Epidemic Sound vs. Artlist Review 2025: License, Price, Library, Free Trial

Epidemic Sound vs. Artlist: Library Comparison

What about the library? How does Artlist compare with Epidemic Sound?

Epidemic Sound boasts an extensive library of over 35,000 tracks and 90,000 sound effects. Artlist has a smaller library of 18,000 tracks songs and 11,000 sound effects (and it's rapidly growing).

In terms of quality, both platforms offer an excellent selection of tracks from various genres, making it difficult to declare a clear winner.

Both sites add new music regularly. If you're anything like me, you'll find that having a vast library to choose from is essential for finding that perfect track.

However, if quantity is a priority, Epidemic Sound takes the cake.

Epidemic Sound Review 2025 | Is it Worth it For Creators? 

Epidemic Sound vs. Artlist: Licensing and Usage

The licensing models of Epidemic Sound and Artlist vary slightly. Both offer royalty-free tracks for content creators. Epidemic Sound's licenses cover a range of uses, from YouTube videos to podcasts and even commercial projects. Artlist licenses are similarly flexible, allowing unlimited usage across various media. As long as you maintain an active subscription, you can use their tracks without worrying about copyright issues.

With Epidemic Sound, you get also buy a single-track license, meaning you can use the track in any way that makes sense for you. The price varies from $99 to $499 depending on the use case.

Clear NO for both platforms:

• No standalone use

• No illegal, immoral, or political content

• No broadcast type content or TV (only Artlist commercial plans cover that) 

• No NFTs

Personal License

Epidemic Sound:

+ Use on any social media

+ Monetization and sponsorship in personal social channels

+ Allows paid and promoted videos

Artlist:

+ YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, TikTok, Podcasts

+ Monetization and sponsorship in personal social media channels

- No paid or promoted videos

Commercial License

Epidemic Sound:

+ Paid ads

-Unlimited social media platforms

+ Client work (only 3 accounts)

+ Commercial work

+ Podcasts

+ Websites and all online platforms

Artlist:

+ Unlimited social media platforms

+ Paid ads

+ Client work

+ Commercial work

+ Podcasts

+ Websites and all online platforms

+  Broadcast and TV

+ Paid and promoted videos

Artlist is a winner in this category if you want to broadcast or produce films and movies.

Epidemic Sound is a winner in the personal license if you want to produce content for platforms that are not included in Artlist's license.

Epidemic Sound vs. Artlist: Which One Offers Royalty-Free Music?

Both Epidemic Sound and Artlist offer royalty-free tracks. This means that, as long as you have an active subscription, you can use their music without any legal problems or additional fees (no royalties). You won't have to worry about copyright issues as long as you follow their licensing terms.

Epidemic Sound vs. Artlist: User Experience

As a creator, you want a platform that is easy to navigate and offers user-friendly search filters. In my opinion, both Epidemic Sound and Artlist excel in this area. Their interfaces are intuitive, with advanced filtering options to help you find the perfect song. However, some users find Artlist's interface to be slightly more modern and visually appealing. In my experience, Artlist's platform is more polished and easier to navigate. Epidemic Sound's interface is also user-friendly and offers a similarly robust search functionality.

Both platforms provide search filters that help you narrow down your choices by genre, mood, and themes. Artlist has an extra filter for the instrument.

Artlist Review 2025: Is It Worth It?

Epidemic Sound vs Artlist: Customer Complaints

Artlist Rating: 4.2 (based on 310 reviews)

Users complaints about Artlist include:

Untrustworthy practices: Some customers feel that Artlist did not honor free trials and charged for services they did not request.

Licensing issues: Some customers have received emails claiming that Artlist's assets are not legally licensed, causing concerns about using the content in their projects.

Poor customer support: Some users report slow response times and unresolved problems when contacting Artlist's support.

Limited music library: Some users have expressed disappointment with the limited variety and repetitiveness of the tracks available on Artlist.

Difficulty canceling subscriptions: Some customers have faced challenges in canceling their subscriptions, leading to unwanted charges and difficulty contacting the company for resolution.

Billing and pricing concerns: Some users are frustrated with Artlist's annual billing and the additional charges that may apply during the payment process.

Fraud allegations: Some customers have labeled Artlist as a scam or fraudulent website due to the difficulties they've experienced in canceling subscriptions and receiving refunds.

Epidemic Sound: 4.1 rating (based on 514 reviews)

Users complaints about Epidemic Sound include:

Difficult cancellation process: Some customers report being charged for services they attempted to cancel multiple times and not receiving assistance through email.

Copyright claims issues: Some users have experienced copyright claims on their content despite using Epidemic Sound's licensed music, with some claims occurring after canceling their subscription.

Customer support: Some customers have faced challenges getting in touch with Epidemic Sound's support team to resolve issues related to billing, account management, and copyright claims.

Limited music library: Some users are disappointed with the limited selection and quality of music available in Epidemic Sound's library.

Concerns over privacy and safety: Some customers have expressed unease with the amount of personal information required when attempting to delete their accounts or resolve issues.

