Best Playlist Pitching Services (and Which to Avoid)
Best Playlist Pitching Services (and Which to Avoid)
The safest playlist pitching services charge for a curator's review, not for a placement. Start with Spotify's free editorial pitch in Spotify for Artists. After that, the main paid options are SubmitHub (about $1 per credit, 1-5 credits per curator), Groover (€2 per standard contact), and Playlist Push (campaigns from $280). Avoid anything that guarantees streams or placements.
This guide compares the services on what they actually promise in their own documentation, then shows how to tell a legitimate pay-for-review platform from a pay-for-placement scam that can get your music pulled.
Key Takeaways
- Free first: Spotify's editorial pitch costs nothing and, if submitted 7+ days early, also puts your song in your followers' Release Radar.
- SubmitHub: premium credits start at $1 (about $0.80 average in bulk). Curators cost 1-5 credits and must respond within 72 hours.
- Groover: 1 Grooviz = €1; a standard contact costs 2 Grooviz. Credits come back if there's no feedback within 7 days.
- Playlist Push: Spotify campaigns start at $280; it says placements are not guaranteed.
- Avoid guarantees. Spotify says paid services that guarantee streams or placement violate its terms. It also urges skepticism toward services that charge just to be "considered."
What is the best free way to pitch playlists?
Spotify for Artists' built-in pitch tool. It's free, official, and the only route to Spotify's editorial team. From Spotify's pitching documentation:
- Pitch an unreleased song from Music → Upcoming
- Submit at least 7 days before release and the song goes into your followers' Release Radar
- One song at a time; once it goes live, you can pitch the next
- Placement isn't guaranteed, and editors may pick a different song than the one you pitched
If you haven't done this, don't spend a dollar on third-party pitching yet. Our step-by-step editorial pitch guide walks through every field.
How do the paid playlist pitching services compare?
All three big platforms sell access to curators' attention, but they differ in pricing model, minimums, and what's guaranteed.
| SubmitHub | Groover | Playlist Push | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Credits per curator | Grooviz credits per contact | Campaign budget |
| Entry cost | Premium credits from $1 each | 2 Grooviz (€2) per standard contact | Spotify campaigns from $280 |
| Price per curator | 1-5 credits | 2 Grooviz; top curators 4-6 | Varies by genre and curator |
| What's guaranteed | Premium: response in 72h, 60s+ listen, 20+ words if declining | Feedback within 7 days or credits returned | A review; refund to balance if a curator gives no real review |
| Placement guaranteed? | No | No | No (states this explicitly) |
| Also reaches | Blogs, influencers, labels, playlists | Media, radio, labels, playlists | Spotify playlists, plus other campaign types |
| Best for | Small, tightly targeted tests | Mixed media + playlist outreach, esp. Europe | Bigger budgets wanting a managed campaign |
Sources: SubmitHub pricing help, SubmitHub premium credit rules, Groover pricing, Playlist Push for artists. Prices change, so check before you buy.
Is SubmitHub worth it?
For a controlled, low-cost test of 5-10 curators, yes, especially for the feedback. SubmitHub says most users pay around $0.80 per credit (for example, $80 for 100 credits) and recommends targeting 5-10 curators on a first submission.
Under its premium rules, curators must respond within 72 hours, listen for at least 60 seconds, and write 20+ words of feedback if they decline.
Where it shines: fast, written feedback. If ten curators all say the intro is too long, that's useful data before you spend on ads.
Watch out for: curators with high follower counts and low engagement. SubmitHub offers free tools (Bot Checker, Playlist Checker) to vet playlists before sending.
Is Groover worth it?
Good when you want playlists and blogs, radio, and labels in one campaign, especially in European markets. Groover's pricing page says 1 Grooviz costs €1 (taxes included). A standard contact costs 2 Grooviz, with top curators sometimes 4 or 6. If a contact doesn't give feedback within 7 days, you get those Grooviz back.
Budget reality check: Groover recommends contacting at least 50 curators, which works out to 100 Grooviz, or about €100. That recommendation comes from the company selling the credits. You can start with fewer, well-matched contacts.
Is Playlist Push worth it?
Only if you have a few hundred dollars and want a managed campaign. Playlist Push's artist page says Spotify campaigns start at $280 and curators are paid up to $15 per review. It also says submission "does not guarantee your music will be added to those playlists." Its pre-release option lets curators commit to adds that go live within 48 hours of release.
Which playlist pitching services should you avoid?
Any service that guarantees streams, followers, or placements. Spotify's artificial streaming page is blunt: services that "advertise streams in return for payment violate our terms & conditions, and using them could result in your music being removed."
Spotify for Artists' artificial streaming hub also says: "Some services charge money to be 'considered' for user playlists, but do not guarantee placements. Be highly skeptical of these services, as well." Spotify's User Guidelines also prohibit accepting compensation to influence the content of a playlist.
What that means: Spotify doesn't endorse any paid pitching platform. Pay-for-review services argue you're paying for the curator's time, not the add. That distinction is why they refuse to guarantee placements. Still, the risk is yours.
Red-flag checklist
- Promises a specific number of streams or followers
- "Guaranteed placement" on any playlist
- No list of the actual playlists or curators you're sending to
- Playlists with huge follower counts but no visible engagement
- Results arrive instantly as a spike with no saves or follows
- Unsolicited DMs or emails offering placement
What happens if bot streams hit your song? Spotify says detected artificial streams earn no royalties, don't count toward public numbers, and don't help algorithms. Your distributor may also warn you, charge a penalty fee, or remove your music.
How do I get the most out of a paid pitching budget?
Spend small, measure saves, then reinvest.
- Do the free editorial pitch first (7+ days before release).
- Pick 5-10 curators whose recent adds sound like you. Check that their playlists are real.
- Send pre-release or in week one, while Release Radar and early momentum are active.
- Measure in Spotify for Artists: look at saves, playlist adds, and listeners from each playlist, not just streams.
- Reinvest only where adds produced saves. Cut curators whose playlists produce streams with no follow-on engagement.
For the bigger question of whether this is worth doing at all, read Does Playlist Pitching Actually Work?
FAQ
Is SubmitHub against Spotify's rules?
Spotify doesn't name specific platforms. SubmitHub charges for a review and doesn't guarantee placement. But Spotify warns artists to "be highly skeptical" of paying to be considered, so treat any paid pitching as a calculated risk.
What's the cheapest legit way to pitch playlists?
Spotify's editorial pitch is free. After that, emailing independent curators directly costs only your time.
How many curators should I pitch per release?
SubmitHub suggests 5-10 for a first submission. Groover suggests 50+. Start small and scale only if the first batch produces saves, not just plays.
Do pitching services work for Apple Music or YouTube?
Mostly they target Spotify playlists, blogs, and social creators. Apple Music editorial pitching goes through your distributor (see our Apple Music guide).