Best Royalty-Free Music for YouTube: 8 Libraries Compared

Using copyrighted music in a YouTube video — even 5 seconds of it — triggers a Content ID claim that redirects 100% of the video's ad revenue to the rights holder. Not some of it. All of it. The video still shows ads, viewers still see your content, but every dollar goes to the music publisher. This is the single most common monetization loss for YouTube creators.

The solution is royalty-free music: tracks licensed for commercial use in YouTube videos without triggering Content ID claims. The landscape ranges from YouTube's own free Audio Library to premium services like Epidemic Sound and Artlist. Each has different pricing, catalog size, license terms, and Content ID protection. Choosing the right library depends on your budget, content volume, and how much you care about music quality.

This guide compares 8 libraries side by side. For copyright issues, see our copyright guide. For demonetization prevention, see our demonetization guide.

The 8 Libraries Compared

Quick Comparison Table

Library	Price	Catalog Size	Content ID Safe	Best For
YouTube Audio Library	Free	4,000+ tracks	Yes	Beginners, zero budget
Epidemic Sound	$15/mo (Personal)	40,000+ tracks	Yes (whitelisting)	Full-time creators, high volume
Artlist	$10/mo (billed yearly)	30,000+ tracks	Yes	Cinematic content, filmmakers
Uppbeat	Free (3 downloads/mo) / $8/mo	15,000+ tracks	Yes	Budget-conscious creators
Musicbed	$10/mo+	15,000+ tracks	Yes	Premium/cinematic projects
Soundstripe	$15/mo	15,000+ tracks	Yes	All-around use, good value
Pixabay Music	Free	5,000+ tracks	Varies	No-budget creators
Bensound	Free (with credit) / $50+/yr	2,000+ tracks	Varies	Small channels, occasional use

1. YouTube Audio Library (Free)

Price: Completely free. No subscription, no credit required.

What you get:

• 4,000+ music tracks and 1,000+ sound effects
• Searchable by genre, mood, instrument, and duration
• All tracks cleared for monetized YouTube videos
• No Content ID claims guaranteed
• Download directly from YouTube Studio

Limitations:

• Smaller catalog — after using it for months, you will recognize recurring tracks
• Quality varies — some tracks are professional, others are generic
• Many popular creators use the same tracks — your videos may sound like everyone else's
• Limited genre coverage (heavily weighted toward lo-fi, ambient, and pop)

Best for: New creators with zero budget who need safe background music without worrying about copyright.

How to access: YouTube Studio → Audio Library (in the left menu)

2. Epidemic Sound ($15/month)

Price: $15/month (Personal plan) or $49/month (Commercial plan for businesses). Annual discounts available.

What you get:

• 40,000+ tracks and 90,000+ sound effects
• Curated playlists by mood, genre, and content type
• Content ID whitelisting — your videos are registered so Content ID does not flag them
• Stems available (separate vocal, drum, bass tracks for mixing)
• New tracks added daily

Why it leads: Epidemic Sound actively manages Content ID whitelisting, which means even if someone else uses the same track without a license, your video is protected. This is the most reliable Content ID protection in the industry.

Limitations:

• License ends when subscription ends — if you cancel, you must remove Epidemic Sound music from your videos or risk claims
• Some genres are weaker than others (classical, jazz have smaller catalogs)

Best for: Full-time creators who publish weekly and want the largest catalog with the strongest Content ID protection.

3. Artlist ($10/month, billed annually)

Price: $119.88/year (Social Creator) or $199.88/year (Creator Pro). Annual billing only.

What you get:

• 30,000+ tracks and 100,000+ sound effects
• Cinematic and film-quality music with high production value
• Perpetual license — tracks used during active subscription remain licensed forever, even after cancellation
• SFX included in all plans
• Video templates and Premiere Pro/DaVinci plugins

Why it stands out: The perpetual license is Artlist's biggest advantage. Unlike Epidemic Sound, if you cancel your subscription, videos made during the active subscription remain licensed. This reduces risk for creators concerned about subscription lock-in.

Limitations:

• Catalog is smaller than Epidemic Sound's
• Some mainstream genres (hip-hop, electronic) are less represented than cinematic genres
• Annual billing only — no monthly option

Best for: Filmmakers, cinematic creators, and anyone who wants perpetual licensing security.

