Epidemic Sound vs Uppbeat Comparison 2026
Epidemic Sound clears a smaller, more selective catalogue for monetized channels, Creator at $9.99 a month billed yearly for one channel per platform. Uppbeat gives away three downloads a month for real, not a trial, across a quarter of its catalogue, then charges from $6.99 a month, about a third of Epidemic's price, for more safelisted channels. Epidemic Sound's own guidance sends anybody not yet earning toward Uppbeat's free tier. Uppbeat's own guidance is just as candid: the smaller catalogue is exactly what is being traded for the lower price.
Music cleared for monetized video
Music for video with a free tier that clears claims
At a glance
- Uppbeat starts cheaper, at $6.99.
- Only Uppbeat has a free tier.
- Epidemic Sound bills annually only, so there is no month to try it for.
Side by side
Epidemic Sound | Uppbeat | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $9.99 | From $6.99 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free trial, then paid | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier (they differ) | No | Yes |
| Billing (they differ) | Annual only | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial (they differ) | 30 days | None |
Epidemic Sound
Music cleared for monetized video
Epidemic Sound exists to solve one problem, which is a copyright claim landing on a video that was earning. Every track is licensed for the platforms creators publish on, and the clearance follows the channel rather than the upload. The catalogue is smaller than a stock library's, and cancelling ends the licence on work you already published.
Our note
The subscription is a licence rather than a purchase, so treat leaving as a decision about your back catalogue and not just about next month's bill. Uppbeat's free tier is the cheaper starting point if you are not yet earning.
Uppbeat
Music for video with a free tier that clears claims
Uppbeat licenses music for YouTube and social video, and its free plan is three downloads a month rather than a trial that runs out. Channels are safelisted so a claim does not arrive a week after publishing. The catalogue is smaller than Epidemic Sound's, which is the trade being made for a bill under ten dollars.
Our note
Why people weigh these two
- Uppbeat instead of Epidemic Sound
- Uppbeat has a free tier that still clears claims, paid from $7, which is where to start before a channel earns anything.
- Epidemic Sound instead of Uppbeat
- Epidemic Sound runs a much bigger catalogue, from $9.99, the depth Uppbeat trades away to stay under ten dollars.
Which one should you pick
Pick Epidemic Sound for the larger, more established catalogue and explicit monetization clearance, especially after a copyright claim has already happened once. Creator is $9.99 a month billed yearly for one channel per platform, with stems, adaptations and sound effects included. Cancelling ends the licence, including on videos already published, which is the real cost of leaving.
Pick Uppbeat if nothing is earning yet, or the budget needs to stay under ten dollars regardless. The free plan renews three downloads a month rather than running out like a trial, and its entry tier at $6.99 a month adds more safelisted channels from there. If a track has to be one nobody else has used, this is the wrong library; if it just needs to fit and clear, its own guidance says this is most of the value at a third of Epidemic's price.
Common questions
- Is Uppbeat cheaper than Epidemic Sound?
- Yes, considerably: Uppbeat's entry paid tier is $6.99 a month against Epidemic Sound's $9.99, and Uppbeat also has a genuine free plan with three downloads a month. Epidemic Sound has no free tier, only a 30-day trial.
- Which one should I use if nothing I publish is monetized yet?
- Uppbeat, and Epidemic Sound's own guidance agrees: its free tier is the cheaper starting point for anybody not yet earning. Epidemic Sound is specifically built around monetized channels with a copyright-claim history.
- How many channels does each plan safelist?
- Uppbeat scales this by tier: one channel on Free and its next entry tier, three on Creator, ten on Pro at $14.99. Epidemic Sound scales similarly, one channel per platform on Creator at $9.99, three on Pro at $16.99.
- Does Uppbeat's cheap plan cover client work and ads?
- No, that extended licence only arrives on Uppbeat's Pro tier at $14.99 a month. Epidemic Sound has the same shape: freelance client-work protection is a Pro-tier feature at $16.99, not included on the cheaper Creator plan.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.