Epidemic Sound vs Uppbeat
A side-by-side look at Epidemic Sound and Uppbeat for podcasters: pricing, features, and where each one wins.
At a glance
| Epidemic Sound | Uppbeat | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10/mo | Free plan |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | No |
| Best for | Podcasters and YouTube creators who want a large, well-organized catalog with zero copyright headaches | New podcasters or creators on a tight budget who want a legal free option before committing to a paid subscription |
| Founded | 2009 | 2020 |
Key features
Epidemic Sound
- 50,000+ tracks and 90,000+ sound effects
- Mood, genre, and BPM filtering
- Stems available for custom mixing
- YouTube channel safelisting
- 30-day free trial on all paid plans
- Plugins for Premiere Pro, Final Cut, and DaVinci Resolve
Uppbeat
- YouTube channel safelisting
- Free tier with 3 downloads/month and individual license
- Unlimited downloads on paid tiers
- Sound effects library on paid tiers
- Stock video and motion graphics on Creator and Pro plans
- Extended license for client work on Pro plan
Pros and cons
Epidemic Sound
Pros
- Large, well-curated catalog with strong search tools
- Covers podcasts on Creator plan - no upgrade required
- 30-day free trial, no credit card required
Cons
- Catalog depth thins out in niche or classical genres
- Monthly billing is nearly double the annual rate
- No lifetime or per-track purchase option for casual users
Uppbeat
Pros
- Best free tier in the category - genuinely usable
- Competitive annual pricing on Essentials
- Simple, transparent licensing
Cons
- Catalog smaller than Epidemic Sound or Artlist
- Free tier limited to 25% of catalog
- Pro plan needed for client-facing or commercial work
The verdict
Choose Epidemic Sound if
Podcasters and YouTube creators who want a large, well-organized catalog with zero copyright headaches.
Epidemic Sound has the best-organized catalog in the space - genre and mood filtering is genuinely useful, not decorative. The Creator plan at $10/month (annual) is hard to beat for podcasters who just want reliable, copyright-safe background music. The caveat:…
Choose Uppbeat if
New podcasters or creators on a tight budget who want a legal free option before committing to a paid subscription.
Uppbeat's free tier is the most genuinely usable free offering in this category - 3 downloads per month with full licensing isn't just a teaser, it's workable for a weekly podcast that rotates intro music infrequently. The Essentials plan at…