Head-to-head comparison
Epidemic Sound vs Incompetech
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.
All-inclusive royalty-free music and SFX subscription
Best for: Podcasters who want one flat fee, no attribution, and clean platform-wide clearance for ads and sponsorships.
Kevin MacLeod's free Creative Commons catalogue
Best for: Indie podcasts that need free, podcast-cleared music and don't mind giving attribution.
At a glance
The honest trade-offs
Epidemic Sound
Pros
- Single flat license covers podcasts and ads
- Rare Content ID issues — full rights owned
- Creator plan dropped to $9.99/mo annual
Watch-outs
- Library skews instrumental and sometimes generic
- Cancelling removes rights on new uploads
- Search returns lots of near-duplicates
Incompetech
Pros
- Free under CC BY 4.0, podcasts covered
- 2,000+ tracks across every common mood
- Optional paid attribution-removal license
Watch-outs
- Many tracks overexposed and recognizable
- Site UI is dated, search is basic
- Attribution required unless paid license
Which one should you pick?
Pick Epidemic Sound if
You’re building around podcasters who want one flat fee, no attribution, and clean platform-wide clearance for ads and sponsorships.. Epidemic Sound's pitch is owning the master and sync rights to every track, which sidesteps the YouTube Content ID claims that hit creators using pooled-rights libraries. Creator plan now sits at $9.
Pick Incompetech if
You’re building around indie podcasts that need free, podcast-cleared music and don't mind giving attribution.. Kevin MacLeod has released over 2,000 royalty-free tracks under CC BY 4.0 since the early 2000s.
Also worth comparing
Or see all Epidemic Sound alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does Epidemic Sound do better than Incompetech?
Epidemic Sound's standout is "Single flat license covers podcasts and ads". Incompetech doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Free under CC BY 4.0, podcasts covered" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Epidemic Sound; if the second does, pick Incompetech.
What are the trade-offs?
Epidemic Sound: library skews instrumental and sometimes generic. Incompetech: many tracks overexposed and recognizable. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Do they support the same platforms?
Epidemic Sound works on iOS, Android where Incompetech doesn't. If you're on a specific OS or device, that may decide for you.
Can I use Epidemic Sound and Incompetech together?
Both are music & sfx tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Epidemic Sound for one show or episode type and Incompetech for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.