The 6 best stock music sites in 2025

Royalty-free stock music has gained a lot of popularity with the rise of platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram Reels. This means that I’ve also had to start using it more in recent years, especially in 2024.

Heading into 2025, I picked 6 royalty-free stock music sites I will be using depending on the project. Here’s my lineup:

6 best stock music sites

• Best overall: Epidemic Sound
• Affordable: Envato Elements
• 8K footage and music: Artlist
• Video collaboration tool: Motion Array
• For Adobe users: Adobe Stock
• For enterprises: Pond5

What makes the best stock music site?

There are dozens of royalty-free marketplaces, and I’ve used and tested most of them over the years. While they all promise to provide the best quality royalty-free music and SFX, not all of them will give you your money’s worth. In recent years, I’ve browsed over 20 audio libraries, tested licenses in real-world projects, and, yes, even got lost in the rabbit hole of obscure sound effects.

Here’s how I distinguish a great stock audio site from a bad one:

• License: Modern content platforms use automated systems to detect and remove or demonetize videos with unlicensed music. A great stock music site provides a perpetual and comprehensive license that covers your intended use without hidden restrictions. Avoid licenses that restrict monetization. Look for licenses that allow monetization for at least one channel per platform as a basic feature.
• Cost: The best stock music sites offer flexible pricing tiers to accommodate different needs. A good starting price for personal projects and monetization of one channel per platform is $9.99 per month (Artlist and Epidemic Sound). For client projects or broader usage, plans typically range from $15 to $30 per month.
• Search functionality: A large stock audio library is useless if you can’t find what you need. I evaluated each site’s search engine for speed, relevance of results, and additional features that enhance the user experience. Top sites offer good filtering options (mood, genre, tempo, instrument), the ability to find similar tracks, and curated playlists to inspire discovery.
• Audio quality and library depth: Beyond the technical aspects, the core of any stock music site is the audio quality and the breadth of its library. I listened critically to the music and SFX, assessing production quality, originality, and emotional impact. The best sites feature a diverse range of genres, moods, and styles and also regularly update their libraries with fresh content.

The best stock music sites at a glance

Best stock music site overall

Epidemic Sound ($9.99/mo)

Epidemic Sound pros:

• Large music and SFX library (includes stems)
• User-friendly interface

Epidemic Sound cons:

• Licensing tied to active subscription

Epidemic Sound offers a library of 50,000 music tracks and 200,000 sound effects. Its catalog covers a wide range of genres, moods, and themes for various projects. The company works with artists worldwide and refines submissions using an in-house team. Most content is available in both WAV and MP3 formats. 

When it comes to pricing, a Personal plan costs $17.99 monthly or $9.99 monthly with a year-long commitment. This plan unlocks the entire library and allows you to monetize content on one channel per platform (excluding client work).

If you need audio for client work (or create digital ads) or you need to monetize up to 3 channels per platform, you need the Commercial plan, which costs $39.99 per month or $16.99 per month with an annual stock music subscription. As a bonus, both plans include a weeklong free trial.

Here are the best deals right now:

Epidemic Sound’s licensing works for both individuals and businesses. The Personal plan covers platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Importantly, content monetized with an active subscription remains usable even if the subscription ends. The Commercial plan, however, adds websites and online platforms but does not broadcast content. However, you may not use tracks individually—they must be incorporated into a larger project.

The platform is easy to navigate, with filters for genre, mood, tempo, and length. Stems provide more detailed control over individual track components. Soundmatch uses AI to suggest tracks based on video content, while its Audio Reference tool helps you find similar-sounding tracks. You can access the library directly using the Adobe Premiere Pro software’s plugin.

But, Epidemic Sound isn’t without its issues. Specifically, it only offers audio and sound effects, while most editors need video and video templates as well. For convenient access on the go, mobile apps for Android and iOS devices allow users to find and use music and sound effects from anywhere.

Epidemic Sound pricing: Personal ($17.99/month or $9.99/month annually); Commercial ($39.99/month or $16.99/month annually).

Epidemic Sound library: 50,000 music; 200,000 SFX

Best affordable stock music site

Envato Elements ($16.50/month + 10% off)

Envato Elements pros:

• The largest library among unlimited subscriptions
• Aside from audio, it includes images, videos, templates, fonts, and more

Envato Elements cons:

• No stems

Envato Elements offers a single subscription for unlimited access to over 18 million digital assets, including photos, videos, templates, fonts, and music. Designed for designers, video editors, and developers, the platform allows unlimited downloads with a simple license for commercial use. Subscribers also get 12 free monthly assets to try out. Plans are available for individuals, teams, and enterprises.

An individual plan costs $39 per month with a one-month commitment or $16.50 monthly ($198 annually) with a 12-month commitment. Students can get a 30% discount. The Teams plan, for groups of two to five members, provides a central dashboard and costs less than multiple individual subscriptions.

With each download, you get a royalty-free commercial license. This license allows the use of assets in projects like websites, social media, and marketing materials, but like with most licenses, restrictions apply to merchandising, logos, broadcasting, and theatrical films. Each file must be registered to a specific project for a perpetual license. This common practice among unlimited subscriptions means downloaded files can’t be used in new projects after canceling.

