ST Digital and Gallery Vision are two Indian names that come up again and again when artists search for free music distribution. Both advertise ₹0 upfront uploads to 100-150+ stores. The catch is in the terms: ST Digital says free service depends on “content quality and user authenticity” and does not publish a royalty percentage on its site, while Gallery Vision publishes a 90% artist payout on its free Indie plan and custom splits on other plans. Read the full agreement before uploading.
That is the summary. The rest of this review covers what each company publicly says on its own website (checked October 2026), how free models earn in general, when free is the right choice, and the five questions to ask before you upload a single song.
Full disclosure upfront, as always in our review series: The Black Turn is a paid distributor, so we compete with free models. That is exactly why this review sticks to what ST Digital and Gallery Vision publish on their official sites, says “not published” where a term is not public, and tells you honestly when free is the right choice. We followed the same approach in our RouteNote review and Amuse vs The Black Turn comparison, and both of those platforms got genuine credit where deserved.
How “Free” Distribution Actually Works
No company distributes music for free out of charity. This section is about the free model in general, not about any one company. Free distributors usually earn in one or more of these ways:
- Revenue share: the distributor keeps a percentage of what your songs earn for as long as they stay live. Two published examples: RouteNote’s free plan keeps 15% (you get 85%), and Gallery Vision’s Indie plan lists a 90% artist payout, so 10% stays with them.
- Paid upgrades: the free tier covers the basics, and extras such as playlist pitching, faster support or label tools sit in paid or higher plans.
- Add-on services: licensing help, promotion, publishing administration or rights management, sold separately.
- Catalogue scale: thousands of free artists give the company volume, negotiating power with stores, and a funnel for paid services.
None of this is a scam. It is a business model. The only problem is when you sign up without knowing which of these applies to you and at what rate. If you are completely new to this world, read what music distribution is and how it works first.
ST Digital Review
What it is: ST Digital (official site: stdigital.in) says it launched in 2012 and lists operations in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Australia and the US. It describes itself as the first digital distribution company to offer a free service. Its homepage mentions delivery to “100+” and “150+” stores, naming Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music, Deezer, Pandora, Facebook and TikTok, and it has separate music video distribution and caller tune distribution services.
What is genuinely good:
- ₹0 upfront option. A free service is offered, so for an artist with zero budget the barrier to entry can be gone. Note the condition below.
- Caller tune distribution is listed. Its caller tune page shows Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL logos and says “You keep 100% of your royalties!” for caller tunes. Price and timeline are not stated on that page.
- Video distribution. A dedicated music video service, which not every free option has.
- Long track record. Operating since 2012 is meaningful in an industry where distributors shut down regularly. What happens when one does is covered in our distributor shutdown recovery guide.
What to check before signing:
- Whether you qualify for free. The site says free service is “available based on content quality and user authenticity.” Ask whether your release qualifies before you plan around ₹0.
- The royalty share for streaming and YouTube. No percentage is published on the homepage or in the website terms. The terms say distribution is governed by a separate “Content Licensing Distribution Agreement.” Ask for that agreement and read the royalty clause.
- Caller tune details. If caller tune revenue is part of your plan, and for most Indian genres it should be, confirm cost, go-live time and how CRBT royalties are reported.
- Paid plan pricing. Prices are not listed on the homepage. If you are quoted a paid option, compare it against one-time alternatives using the framework in our free-to-paid switching guide.
Gallery Vision Review
What it is: Gallery Vision (official site: gallery.vision) is a distribution and rights management company. Its homepage says “Pay nothing for your music,” “No joining fee,” and lists delivery to 150+ stores, including JioSaavn and Gaana among Indian platforms. It also offers publishing, neighbouring rights and rights management services, shows a YouTube Certified badge, and says artists have worked with it “for over 20 years.”
What is genuinely good:
- A published payout on the free plan. The Indie Artist plan lists “$0 Upfront Investment” and “90% Artist Payout.” Free distributors that put a number on the page are less common than you would think.
- Content ID on the free plan. The Indie plan lists free YouTube Content ID, which answers a common search: yes, some free distribution includes Content ID.
- Stated fast delivery. Its FAQ says distribution “typically takes 24 to 48 hours.”
- Exit terms in writing. The Indie plan says “Cancel & takedown anytime with 0 fees” and “100% master ownership retained.”
- Rights services under one roof. Publishing and neighbouring rights collection are unusual to find attached to a free distributor.