4. Uppbeat (Free / $8/month)

Price: Free plan (3 downloads per month with attribution). Premium at $8.25/month (unlimited, no attribution).

What you get:

• 15,000+ tracks organized by genre, mood, and content type
• Content ID-safe on both free and premium plans
• Clean, modern interface with good search/filtering
• "Creator Playlists" organized by video type (cooking, tech, fitness)
• Free plan is genuinely usable — not a teaser for the paid version

Limitations:

• Smaller catalog than Epidemic Sound or Artlist
• Free plan requires attribution in the video description
• Limited sound effects catalog on free plan

Best for: Budget-conscious creators who want Content ID protection without a large monthly expense. The free plan is excellent for creators publishing 1-3 videos per month.

5. Musicbed ($10/month+)

Price: $10/month (Personal, single platform) to $30/month (Business). Annual discounts.

What you get:

• 15,000+ tracks from indie artists and professional composers
• Highest average music quality of any library
• Music supervisor curation — tracks are hand-picked, not auto-generated
• Film and advertising-quality production

Limitations:

• Smaller catalog
• More expensive per track than high-volume libraries
• Not all tracks available on all plans

Best for: Creators who prioritize music quality over catalog size — wedding videographers, brand content creators, documentary producers.

6. Soundstripe ($15/month)

Price: $15/month (Creator) or $25/month (Professional). Annual discounts to $11.25/month.

What you get:

• 15,000+ tracks and 50,000+ sound effects
• Content ID-safe
• Unlimited downloads
• Good genre coverage including niche categories
• Video templates and stock footage (on Pro plan)

Limitations:

• Interface is less polished than Epidemic Sound or Artlist
• Some tracks are less distinctive
• License terms are subscription-dependent (similar to Epidemic Sound)

Best for: Creators who want a reliable all-around library at competitive pricing.

7. Pixabay Music (Free)

Price: Free. No account required for most downloads.

What you get:

• 5,000+ tracks contributed by community artists
• No copyright restrictions for commercial use
• No attribution required (though appreciated)
• Simple, no-registration downloads

Limitations:

• Quality is highly inconsistent — ranges from excellent to amateur
• No Content ID whitelist — some tracks may trigger claims if other users have registered them
• Limited search and filtering
• No sound effects library

Best for: Creators who need occasional background music with zero budget and are willing to check Content ID manually after upload.

8. Bensound (Free with credit / $50+/year)

Price: Free (with credit in description) or from $50/year (without credit, enhanced library).

What you get:

• 2,000+ original tracks
• Clean, well-produced music in common genres
• Some tracks are widely recognized in the YouTube creator community
• Simple licensing terms

Limitations:

• Very small catalog
• Free tracks require attribution
• The most popular Bensound tracks are used by millions of videos — your content will sound identical to many others
• Limited Content ID protection on free tracks

Best for: Occasional use when you need a specific genre and do not want a subscription.

How to Choose

Decision Guide

Your Situation	Recommended Library
Zero budget, starting out	YouTube Audio Library
Zero budget, want better quality	Uppbeat (free plan)
$8-10/month budget	Uppbeat Premium or Artlist
$15/month budget, high volume	Epidemic Sound
Cinematic / film content	Artlist or Musicbed
Want perpetual licensing	Artlist
Want strongest Content ID protection	Epidemic Sound

The Content ID Factor

Content ID claims are the biggest risk with music licensing. Even if a track is labeled "royalty-free," if the composer or another platform registers it with Content ID, your video can get claimed.

Libraries with active Content ID protection:

• Epidemic Sound — whitelists your channel; claims are automatically resolved
• Artlist — registers tracks and resolves claims for subscribers
• Uppbeat — provides Content ID-safe guarantee with claim resolution
• Soundstripe — Content ID protection included

Libraries without reliable protection:

• YouTube Audio Library — safe (YouTube controls it)
• Pixabay — no centralized protection; individual tracks may be claimed
• Bensound — limited protection on free tracks

License Terms: What Happens If You Cancel?

Library	Cancel Behavior
Epidemic Sound	Must remove music or risk claims
Artlist	Tracks used during subscription remain licensed forever
Uppbeat	Must remove music or risk claims
Soundstripe	Must remove music or risk claims
YouTube Audio Library	No subscription — always free

This matters if: You plan to build a library of content over years. Artlist's perpetual license means old videos remain safe regardless of your subscription status. Epidemic Sound's license requires maintaining your subscription for ongoing protection.

