Epidemic Sound vs Soundstripe
A side-by-side look at Epidemic Sound and Soundstripe for podcasters: pricing, features, and where each one wins.
At a glance
| Epidemic Sound | Soundstripe | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10/mo | $10/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | Yes | No |
| Best for | Podcasters and YouTube creators who want a large, well-organized catalog with zero copyright headaches | Freelance content creators and podcast producers who need stems and multi-channel coverage without paying enterprise prices |
| Founded | 2009 | 2016 |
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
Soundstripe
- Music, sound effects, and stems
- 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans
- YouTube channel auto-clearance (1-5 channels by plan)
- Client project rights on Pro and above
- Adobe Premiere Pro extension on Pro and above
- Video footage available on Pro Plus 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
Soundstripe
Pros
- Strong acoustic and Americana catalog depth
- Stems included on Pro tier
- 30-day money-back guarantee instead of trial
Cons
- No free trial
- Personal plan lacks stems and client-work rights
- Monthly billing is double the annual rate
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 Soundstripe if
Freelance content creators and podcast producers who need stems and multi-channel coverage without paying enterprise prices.
Soundstripe's catalog quality is solid and the Nashville roots mean the country, acoustic, and Americana genres punch above their weight. The 40% affiliate payout on first transactions is the highest flat rate in this category and makes it a strong…