Side by side
Free Music Archive vs Sound Stock Vault
Both stand on stock music libraries. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Web
FMA offers free listening and a catalogue that can also support licensed media projects. Check each work’s license before reuse, since permissions depend on the artist or rights holder’s terms.
Visit Free Music Archive
Free trial Web
Sound Stock Vault offers a large audio catalog, preview tools and licenses for a range of commercial and noncommercial projects. Check the standalone-asset and subscription-lapse restrictions against how you plan to use the audio.
Visit Sound Stock VaultThe facts
| Free Music Archive | Sound Stock Vault | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | A free trial |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Web | Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Unlimited Access Plan — monthly: $4.99 a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Maker | Free Music Archive | Not published |
| Website | freemusicarchive.org | soundstock.com |
| On stock music libraries | #8 of 59 | #39 of 59 |
Free Music Archive: what it does well
- Listen to, download, and stream audio and video for free.
- Filter by license, commercial use, genre, and duration.
- Registered members can make playlists and rate works.
- Artists can publish songs on artist pages.
What to know first
- Reuse permissions vary by each work’s license.
- FMA does not own the original works or grant additional rights.
- The API has been shut down.
- Unapproved scraping and hotlinking are prohibited.
Sound Stock Vault: what it does well
- Browse and preview sounds before signing up.
- Searchable names, waveforms and tempo-aware playback.
- Unlimited downloads on listed plans.
- Commercial use is included.
- Permitted uses include films, games and education.
What to know first
- No free plan.
- Standalone resale and redistribution are prohibited.
- Audio cannot be synced into new projects after lapse.
- Support tickets are handled in English only.
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