Dubsend and Trackstack: what each one does
Labels often ask whether Trackstack and Dubsend do the same thing. They mostly do different jobs, and a label can use both.
Published .
Dubsend publishes this page. Facts about Trackstack come from trackstack.app, its pricing page and its help pages, listed under Sources with the day we checked them.
What Trackstack is
Trackstack calls itself "The Inbox that builds your network" and "the demo and promo system for electronic music professionals". Each member (a DJ, label or curator) has an inbox with a public link. Artists and labels submit tracks into other members' inboxes, up to 5 tracks per submission, and the inbox owner listens and replies. Sending is counted in submissions: one submission goes to one inbox.
Around the inbox there is a network of members, private share links to tracks, contacts you can export as a CSV file, and play and download counts per submission.
What Dubsend is
Dubsend sends a promo email to your own contacts: the DJs, radio hosts and journalists you know or who joined your list. Each person gets a personal promo page in your branding to stream the tracks, give feedback and download MP3, WAV or AIFF files tagged with their name. You get listening time per track, downloads and feedback for each person, and a report for the artist.
Side by side
| Trackstack | Dubsend | |
|---|---|---|
| Who receives | Trackstack members, in their inbox | Anyone on your own list, by email |
| Receiving demos | Yes, it is built around the inbox | No |
| Reaching people you don't know yet | Yes, through the network | No: Dubsend sends only to your own list |
| Promo email and page in your branding | Not found in Trackstack's help pages | Yes, on paid plans |
| Feedback before download | Not found in Trackstack's help pages | The default (optional or off per promo) |
| Automatic reminders | Not found in Trackstack's help pages | Up to 2, plus one nudge |
| Report for the artist | Not found in Trackstack's help pages | Read-only link and PDF for each promo |
| Free plan | 20 submissions a month, 50 private links, 1 inbox, 1 seat | Free: 1 promo every 30 days, 100 recipients a month |
| Paid plans | Pro $199 a year (300 submissions a month, 2 seats), Max $339 a year (1,000 submissions a month, 5 seats) | Artist £12, Label £29, Pro £79 a month with unlimited promos, VAT included |
When to use which
- To receive demos from artists, use an inbox such as Trackstack. Dubsend doesn't take demos.
- To pitch a track to DJs and labels you don't know yet, Trackstack's network is built for that.
- To send a release to your own list before it comes out, with feedback before download and a report for the artist, use Dubsend.
Using both
A label can keep a Trackstack inbox for demos and send its releases through Dubsend. The two don't connect, so each keeps its own contacts. To move contacts from Trackstack, export them as a CSV file and import it into Dubsend with a consent record.
Questions
Is Dubsend a Trackstack alternative?
For sending promos to your own contacts, yes. For receiving demos or pitching through a network of members, Trackstack does a different job.
Do my DJs need an account?
Not on Dubsend. They open a personal link from the email, in any browser.
Which currency are the prices in?
Trackstack shows its prices in US dollars on its pricing page. Dubsend's prices are in pounds with VAT included.
Sources
- Trackstack home page, checked
- Trackstack pricing, checked
- Trackstack help: sending tracks, checked