Head-to-head comparison
Epidemic Sound vs ZapSplat
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.
Free sound effects with affordable Gold upgrade
Best for: Podcasters who want a single source for everyday SFX without paying enterprise rates.
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
ZapSplat
Pros
- Massive in-house SFX library, consistent quality
- Free covers commercial podcast use with credit
- Gold £4/mo or £120 lifetime drops attribution
Watch-outs
- Free tier requires show-notes attribution
- MP3 quality on free; WAV is Gold-only
- Music library smaller and weaker than SFX
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 ZapSplat if
You’re building around podcasters who want a single source for everyday sfx without paying enterprise rates.. ZapSplat hosts 150,000+ sound effects, all recorded in-house. Free tier covers commercial use with attribution.
Also worth comparing
Or see all Epidemic Sound alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does Epidemic Sound do better than ZapSplat?
Epidemic Sound's standout is "Single flat license covers podcasts and ads". ZapSplat doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Massive in-house SFX library, consistent quality" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Epidemic Sound; if the second does, pick ZapSplat.
What are the trade-offs?
Epidemic Sound: library skews instrumental and sometimes generic. ZapSplat: free tier requires show-notes attribution. 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 ZapSplat doesn't. If you're on a specific OS or device, that may decide for you.
Can I use Epidemic Sound and ZapSplat 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 ZapSplat for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.