The short answer
LUCY may suit you if you want to start free, pay month by month, and keep 100% of TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube money on Pro.
- TuneCore may suit you if you release a lot, are happy to pay yearly in dollars, and want its long-running store network.
LUCY and TuneCore side by side
From each company's own website, checked on 5 October 2026. Prices change, so check before you sign up.
| What | LUCY | TuneCore |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest way to start | £0 a month (Free) | $24.99 a year (Rising Artist) |
| Billing | Monthly, in British pounds (GBP). No contract. | Yearly, in US dollars. Breakout Artist is $44.99 and Professional $54.99 a year. |
| Releases | Free: 1 a month. Pro and Label: unlimited. | Unlimited on every plan. |
| Royalties you keep | Free: you keep 70%. Pro and Label: you keep 100%. | 100% from stores. TuneCore keeps 20% of TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube money. |
| Artists | Free and Pro: one artist. Label: many artists in one account. | One main artist per plan. Professional can add more, each at a yearly fee. |
| If you stop paying | If you stop paying for Pro, your music stays live on Free and you keep 70%. | Releases are taken down 42 days after a missed renewal, or on the expiry date if you cancel. |
| Rights and extra income | Pro and Label: royalty splits, YouTube Content ID and 10 more delivery services. | YouTube Content ID and revenue splits on every plan. |
What it costs you
LUCY prices are in pounds and TuneCore's in dollars, as each shows them. We don't convert them.
One release this year
LUCY: Free: £0. You keep 70%.
TuneCore: Rising Artist: $24.99 for the year. You keep 100% from stores. Renew each year or it comes down.
A release every month
LUCY: Free covers one release a month for £0 (you keep 70%). Pro is £8 a month, £96 for a year, and you keep 100%.
TuneCore: Rising Artist: $24.99 a year for unlimited releases. TuneCore keeps 20% of social platform money.
Moving your music from TuneCore to LUCY
- 1In TuneCore, go to Discography and open each release. The UPC is on the Album Overview, under Label. Each ISRC is under its track in the Songs section.
- 2In LUCY, open Studio and choose Import Releases. Search for the release and import it as a draft: LUCY fills in the title, the ISRC for each track and the UPC. Check every field against your old account.
- 3Use the same audio files you sent to TuneCore.
- 4Send the release on LUCY and wait until it is live in the main stores.
- 5Then take it down in TuneCore: Manage Subscriptions, then Takedown All Stores. TuneCore says most stores remove it in 2 to 3 business days, some up to three weeks.
- 6Plan the timing. If you cancel your TuneCore renewal, its help pages say your music comes down on the day the plan expires.
Stores try to keep your plays and playlist places when the ISRCs, titles, artist names and audio match exactly. Nobody can guarantee it, because the stores decide. TuneCore can't take down single tracks from an album, only the whole album.
Sources (checked 5 October 2026)
Questions? Easy answers.
What happens to my TuneCore releases if I stop paying?+
TuneCore says releases are taken down 42 days after a missed renewal, or on the expiry date if you cancel. Get each release live on LUCY before that date.
Does LUCY take a cut of TikTok and YouTube money?+
On Pro and Label, no: LUCY takes 0%, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube money. On Free, LUCY keeps 30%.
Can I keep my TuneCore ISRCs?+
Yes. Use the same ISRC for the same recording. LUCY's Import Releases fills it in for you; check it against TuneCore before you send.
Do I have to pay for a year on LUCY?+
No. Pro is £8 a month and you can stop any time. Your music stays live on Free if you do.