Head-to-head comparison
Bensound vs Soundstripe
Two of the music & sfx tools podcasters reach for. Here's how they differ on pricing, features, audience, and the trade-offs that actually matter day-to-day.
Free music library from composer Benjamin Tissot
Best for: Quick free background music for video, where podcasts are the wrong use case.
Royalty-free music with built-in podcasting plan
Best for: Podcasters who want unlimited downloads of music and SFX with podcast-specific licensing baked in.
At a glance
The honest trade-offs
Bensound
Pros
- Long-standing reliable free library for video
- Paid licenses cover podcasts legitimately
- Familiar tracks recognizable to viewers
Watch-outs
- Free license forbids podcast use
- Catalogue smaller than competing libraries
- Same tracks across thousands of YouTube videos
Soundstripe
Pros
- Pro plan $19.99/mo annual covers podcasts
- Stems on most tracks, AI tools for customization
- Auto-clearance for 5 YouTube channels
Watch-outs
- Cancellation revokes rights on downloads
- Catalogue smaller than Epidemic
- Monthly billing nearly doubles annual rate
Which one should you pick?
Pick Bensound if
You’re building around quick free background music for video, where podcasts are the wrong use case.. Bensound's been a free music staple for over a decade, but the free Creative Commons license explicitly excludes podcasts. Podcast use requires a paid license starting from around 34 euros per track.
Pick Soundstripe if
You’re building around podcasters who want unlimited downloads of music and sfx with podcast-specific licensing baked in.. Soundstripe Pro at $19.99/mo annual (or $239/yr) is one of the better bundled deals for podcasters who also produce social video — music, SFX, stems, and AI tools in one license.
Also worth comparing
Or see all Bensound alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does Bensound do better than Soundstripe?
Bensound's standout is "Long-standing reliable free library for video". Soundstripe doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Pro plan $19.99/mo annual covers podcasts" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Bensound; if the second does, pick Soundstripe.
What are the trade-offs?
Bensound: free license forbids podcast use. Soundstripe: cancellation revokes rights on downloads. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Can I use Bensound and Soundstripe together?
Both are music & sfx tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Bensound for one show or episode type and Soundstripe for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.