While small, indemnity is higher than at most unlimited subscriptions—it’s capped at the total of the last six monthly subscription fees, which may not be enough for large projects needing stronger legal protection.

The platform’s library constantly grows, adding almost a million new monthly assets. While the quality varies and isn’t always as high as that of more expensive providers, it generally beats competitors at similar price points. Envato Elements offers robust filtering to narrow searches based on resolution, frame rate, and other criteria. While its search algorithm sometimes returns irrelevant results, a new AI-powered search function helps.

For added convenience, Envato Elements integrates with tools like Premiere Pro, Canva, WordPress, and Figma through plugins. This lets users browse and access assets directly within their favorite programs. The platform also features AI Labs, including AI Search and AI ImageGen. AI Search lets users describe what they need using everyday language. AI ImageGen creates unique images from text descriptions using AI models like DALL·E 3 and Stable Diffusion.

Envato Elements pricing: Individual ($39/month or $16.50/month annually); Teams (from $58 to $108/month or from $29 to $54/month annually for 2-5 members)

Best stock music site for video editors

Artlist (9.99/month + 2 free months)

Artlist pros:

• Copyright claim assistance
• 8K footage included in video subscription ($29.99/mo)
• Highly curated collection

Artlist cons:

• Smaller collection compared to competitors

Artlist offers video editors unlimited access to stock footage, music, sound effects, editing tools, and plugins. Starting with music, Artlist now provides a full suite of resources for video creators. It offers 8K footage, which is uncommon among unlimited download services, and is a highly curated collection. Artlist’s licensing allows royalty-free use and helps with copyright claims.

Artlist has several subscription plans. The Music & SFX Social plan, at $9.99 monthly (billed annually) or $14.99 monthly (billed monthly), is geared towards personal projects and allows monetization of one channel per platform. Music Pro ($16.58/mo) and Music & SFX Pro ($24.92/mo) plans cover client work and allow monetization for three channels per platform.

For video editors, the Footage & Templates plan, at $29.99 monthly, includes 8K videos and templates. For $39.99 monthly, the Artlist Max plan includes everything, even image and video editing software, plugins, and AI voiceover credits. A separate AI Voiceover plan costs $11.99 monthly. Most plans require an annual commitment; the Music & SFX Social plan does not. There’s a 14-day money-back guarantee if you don’t download anything.

Artlist uses two main licenses: Social and Pro. The Social license allows use and monetization on one personal social media channel per platform, while the Pro license grants broader commercial use, including client work, broadcasting, and website use. It allows monetization of up to three channels per platform (five for Teams subscribers). Both licenses have daily download limits and restrict standalone asset use, use in prohibited content, and reselling.

You can start with a free Artlist account to browse the library, download watermarked files, and create collections. A subscription unlocks full access, including Clearlist, a copyright claim resolution service. Clearlist lets you register your channels and videos for faster resolution of copyright claims. The number of channels you can register for depends on your plan.

Artlist’s library, while smaller than some competitors’, focuses on quality. It includes 180,000 videos, 20,000 templates, 60,000 music tracks, and 50,000 sound effects. Artlist offers 8K footage at a competitive price, with RAW and LOG footage available for an extra fee ($18/mo).

It also features an AI-powered search that lets you search using concepts, emotions, and moods. This helps overcome creative blocks from unsuccessful searches. The Artlist Max plan includes over 40 plugins for various video editing software, plus the HitFilm video editor and Imerge image editor.

Artlist pricing: Music & SFX Social ($9.99 per month), Music Pro ($16.58 per month), Music & SFX Pro ($24.92 per month), Footage & Templates ($29.99 per month), Artlist Max ($39.99 per month), AI Voiceover ($11.99 per month).

Best stock music site for video collaboration

Motion Array ($19.99/mo)

Motion Array pros:

• Royalty-free license
• Affordable pricing
• Good quality assets

Motion Array cons:

• Smaller content library than competitors
• Potentially unintuitive interface
• Low creator satisfaction was reported

Motion Array, part of Artlist, offers freelancers and content creators stock videos, audio, photos, graphics, and learning resources. An alternative to Envato Elements, Motion Array focuses on video editing resources but also includes options for designers. It offers unlimited downloads with a royalty-free license and competitive pricing. Beyond basic assets, Motion Array provides tools for building portfolios and reviewing videos collaboratively.

Motion Array’s Pro Yearly plan costs $19.99 monthly (billed annually), while the Pro Monthly plan is $29.99 monthly. Both offer unlimited downloads, plugins, and extensions. An AI Voiceover plan is available for $14.99 monthly. The Everything plan combines Pro and AI Voiceover for $29.99 monthly. Annual plans offer discounts. Team plans, starting at $37.50 monthly for two users, allow asset sharing. Enterprise plans are available for larger organizations. Motion Array’s pricing is competitive, balancing cost and flexibility compared to Envato Elements, Artlist, and Storyblocks.

