Head-to-head comparison
Incompetech 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.
Kevin MacLeod's free Creative Commons catalogue
Best for: Indie podcasts that need free, podcast-cleared music and don't mind giving attribution.
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
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
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 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.
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 Incompetech alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does Incompetech do better than Soundstripe?
Incompetech's standout is "Free under CC BY 4.0, podcasts covered". 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 Incompetech; if the second does, pick Soundstripe.
What are the trade-offs?
Incompetech: many tracks overexposed and recognizable. 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 Incompetech and Soundstripe together?
Both are music & sfx tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Incompetech for one show or episode type and Soundstripe for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.