Alternatives to SoundCloud
Where independent tracks live
SoundCloud ranks #7 of 10 in Music streaming, with an Alt Score of 64. It is proprietary, freemium from $4.99/month and available on Web, iOS and Android. 6 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Independent musicians and podcasters who want to upload and distribute their own audio, and listeners who want to discover music outside major-label radio and playlists.
A free streaming catalog of tracks, mixes, and podcasts, including many independent and unsigned artists not found on other platforms. Listeners get on-demand streaming with ads on the free tier, or an ad-free experience with offline listening and higher audio quality via the paid Go/Go+ subscriptions. Creators get upload and hosting tools, a public artist profile, stats on plays and audience, and (on paid creator plans like Next/Next Pro) wider distribution to other streaming services, monetization through Fan-Powered Royalties, and advanced analytics.
Creators upload tracks or episodes to their profile, set them public or private, and share links or embed players; listeners stream directly from artist profiles, playlists, or SoundCloud's search and recommendation feeds, and can follow artists, like, comment, and repost tracks.
Where SoundCloud stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave SoundCloud
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How SoundCloud compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Music streaming checklist | SoundCloud | Deezer | Spotify | YouTube Music | Amazon Music | Apple Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Lossless / hi-res tier | ||||||
| Free tier with ads | ||||||
| Offline downloads | ||||||
| Family plan | ||||||
| Artist payout reputation | ||||||
| Podcasts included | ||||||
| Music videos | ||||||
| Lyrics | ||||||
| Import playlists from competitors | ||||||
| Web player |
Every fact and feature listed for SoundCloud is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
-
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-11
© 2026 SoundCloud. All rights reserved.
https://soundcloud.com/company/plans -
Pricing model Freemium verified 2026-07-11
Listen to songs, albums, playlists for free on SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/podcasts -
Starts at $4.99/month verified 2026-07-11
$4.99 MONTHLY
https://soundcloud.com/company/plans -
Platforms Web, iOS, Android verified 2026-07-11
SoundCloud: The Music You Love
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soundcloud-play-music-songs/id336353151 -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
© 2026 SoundCloud. All rights reserved.
https://soundcloud.com/company/plans -
Free tier with ads Yes verified 2026-07-11
Ad-free listening
https://soundcloud.com/company/plans -
Offline downloads Yes verified 2026-07-11
Save unlimited tracks for offline listening
https://soundcloud.com/company/plans -
Artist payout reputation Yes verified 2026-07-11
You keep 100% of your royalties - we only take a small processing fee on payouts
https://soundcloud.com/getstarted/getpaid -
Podcasts included Yes verified 2026-07-11
Stream podcasts music | Listen to songs, albums, playlists for free on SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/podcasts -
Import playlists from competitors Yes verified 2026-07-11
instantly transfer your entire music library from Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer, and Amazon Music.
https://join.soundcloud.com/SoundCloud/move_your_music_script -
Web player Yes verified 2026-07-11
Your current browser isn't compatible with SoundCloud. Please download one of our supported browsers.
https://soundcloud.com/discover
FAQ
Yes. Deezer, Spotify and YouTube Music have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.