission by royalty type. TuneCore and Sentric both take a flat 20%, but Sentric charges nothing upfront and locks you in for the shortest term.
Songtrust one-time setup per writer
Songtrust mechanical rate as of Jan 1, 2025
Sentric upfront fee
Sentric rolling contract term
Worked example: $1,000 in collected publishing royalties
Assume the catalog produces $1,000 in performance royalties during its first year and every service collects the same money. Songtrust’s 15% performance fee leaves $850 before its $100 one-time writer fee. TuneCore Publishing and Sentric each leave $800 after a 20% fee; after TuneCore’s $75 setup fee, the first-year remainder is $725, while Sentric’s $0 setup leaves $800. If the $1,000 is mechanical income, Songtrust’s 20% rate also leaves $800 before setup. This is arithmetic from published headline terms, not a return forecast: splits, taxes, territories, and uncollected royalties can change the result.
| Songtrust | TuneCore / Sentric | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup fee | $100 one-time per writer | TuneCore: $75 one-time per writer. Sentric: $0 |
| Commission | 15% on performance, 20% on mechanicals (mechanical rate rose to 20% on Jan 1, 2025) | Both 20% flat (Sentric sync is separate: 50% on procured sync, 15% on non-procured) |
| Contract term | Rolling, with a 12-month collection window for songs that become active during your membership | TuneCore: rolling. Sentric: 28-day rolling |
| Reach | Widest published reach across 240 territories | TuneCore runs on Sentric's network. Sentric: UK-based, sub-publisher model in some territories |
| Worth knowing | Check current pricing, mandate scope, and collection-window language before joining | TuneCore: administered by Sentric, integrated with TuneCore distribution. Sentric: no upfront cost, plus a setlist tool for collecting live-performance royalties |
Read the commission line carefully, because it's where the real money lives. Songtrust's split looks cheaper on performance royalties (15% versus 20%), but its mechanical rate went up to 20% on January 1, 2025, so for the streaming-mechanical share it now matches the others. Whether the blended rate works out lower for you depends on how your income splits between performance and mechanical royalties.
What is the real Sentric vs Songtrust tradeoff?
This is the comparison artists are usually trying to make. Sentric is easier to enter: no setup fee, 20% commission, short rolling contract. Songtrust costs more on day one, with a $100 writer fee, but it publishes broader global reach and a lower 15% rate on performance royalties. Its mechanical rate is now 20%, so the cheap-looking rate only applies to part of the money.
So don't pick from the headline rate alone. If your catalog earns mostly performance royalties across a lot of territories, Songtrust can justify the fee. If you're testing whether publishing admin is worth it at all, or you want a shorter commitment while your catalog is still small, Sentric's lower-friction deal is easier to try.
| This points toward Songtrust | This points toward Sentric or TuneCore Publishing | |
|---|---|---|
| Catalog shape | Songs already earning in several territories, especially outside your home PRO. | Small catalog, early test, or mostly domestic income where you want lower friction. |
| Cash today | You can absorb the $100 writer setup fee and wait for registration cleanup. | You want no setup fee through Sentric or one distributor dashboard through TuneCore. |
| Main risk | You might overpay if your income is mostly mechanical or still tiny. | You might choose convenience while needing broader global administration later. |
How do contract length and collection windows change the choice?
Do not treat a rolling term as the whole exit story. Sentric lists a 28-day rolling contract, TuneCore Publishing uses a rolling term, and Songtrust’s current terms distinguish the first 365 days of song delivery from a one-year post-term collection window for royalties earned while the account was active. Those terms answer different questions: how quickly you can leave, which songs remain in scope, and how long collection can continue after the account ends.
| Question | What to write in your worksheet | |
|---|---|---|
| How quickly can I leave? | Sentric lists a 28-day rolling term; TuneCore lists a rolling term | The exact notice date, cancellation route, and any account requirement |
| Which songs enter the mandate? | Songtrust's current terms describe songs delivered during the first 365 days | The delivery date and whether older works are accepted on the same terms |
| What happens after I leave? | Songtrust describes a one-year post-term collection window for active royalties | The final collection date, withdrawal steps, and statement you should expect |
Record the first and last dates
Put the account start date, work-delivery window, notice date, and post-term collection date beside the agreement. A short notice period does not automatically mean every registration stops collecting on the same day.
