Prepare the master
Export the final mix as an uncompressed WAV file — the standard is 24-bit / 48kHz. Listen to the file all the way through, from beginning to end, on headphones and on a phone speaker. Check the start and the end for clicks, and don't leave extra silence at either end.
Cover art that passes review
Your cover art travels with the release to every store. The spec is 3000×3000 pixels, RGB. Keep text minimal and readable at thumbnail size, and avoid platform logos, account handles, prices and links — stores reject cover art that carries them.
Metadata and codes
Metadata is how the world finds you: an artist name spelled the same way on every release, the real title with no decoration, and the correct language and genre tags. The codes — ISRC for the recording and UPC for the release — are assigned during preparation; you don't need to buy them anywhere.
Choose the release date
Give yourself room. A date several weeks out leaves space for review, delivery and pitching before day one. Line the date up with anything you control — a video, a show, a run of posts — so the release lands with support behind it rather than alone.
Request your invite
Mazufa works by invitation only. Completed applications enter a human review queue as capacity allows. Submitting does not create an account; those accepted may receive a dedicated preparation invite.
After acceptance
After preparation, your release is packaged to spec and delivered to every platform, and its data is pitched to the appropriate editorial and algorithmic surfaces. From there, watch your dashboard: streams, saves and playlist adds, per platform and per country.
The fingerprint code every recording carries — it tracks streams and earnings worldwide.
Your release barcode — one per single, EP or album.
Digital service provider — Spotify, Apple Music, Anghami and every store on earth.
Is a paid distributor really cheap?
Many independent artists hear that a paid distributor is a low-cost music distribution platform, and start their journey with confidence. But a few months later they discover the numbers don't match what they expected. The reason is usually a multi-tier pricing model that is hard to understand at first glance.
The basic fees — what you see at the start
A paid distributor's fees start at an amount that looks reasonable:
- Single-track upload fee: about 9.95 dollars
- Full-album upload fee: about 29 dollars
- Commission on each sale or stream: a share of your earnings set by the distributor's plan
That is what appears on the main interface, but the story doesn't end there.
The fees that may surprise you later
1. UPC and ISRC fees
Every song needs an ISRC code and every release needs a UPC code. A paid distributor provides these codes, but they are included in the package on some plans and cost extra on others. An artist who doesn't read the details may be surprised by fees they hadn't counted on.
2. YouTube Content ID fees
Content ID lets you earn money from YouTube videos that use your music. A paid distributor offers this service, but it takes an extra commission on the earnings from that channel specifically, which means paying two separate commissions: one on general revenue and one on YouTube revenue.
3. Annual renewal fees
A number of paid distributors moved, in earlier years, to an annual subscription model for some of their services. Artists who had uploaded their music before that date, or who didn't read the terms of the new plans, found themselves facing renewal fees they hadn't expected. Not paying can halt the distribution of the music or lead to its deletion from the platforms.
4. Publishing rights administration fees
If you choose the publishing rights administration service through a paid distributor Pro, you pay:
- An extra fee on upload (around 20 dollars for a single)
- An annual commission on the publishing revenue collected
This service is useful if your music is played on the radio or in public places regularly, but without that you will be paying fees for minimal returns.
5. Currency conversion spreads
Artists outside the United States face an extra cost when converting dollar earnings into their local currency, and it is a real cost that appears on no pricing page.
How do you calculate your real cost?
Before you upload any music, work out the total cost this way:
- The initial upload fee (single or album)
- Add the cost of Content ID if you are going to enable it
- Add the paid distributor Pro fees if you want publishing rights administration
- Work out the expected commission based on your monthly streams
- Don't forget the annual renewal fees if they apply to your plan
What's the alternative?
Platforms like Mazufa work on a different model: a commission under the terms of the current plan on your earnings, with no annual fees piling up over time. That makes the difference clear as stream counts rise.
Summary
A paid distributor is not a bad platform, but it is not as cheap as it looks at first glance. The artist who reads every clause before subscribing and works out the real cost after all fees and commissions is the one who avoids surprises. If your aim is to keep as much of your earnings as possible, it makes sense to compare the available options before you decide.