Head-to-head comparison
Free Music Archive 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.
Curated archive of Creative Commons and public domain music
Best for: Podcasters comfortable reading license terms who want eclectic, non-stock-sounding music for free.
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
Free Music Archive
Pros
- Genuinely free under listed CC licenses
- Eclectic library doesn't sound like stock
- Hosts the full Kevin MacLeod catalogue
Watch-outs
- License terms vary track-by-track
- No subscription, no support
- Search and tagging are basic
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 Free Music Archive if
You’re building around podcasters comfortable reading license terms who want eclectic, non-stock-sounding music for free.. FMA was originally run by WFMU radio, now operated by Tribe of Noise since 2019. Hosts thousands of Creative Commons tracks plus public-domain recordings — including the full Kevin MacLeod catalogue.
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
Frequently asked
What does Free Music Archive do better than Incompetech?
Free Music Archive's standout is "Genuinely free under listed CC licenses". 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 Free Music Archive; if the second does, pick Incompetech.
What are the trade-offs?
Free Music Archive: license terms vary track-by-track. Incompetech: many tracks overexposed and recognizable. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Can I use Free Music Archive and Incompetech together?
Both are music & sfx tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Free Music Archive for one show or episode type and Incompetech for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.