Is TuneCore Publishing just Sentric with a different label?
Mostly, yes. TuneCore Publishing is administered by Sentric, so the collection machinery behind both is the same. The commission is identical too, at 20%. The practical difference is integration and price of entry. TuneCore Publishing charges a $75 one-time setup fee and slots into the TuneCore distribution dashboard, so if you already release music through TuneCore, your publishing sits in the same place. Sentric charges nothing upfront and runs as its own service with a 28-day rolling contract.
So the honest framing: if you already distribute through TuneCore and want one login, TuneCore Publishing is the convenient pick. If you want the same back-end collection with no setup fee and the shortest exit, go straight to Sentric. You're choosing the wrapper, not the engine.
That is why a TuneCore Publishing vs Songtrust comparison can be misleading if it leaves Sentric out. The real choice is Songtrust's wider published reach against the Sentric collection path, then deciding whether you want that path through TuneCore or directly through Sentric.
Which one reaches the most countries?
Songtrust's public materials list collection across 240 countries and territories. That is a published company scope claim, so use it as a term to verify rather than as a guarantee of collection for every work or right. Sentric's and TuneCore's exact sub-publisher coverage needs checking in their current terms.
International mechanical collection is the boundary to examine. The MLC covers US streaming mechanicals, while CMRRA or SOCAN RR cover Canadian reproduction-rights paths. A paid administrator may extend registration beyond those routes, but compare the mandate and territories before assuming it covers every country.
The territory count matters only when it matches the rights and countries your catalog actually needs.
If you want the full math on when that 15% to 20% cut actually pays for itself, our sibling guide on when the publishing admin fee makes sense walks through the breakeven by income level.
Who is each publishing admin actually best for?
There's no single winner. Each one fits a different artist.
Songtrust suits you if its published territory and royalty mandate match the collection gap in your catalog. You're paying $100 up front and a blended commission for that scope, so verify the current terms and collection window before joining.
TuneCore Publishing suits you if you already distribute through TuneCore and want your publishing in the same dashboard. The $75 setup is modest, the 20% commission is standard, and the convenience is the selling point. You're getting Sentric's collection with TuneCore's integration.
Sentric suits you if you want to keep costs and commitment low. No upfront fee, the same 20% as TuneCore, and a 28-day rolling contract means you can leave fast if it's not working. The setlist tool is a genuine plus if you play live and want to capture performance royalties from your shows.
The fourth option, the one these services would rather you forget: for purely domestic income, you can often self-collect. A PRO membership covers performance royalties, and self-administration with The MLC in the US can cover streaming mechanicals without an administrator's commission. In Canada, compare CMRRA and SOCAN Reproduction Rights against the specific works and rights you need before choosing a route. DIY can leave international mechanicals outside your registrations, which is the gap an admin may fill. Our self-publisher setup guide covers the workflow.
What should you verify before signing a publishing admin?
Do not compare the headline commission in isolation. Make a works list first, then use the current agreement and pricing page to check what each service will administer for those songs. The useful decision is the one that closes a real collection gap without creating a second instruction for the same right and territory.
| Write down for your catalog | Confirm in the current service terms | |
|---|---|---|
| Works and shares | Song titles, co-writers, ownership shares, identifiers, and registrations | Whether the service accepts the work and how it records your share |
| Rights and territories | Performance, mechanical, sync, and the countries where money is missing | The exact mandate, collection societies, and any sub-publisher limits |
| Effective date | When an existing PRO, MLC, CMRRA, SOCAN RR, or admin instruction began | When the new mandate starts and how already-registered works are handled |
| Fees and base | Setup fee, commission by royalty type, and any separate sync rate | What counts as collected income and when each charge applies |
| Exit and collection | The date you would leave if the service is not filling the gap | Notice period, post-term collection window, and the steps to withdraw a work |
Keep the worksheet with the agreement
Save the terms you used, the date you checked them, and the works you submitted. If a price or collection window changes later, you can tell whether the change affects an existing registration or only new works.
What should Canadian artists check before choosing?
If you're in Canada, your performance royalties run through SOCAN, and these admins are built to work alongside it rather than replace it. With Songtrust, your writer's share keeps flowing directly from SOCAN to you, while Songtrust handles the publisher-side global collection. So joining an admin doesn't mean leaving SOCAN.
