Head-to-head comparison
Bensound vs Storyblocks Audio
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.
Unlimited royalty-free music and SFX bundled with stock video
Best for: Podcasters who also produce video clips and want one subscription to cover music, SFX, and stock footage.
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
Storyblocks Audio
Pros
- Unlimited audio at $149/year (~$12.40/mo)
- All Access $349/year bundles audio plus video
- Podcast license covers commercial use
Watch-outs
- Long tail of low-quality filler tracks
- Tagging shallow vs Artlist or Epidemic
- No stems on most files
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 Storyblocks Audio if
You’re building around podcasters who also produce video clips and want one subscription to cover music, sfx, and stock footage.. Storyblocks audio is $149/year unlimited; All Access at $349/year bundles audio with video and stock photos. License is podcast-friendly across plans.
Also worth comparing
Or see all Bensound alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does Bensound do better than Storyblocks Audio?
Bensound's standout is "Long-standing reliable free library for video". Storyblocks Audio doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Unlimited audio at $149/year (~$12.40/mo)" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Bensound; if the second does, pick Storyblocks Audio.
What are the trade-offs?
Bensound: free license forbids podcast use. Storyblocks Audio: long tail of low-quality filler tracks. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Can I use Bensound and Storyblocks Audio 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 Storyblocks Audio for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.