Licensing concerns: Some users believe that Epidemic Sound's licensing promises are misleading, as they have experienced copyright strikes or claims despite having a subscription.

Server capacity and download issues: Some customers have reported problems downloading music or sound effects from Epidemic Sound due to server limitations or issues with the downloaded files.

Even though not ever user is satisfied with their experience, the majority of people seem to like both Epidemic Sound and Artlist a lot. I personally believe that these are two of the best platforms for royalty-free music.

Epidemic Sound vs. Artlist Single Track License

Epidemic Sound offers single-track licenses, while Artlist operates on a subscription-only basis. This means that if you need just one track, Epidemic Sound might be the better option for you.

What Happens After You Cancel an Epidemic Sound or Artlist Subscription?

If you cancel your Epidemic Sound and Artlist subscription, you can no longer use their tracks in new projects. However, any projects published during your subscription period are covered forever.

Any videos uploaded during your active subscription will still be covered, but new uploads after cancellation will not be protected by their license.

What Is Epidemic Sound To Me? Who Is It Best For?

Epidemic Sound is a royalty-free music platform designed for content creators, offering a vast library of tracks and sound effects. It's popular among YouTubers, podcasters, and other creators who need high-quality music to enhance their projects. Epidemic Sound is an attractive choice for those looking to add high-quality music to their projects.

Epidemic Sound, boasting over 550 employees and offices in New York, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, and Seoul, has established itself as a leading player in the music licensing industry. The company's primary focus is on nurturing its community of content creators and music producers, helping them grow, and ensuring that they receive fair compensation for their work.

Epidemic Sound has proven to be an invaluable resource in my content creation journey. With its vast library, dedication to supporting creators, and commitment to fair compensation, it has earned its place as one of the best royalty-free music platforms available.

What It Artlist To Me? Who Is It Best For?

Artlist is another royalty-free music platform catering to content creators. It offers a broad range of music tracks and sound effects, making it an excellent choice for those looking to add a professional touch to their videos, podcasts, and other media projects.

Artlist's team searches the globe for the best musicians, curating their music to create a thriving community of artists. Their belief that high-quality music licensing doesn't have to be expensive or complicated resonates with creators seeking simplicity and affordability. Artlist operates under the notion that when artists succeed, we all succeed, making it their mission to provide opportunities for both musicians and filmmakers. Artlist has been a game-changer in for business, proving that an exceptional music licensing experience is well within reach.

Is Epidemic Sound Unlimited?

Yes, with an active Epidemic Sound subscription, users can access and download an unlimited number of tracks and sound effects from their library.

Please keep in mind (and this applies to Artlist and Epidemic Sound) that it is against TOS to scrape content or use bots to download tracks and sound effects from both websites. Companies have a right to suspend user's account if they see suspicious activity on them.

Is Artlist Unlimited?

Yes, with an active Artlist subscription, users can access and download an unlimited "reasonable" number of tracks and sound effects from their library. In reality, "reasonable" means that users are limited to downloading 40 music tracks per day and 100 sound effects to justify fair use. For most creators, that is more than enough downloads per day.

Epidemic Sound vs. Artlist: Pros and Cons

Epidemic Sound Pros:

• Extensive library of over 35,000 tracks and 90,000 sound effects

• Covers more platforms on its personal plan

• Offers single-track licenses

• Unlimited access and downloads with an active subscription

• Really unlimited downloads

• 30-day free trial

Epidemic Sound Cons:

• Limits accounts per platform to three on commercial plans

• Some users find the platform's interface less polished than Artlist's

• Users have reported issues with customer support and copyright claims

Artlist Pros:

• A more visually appealing and user-friendly interface

• Covers broadcasting and TV with its commercial plan

• Unlimited access to a "reasonable" number of daily downloads

• No restrictions on the number of accounts per platform on commercial plans

• High-quality tracks

• Two months free on annual membership

Artlist Cons:

• A smaller library of 18,000 tracks and 11,000 sound effects

• Offers fewer platforms on its personal plan

• Subscription-only model, no single-track licenses

• Users have reported challenges with customer support and billing issues

• "Reasonable use" allows downloading 40 tracks and 100 sound effects per day

• No free trial, questionable refund

Epidemic Sound vs. Artlist: Free Trial And Refunds

Epidemic Sound: A Generous Trial Period

Epidemic Sound offers a 30-day trial, granting unlimited access to their extensive library of music and sound effects. During this period, you're free to publish your work without worrying about additional licensing fees. If you find Epidemic Sound to be the perfect fit, the trial will automatically renew with the agreed-upon monthly price. However, be aware that if you forget to cancel, any charges incurred are non-refundable. Thankfully, canceling your subscription is a hassle-free process.

Artlist: Limited Trial, Strict Refund Policy

Unlike Epidemic Sound, Artlist does not offer a traditional free trial. Instead, you can create an account, browse their library, and download watermarked tracks. To access their full range of services, you'll need to subscribe. Artlist does provide a refund policy, but it comes with stringent conditions. You can request a refund within 14 days of purchase, but only if no assets have been downloaded or used in a project. In other words, if you download even a single track, you forfeit your eligibility for a refund.