Worth knowing how the Canadian side fits before you pay anyone: if you're a SOCAN writer member with no registered publisher, SOCAN already pays you 100% of your performance royalties, both the writer and publisher share, with no separate publisher entity required. For Canadian streaming mechanicals you'd register with CMRRA or SOCAN RR. An admin earns its cut here on the international collection, not the domestic basics you can already get for free.
Audit existing mandates before you sign
Make a works list and mark the organization handling each right, territory, and effective date. Compare that list with the admin’s current mandate and collection window. The MLC, SOCAN, and CMRRA all describe distinct registration or reproduction-rights paths, so a lower commission is not useful if the service cannot collect the lane you need or creates an overlap you then have to unwind.
If publishing royalties feel like a black box, the place to start is understanding how the underlying streaming money is calculated in the first place. Our Spotify royalties guide breaks that down before you decide who should be collecting it.
When you’re ready to get your releases out and your metadata clean so those royalties can actually reach you, create a free Velveteen account. We handle the distribution side. Publishing admin stays your call, and our self-publisher setup guide shows the DIY collection path.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for TuneCore Publishing vs Songtrust?+
Neither is universally better. TuneCore Publishing uses Sentric administration and adds a TuneCore dashboard with a $75 setup fee. Songtrust is a separate publishing administrator with a $100 setup fee and its own territory and collection terms. Compare the rights and countries missing from your catalog, then check the current commission and post-term language before choosing.
Is TuneCore Publishing the same as Sentric?+
TuneCore Publishing is administered by Sentric, so the collection network behind both services is the same, and both charge 20% commission. The difference is the wrapper. TuneCore Publishing costs $75 to set up and lives inside the TuneCore distribution dashboard, which is handy if you already release through TuneCore. Sentric has no setup fee, runs as its own service, and uses a 28-day rolling contract.
Do I need a publishing administrator for every catalog?+
No. The MLC, PROs, CMRRA, and SOCAN describe direct registration paths for some rights and territories. A paid administrator can handle broader registration and collection, but compare its mandate against the rights you can register yourself before paying a commission.
Can I use a publishing admin if I'm registered with SOCAN?+
Yes. These services are built to work alongside SOCAN, not replace it. With Songtrust, for example, your writer's share keeps coming directly from SOCAN to you, while the admin handles publisher-side collection in other territories. Joining an admin doesn't mean leaving SOCAN. The admin's value for Canadian artists is mostly international collection, since SOCAN already pays a writer member with no publisher 100% of their performance royalties.
How long are you locked into a publishing admin contract?+
It varies by service. Sentric uses a 28-day rolling contract, the shortest of the three, so you can exit quickly. Songtrust's current pricing page describes two separate windows: it collects songs delivered during your first 365 days, then keeps a one-year post-term collection period for royalties earned while your account was active. TuneCore Publishing also uses a rolling term. Read the current agreement before joining; neither collection window should be mistaken for a universal contract term.
Can a publishing admin overlap with my PRO or mechanical registration?+
It can, depending on the right, territory, work, and effective date. Before joining, list your existing PRO, MLC, CMRRA or SOCAN Reproduction Rights, and publishing-admin registrations, then compare each service's mandate against that list. The MLC covers a US digital-mechanical lane, while PRO and Canadian reproduction systems cover different rights. Ask how each service handles works that are already registered so you do not create overlapping instructions.
Get better release strategy in your inbox
Release planning checklists, royalty explainers, and artist strategy notes from Velveteen. No daily noise.
Was this useful? Send a signal or flag a correction.
Keep reading
Topic overview
Music Publishing Administration
A rights-first map of songwriter and publishing royalties, the separate recording side, and what an administrator actually handles.
Related guide
Admin vs co-pub vs full deal
An admin deal takes 10 to 20% of collected royalties and zero copyright.
Related guide
When the 15% admin fee pays
Publishing admin usually pays for itself once you clear roughly $10,000 a year in publishing royalties, or sooner if a real chunk of your streams come from outside your home country.
Run your own streaming math
Plug in your streams and a payout range to see gross revenue, your share after the distributor fee and splits, and how many streams it takes to recoup a budget.