What Are Admin Publishing Services and Should I Use One?

What Admin Publishers Do

Task	Handled by Admin Publisher?
Register your songs globally	Yes
Collect mechanical & performance royalties	Yes
Collect international royalties	Yes
Negotiate sync deals	(some offer sync pitching)
Take ownership of your songs	No

 You stay in full control of your copyrights.

 Admin vs. Traditional Publishing

Feature	Admin Publishing	Traditional Publishing
Keeps song ownership	You do	Publisher may own part/all
Offers creative services	Usually not	Yes
Upfront advance	No	Sometimes
Royalty collection	Global	Global
Typical commission	10–20%	25–50% of publisher's share

 Popular Admin Publishing Services

Platform	Key Features
Songtrust	Global royalty collection, MLC/PRO registration
CD Baby Pro	Built into CD Baby distribution
TuneCore Publishing	Royalty collection + sync option
Sentric Music	Admin services + sync access

 Why You Might Use One

• You’re self-published and want to collect the publisher’s share globally
• You release songs independently and want to get paid from all sources
• You don’t have the time or access to manage global registrations

 Pro Tips

• Choose an admin publisher with access to overseas collection societies
• Check contract terms—most are non-exclusive and last 1–3 years
• Use one if you don’t have a traditional publisher but still want full royalty collection

Bottom Line:
Admin publishing services help independent songwriters get paid worldwide without giving up ownership. They’re a great middle ground between DIY and full publishing deals.