What to check before signing:
- Which plan you are actually on. The Pro plan is described as a “Free Revenue Share Model” with “Custom Split Available,” and the label plan has custom pricing. So the 90% applies to Indie; for other plans, get your split in writing. Also note that “100% master ownership” means you own your recordings. It is not the same thing as your royalty share. This is the kind of clause our distribution agreement red flags checklist helps you read.
- Cover songs. Its FAQ says covers are allowed when the right mechanical licences are secured. Ask who arranges the licence and what it costs.
- Caller tunes. Caller tunes are not mentioned on the homepage. If you want your song on Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL, ask directly.
- Payout schedule and threshold. Not stated on the homepage or in the website terms. Ask.
ST Digital vs Gallery Vision vs The Alternatives
Based on each company’s official website as of October 2026. “Not published” means we could not find it on their public pages, not that it does not exist.
| Factor | ST Digital | Gallery Vision | RouteNote Free | The Black Turn |
| Upfront cost | ₹0 (subject to content review) | ₹0 (Indie plan) | ₹0 | ₹599 one-time, ₹799 with caller tune |
| Artist’s share | Not published (on request) | 90% on Indie; custom on other plans | 85% | 95%, lifetime |
| Stores | 100-150+ (site gives both) | 150+ | See our review | 150+ |
| Caller tune (Jio, Airtel, Vi, BSNL) | Listed; price not published | Not mentioned; ask | See our review | Yes, on the ₹799 plan |
| YouTube Content ID | Rights management listed; ask about terms | Free on Indie plan | See our review | Free, 95% to artist |
| Stated delivery time | Not published | 24-48 hours | See our review | Approval within 24 hours, live in 1-3 days |
| Track record | Since 2012 | “Over 20 years” (stated) | See our review | 6+ years, 200K+ artists |
Free Music Distribution in 24 Hours, to All Platforms?
Two phrases show up a lot in searches for free music distribution in India, so here are straight answers:
- “In 24 hours”: a distributor can approve and send your release fast, but each store (Spotify, JioSaavn, Apple Music) processes it on its own schedule. Gallery Vision states 24-48 hours; The Black Turn approves within 24 hours and most stores show the song in 1-3 days. Upload at least a week before your release date if the date matters.
- “To all platforms”: no distributor reaches literally every platform. What matters for Indian listeners is JioSaavn, Gaana, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and Amazon Music, plus caller tunes. Check those names, not the “150+” headline.
- “Best free music distribution in India”: there is no single answer. The best one is the one whose agreement you have read, whose split is written down, and which covers the Indian stores your listeners use.
The Real Math: Free vs One-Time Paid
Here is the calculation every free-distribution artist should run with their own numbers. Use the split in your agreement. For illustration, we compare a 10% share (Gallery Vision Indie) and a 15% share (RouteNote Free) against The Black Turn’s ₹799 plan with caller tune and 5% share:
- Your song earns ₹5,000 in total. A free plan costs you ₹500-750 in revenue share. ₹799 plus 5% (₹250) costs ₹1,049. Free is cheaper here.
- The same song earns ₹25,000 over a few years. Free has cost ₹2,500-3,750. ₹799 plus 5% (₹1,250) costs ₹2,049. Paid is cheaper here.
The break-even formula: one-time fee ÷ (free plan’s share − 5%). Against a 15% share, ₹799 breaks even at about ₹8,000 of lifetime earnings; against a 10% share, at about ₹16,000. Without caller tune (₹599), it is about ₹6,000 and ₹12,000. Free is the cheaper option when a song earns little, and becomes the more expensive one once it keeps earning. The same math applies to every revenue share model, as we showed in our RouteNote review. Other pricing traps are catalogued in our hidden charges guide, and current plan prices are on our pricing page. If you want caller tune revenue as well, compare plans that actually include it.
When Free Genuinely Makes Sense
Honest section. A free distributor such as ST Digital or Gallery Vision can be the right call if:
- You have literally ₹0 budget and an unreleased song sitting idle. A live song beats a dead file.
- You are testing whether music is for you, with no expectation of earnings yet.
- You release experimental or high-volume content where per-song economics do not matter.
- The free plan publishes a split you are happy with and lets you leave without a fee.
Think twice if your songs earn or will earn steadily, if caller tune revenue matters and the terms for it are unclear, or if you cannot get the royalty split in writing. And if you start free and grow, move correctly: our switching distributors without losing streams guide covers ISRC carry-forward so your stream counts survive the move.
5 Questions to Ask Before Uploading (In Writing)
- What exact percentage of my revenue do you keep, on every source: streaming, YouTube Content ID, social?
