Industry

Soundstripe vs. Epidemic Sound

Choosing the Right Music Licensing Partner for Creators

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by Soundstripe Team

If you’re weighing Epidemic Sound as your go-to for music licensing, it’s time to consider a platform built by musicians who truly understand the heartbeat of creativity.

Here’s how Soundstripe stacks up against Epidemic Sound—and why more creators, agencies, and brands are choosing a partner that prioritizes artistry, innovation, and authenticity.

Built by musicians, for creators

Soundstripe was founded in Nashville, Tennessee—the capital of country music and a global music mecca—by three working musicians who saw an opportunity to transform music licensing. They weren’t just starting a company; they were building a home for artists and creators to collaborate.
That origin story continues to shape Soundstripe’s mission: to make licensing high-quality music effortless, while giving musicians a platform to thrive.

With deep roots in the recording industry and a passionate in-house team of composers, Soundstripe exists at the intersection of music and media—and it's committed to supporting creators without compromising the integrity of the music.

Exceptional music, made by exceptional artists

What sets Soundstripe apart from Epidemic Sound is its uncompromising dedication to quality. This isn’t a music warehouse—it’s a curated collection of artist-first tracks shaped by some of the best in the industry.

Here’s what you’ll find at Soundstripe:

Full-time, in-house composers creating original music across every genre
Exclusive tracks from Grammy-winning and Billboard-charting artists
Curated playlists, alternate versions, stems, and sound effects to fit every storytelling need

Unlike platforms that prioritize quantity, Soundstripe puts craft and context first—offering music that feels intentional, cinematic, and emotionally resonant.

Empowering, not replacing: A human-centered approach to AI

Soundstripe believes AI should elevate creativity—not automate it. That’s why its AI tools are designed to support human decisions, not override them.

With Supe, the industry’s first AI-powered search assistant, you’ll uncover relevant songs faster, guided by mood, style, and even visuals. Supe interacts with the user conversationally, asking questions and providing feedback, until that perfect song is found.

Need a custom sound? AI Song Editing (AISE) lets users tailor any track’s structure, intensity, or duration directly in the app. At every turn, Soundstripe is designed to make music licensing intuitive, creative, and completely in sync with the way modern content gets made.

This AI isn’t making music. It’s helping you make better choices, faster—while preserving the soul of every track created by real, working musicians.

Soundstripe Market: More music, one platform

Beyond its exclusive library, Soundstripe offers something that sets it apart: Soundstripe Market—a curated catalog of pre-cleared music from top-tier labels and publishers. With Market, you can confidently expand your creative options without ever leaving the Soundstripe platform.

What makes this truly unique is that Soundstripe is built by musicians, for creators. That foundation gives us deep industry insight—and the credibility to form direct partnerships with leading labels. The result? You get access to both artist-first music crafted in-house by Soundstripe and high-caliber, label-released tracks through Market.

It’s a one-stop shop for all your music needs—no juggling platforms, no complicated licensing—just world-class music, all in one place.

Trusted by the industry’s best

From YouTube creators to national brands, Soundstripe’s music is heard across the globe—including major campaigns and streaming originals.

Highlights include:

A custom string arrangement of Nick Jonas’ “Jealous” for Netflix’s Bridgerton
An exclusive original track for HBO’s Tokyo Vice
Tracks licensed by renowned brands like Microsoft, Chipotle, and Netflix

With over 58,000+ music tracks, 95,000+ SFX, and 100,000+ stock videos, Soundstripe offers creators the depth, variety, and flexibility to score anything—from TikTok to television.

Subscription plans that scale with you

Soundstripe subscriptions make finding and licensing music for all types of projects a breeze.

Subscriptions include:

Unlimited downloads from the Soundstripe SFX and music library on all plans
Coverage for personal, client, and commercial use, depending on subscription tier
Auto-clearance for YouTube claims (Pro & Enterprise plans)

And if a subscription doesn’t fit the bill, single-use licenses are available for personal use, broadcast, and everything in between.

You’ll have additional peace of mind knowing that Soundstripe offers indemnification with all single-use licenses and enterprise subscription plans, meaning your business or client, no matter the size, will be backed by Soundstripe if any outside claims are made against the use of a song.

Epidemic Sound: A subscription-first music platform

Epidemic Sound, founded in Sweden, offers royalty-free music via subscription and pay-per-track models. It caters primarily to online video creators and social media influencers, offering a library of around 40,000 tracks and 90,000 SFX.

Key features of Epidemic Sound:

Global artist network contributing exclusive content
Integration with major content platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook
Voices, an AI voiceover tool

While Epidemic Sound has a solid offering, it lacks some of the craftmanship, customization, and licensing flexibility that Soundstripe provides.

Licensing and limitations

Epidemic Sound's model requires an active subscription to use and maintain rights to licensed tracks. Once your subscription ends, so do your rights to use the music. That’s a critical distinction for long-term content creators or those producing evergreen content.

Some limitations include:

No support for traditional film/TV/broadcast licensing without enterprise agreements
Limited tools for search, customization, or integration into production workflows
No indemnification unless negotiated through enterprise plans