Using Music Effectively in YouTube Videos

Volume Levels

Background music should be quiet enough that your voice is always clearly audible. The standard is:

• Voice: 0 dB (primary audio level)
• Background music during speech: -18 to -24 dB below voice
• Background music during non-speech segments: -6 to -12 dB

Test: Play your video through phone speakers. If the music competes with your voice, it is too loud.

Music Transitions

Abrupt music changes (cutting from one track to another) feel jarring. Fade transitions work better:

• Crossfade: 1-2 seconds between tracks
• Fade out / fade in: 2-3 seconds of silence between sections
• Match the energy: Transition to a new track when the visual energy changes (new topic, new segment)

When Not to Use Music

Not every moment needs background music. Silence creates impact:

• Emotional moments — removing music during a vulnerable or serious statement increases impact
• Complex explanations — music during detailed technical content can be distracting
• Before a reveal — silence before a dramatic moment makes the payoff stronger

Key Takeaways

• Copyrighted music costs you 100% of ad revenue. Content ID claims redirect all earnings from the video to the rights holder. Even 5 seconds triggers this.
• YouTube Audio Library is free and safe. For new creators, it is the easiest starting point. Quality varies, but it is guaranteed Content ID-safe.
• Epidemic Sound has the strongest Content ID protection. At $15/month, it is the industry standard for full-time creators who publish frequently.
• Artlist offers perpetual licensing. Tracks used during your subscription remain licensed forever, even after cancellation. Best for long-term content libraries.
• Uppbeat's free plan is genuinely useful. 3 Content ID-safe downloads per month with attribution. Best option for budget-conscious creators.
• Background music should be -18 to -24 dB below voice. Test on phone speakers. If music competes with speech, it is too loud.
• For copyright claim resolution, see our copyright guide. For audio equipment, see our microphone guide.

FAQ

What is the best free music for YouTube videos?

YouTube's Audio Library is the safest free option — all tracks are guaranteed Content ID-safe and require no attribution. Uppbeat's free plan offers better quality with 3 Content ID-safe downloads per month (attribution required). Pixabay Music is free but lacks Content ID protection.

Can I use copyrighted music if I give credit?

No. Giving credit does not grant you a license to use copyrighted music. A Content ID claim will redirect all ad revenue from the video to the rights holder regardless of attribution. You need either a license from the rights holder or royalty-free music.

What happens if I get a Content ID claim for music?

Your video continues to show ads, but all ad revenue goes to the music rights holder — not you. You can dispute the claim if you have a valid license, remove the music using YouTube's audio editor, or accept the claim and lose revenue on that video.

Is Epidemic Sound worth it for YouTube?

For full-time creators publishing weekly, yes. The $15/month subscription provides access to 40,000+ tracks with active Content ID whitelisting. For creators publishing less frequently, Uppbeat Premium ($8/month) or Artlist ($10/month) may be better value.

Can I use royalty-free music on monetized YouTube videos?

Yes — that is the purpose of royalty-free music libraries. "Royalty-free" means you pay a one-time fee (or subscription) and can use the music without paying per-use royalties. All major libraries (Epidemic Sound, Artlist, Uppbeat) explicitly license their music for monetized YouTube content.

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Sources

1. YouTube Audio Library — YouTube Studio — accessed 2026-04-03
2. Epidemic Sound YouTube Integration — Epidemic Sound — accessed 2026-04-03
3. Artlist License Terms — Artlist — accessed 2026-04-03
4. Uppbeat for YouTube Creators — Uppbeat — accessed 2026-04-03
5. YouTube Content ID System — YouTube Help — accessed 2026-04-03
6. Musicbed License Comparison — Musicbed — accessed 2026-04-03
7. Soundstripe YouTube License — Soundstripe — accessed 2026-04-03
8. Copyright Claims on YouTube — YouTube Help — accessed 2026-04-03
9. Royalty-Free Music Guide — VidIQ — accessed 2026-04-03
10. Music Licensing for Creators — TubeBuddy — accessed 2026-04-03
11. Audio Mixing for YouTube — Sweetwater — accessed 2026-04-03
12. YouTube Copyright Policy — YouTube Help — accessed 2026-04-03