- What is the payout threshold, schedule, and method?
- Do you deliver caller tunes to Jio, Airtel, Vi, and BSNL, what does it cost, and how are CRBT royalties paid?
- If I leave, what is the takedown process, timeline, and fee, and do I keep my ISRC codes?
- Can I read the full distribution agreement before I upload, and what happens to my catalogue if your terms change?
Save the replies. If any answer is vague, ask again before you upload. If a distributor is already holding your money or royalties, our royalty resolution guide and refund process guide walk through recovery step by step.
FAQ: ST Digital & Gallery Vision
Is ST Digital really free?
ST Digital offers a free service that its website says is “available based on content quality and user authenticity.” Its royalty percentage is not published on the site, so ask for the distribution agreement before uploading.
Does Gallery Vision pay 100% royalties?
Its free Indie plan lists a 90% artist payout, while its homepage says ‘Keep 100% of your royalties’, so ask in writing which split applies to your plan. The “100%” on its homepage refers to master ownership, meaning you keep ownership of your recordings. Other plans have custom splits, so confirm yours in writing.
Do either offer caller tunes?
ST Digital has a caller tune distribution page showing Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL, but no price. Gallery Vision does not mention caller tunes on its homepage. Ask either one for cost and royalty terms, or use a distributor where caller tune pricing is published.
Is there free music distribution with Content ID?
Yes. Gallery Vision’s Indie plan lists free YouTube Content ID. The Black Turn is not free upfront, but Content ID is included at no extra cost on every plan, with 95% of that income going to the artist.
Is free distribution worth it?
For testing with zero budget, yes. Once a song’s lifetime earnings pass roughly ₹6,000-16,000 (depending on the free plan’s share), a one-time paid plan with a 5% share usually works out cheaper.
Which of the two is better?
ST Digital has a long track record since 2012 and lists caller tune distribution. Gallery Vision publishes a 90% payout, free Content ID and zero-fee takedown on its Indie plan. Pick the one whose written terms suit you.
What should I check before joining any free distributor?
Five things in writing: the exact revenue share on every income source, payout threshold and schedule, caller tune coverage and cost, takedown process and fees, and whether you can read the full distribution agreement before uploading.
What is a good alternative?
If you prefer a fixed price and published terms, The Black Turn costs ₹599 one-time (₹799 with caller tune on Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL), with a 95% lifetime royalty that keeps paying without renewal. Full market comparison in best music distribution companies in India 2026.
The Black Turn
Disclosure: this guide is published by The Black Turn, so we list ourselves first. Every point below can be checked on a pricing page, and right after them we say where other distributors do better.
- ✓95% lifetime royalty on all incomeStreaming, caller tunes and YouTube Content ID – you keep 95% of everything.
- ✓Earnings continue without renewalOn every plan, your 95% keeps paying even if you never renew.
- ✓Free Content ID, no per-song social feeDistroKid charges its Social Media Pack ($4.95 per single per year) plus a 20% cut for Facebook, Instagram and YouTube claims.
- ✓Unlimited releases & artistsOn the Custom Label plan (₹4,999/year). DistroKid’s price rises as you add artists.
- ✓Free unlimited mix & masteringMaster every song before release with TrackFix.
- ✓Caller tunes on all 4 networksJio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL – not offered by DistroKid or TuneCore in India.
- ✓In-person supportFor every artist. DistroKid, TuneCore and Ditto use help centres, tickets, email or chat, with no support phone line on their official sites (checked October 2026).
Where others are better: Gallery Vision’s Indie plan and RouteNote Free cost nothing upfront, which suits artists who are only testing a first song.
Verdict: Legitimate Free Options, Read the Agreement First
ST Digital and Gallery Vision are established companies offering free distribution, and for a zero-budget beginner either one beats leaving a song unreleased. ST Digital stands out for its history and its listed caller tune service. Gallery Vision stands out for putting a 90% payout, free Content ID and zero-fee takedown on its free plan’s page.
The shared advice: free means the cost sits in the revenue share or the extras, so know your exact split before you upload. Ask the five questions, get answers in writing, and re-run the break-even math once your song starts earning. If that math points to a fixed price, a one-time plan with The Black Turn, a 95% royalty in writing and free mix and mastering with TrackFix is one option to compare. If it is your first release, start with our first-time artist guide.
Jyoti Singh – Independent artist (32) who has worked at several music distribution companies and has released music through distributors – so these guides come from both sides of a release.