Motion Array uses a royalty-free license for its assets, which can be used in projects like films, websites, and print media (with some restrictions). Users can download up to 150 items per day. Reselling, redistribution, and use in templates for multiple clients, logos, or AI training is prohibited. Special licensing applies to projects like outdoor advertising and large print runs. A free plan provides access to free assets, Adobe Extensions for browsing free content, and a trial of the Review tool and Portfolio builder.

The platform offers over 550,000 digital assets, including videos up to 5K+ resolution, video templates, presets, music, sound effects, motion graphics, graphics, and stock photos. While smaller than some competitors, the collection is regularly updated. Unlimited downloads are allowed, with a daily limit of 150 to prevent abuse. The video collection, though smaller than major stock footage sites, is sufficient for many projects, with sortable options and high-quality previews.

Motion Array’s Marketplace Extension plugin for Adobe integrates with After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Photoshop, letting users browse assets directly within those applications. A portfolio builder helps users create online portfolios with customizable themes and Creative Commons images. The Review tool streamlines video collaboration with timestamped comments, annotations, and support for various video formats. Customer support includes 24/7 email with quick responses and a helpful knowledge base.

Best stock music site for Adobe users

Adobe Stock ($29.99/mo)

Adobe Stock pros:

• Native integration with Adobe Creative Cloud.
• Generous free trial (worth $80).
• Distinct standard and asset categories.

Adobe Stock cons:

• Music library could be larger.
• Customer support is lacking.

Adobe Stock is a good value, despite being slightly more costly than some competitors. Its integration with Adobe Creative Cloud, along with a collection of high-quality images and videos, all under a royalty-free license, makes it a resource for creators. The service provides a library of images, videos, audio files, and templates, with subscription plans ranging from $29.99 to $249.99 per month.

For those who do not require frequent downloads or need assets not available through subscriptions, credit packs are an option, starting at $50 for 5 credits and going up to $1,200 for 150 credits. The platform’s licensing options are Standard, Enhanced, Extended, and Editorial, each with specific rights and uses. The Standard license covers most online uses, while the Enhanced license allows for unlimited copies and prints. The Extended license is needed for merchandise use, and the Editorial license is for non-commercial, news-related use.

The user interface, while not as modern as some users would like, does have a functional search bar that supports keywords, categories, and reverse image searches. The filtering system is where it excels, allowing for refinement by shot size, angle, depth of field, and other specific criteria. The ‘My Library’ feature lets users save and manage their selections and review past downloads and licenses.

A collection of over 1 million free, royalty-free files is a unique feature, providing users with a legal and cost-effective solution for acquiring additional assets. These free assets come with a $10,000 legal insurance policy, making them suitable for a variety of projects. Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud allows users to browse and license assets directly within applications like Photoshop and Premiere Pro, streamlining the creative process and saving costs by only paying for assets used in the final project.

With a library of over 390 million total assets, Adobe Stock is second only to Shutterstock in size. It includes 370 million images, 29.5 million videos, and partnerships that have expanded its audio library. Although customer support is rated poorly, with users reporting a lack of knowledgeable agents and inconsistent service, the overall quality and variety of content, combined with a user-friendly interface and Creative Cloud integration, make Adobe Stock a useful resource for those in the Adobe ecosystem.

Best stock music site for enterprises

Pond5 (from $25/video)

Pond5 pros:

• Superior-quality content.
• Adaptable pricing.

Pond5 cons:

• Restricted budget choices.
• A smaller image selection than some competitors.

Pond5 is a source for high-quality stock footage, audio, and images, though the cost is greater than that of some alternatives. Each asset is paired with a favorable royalty-free license. With 42.8 million videos, 113 million images, and millions of music and SFX files, this service has a selection that meets diverse creative needs.

Acquired by Shutterstock in 2022, Pond5 provides a choice between subscription plans and a la carte purchases. Prices for single items start at $25 for videos, $3 for music and After Effects, $1 for photos, and $2 for sound effects. The platform showcases a large variance in pricing, with a small portion of its library featuring single assets priced as high as $9,999.

Subscription options are available to reduce per-item costs, offering 10 monthly downloads across different content types. Plans include the Music plan, priced at $25 per month or $150 annually, granting access to 1.5 million music tracks, and the Music & SFX plan for $30 monthly or $180 yearly, which includes 1.7 million sound effects. The Footage Plus plan costs $199 monthly or $999 yearly, which lets users download from a portion of the total video and image collection, along with 3D models and After Effects templates.

Each file downloaded from Pond5, whether through a subscription or bought individually, is covered by an Individual license. This permits use by one person and includes up to $15,000 in indemnification. Assets can be used commercially under this royalty-free license, except for those labeled “Editorial Usage.” Enhanced licenses are available for purchase, which increases the number of users and indemnification amounts, reaching up to $1 million for teams.

Pond5 is suitable for users who value high-quality content and are prepared to pay for it. It is an option for professional video editors due to its exceptional stock footage, music, images, and favorable licensing terms. For those on a tighter budget, however, the higher pricing compared to other services could be a deterrent.

Can you monetize videos that contain stock audio?

Using stock music in your YouTube videos requires understanding licensing. Stock music is meant to enhance your original content, such as videos or podcasts, not to exist independently. A standalone stock music playlist on YouTube violates licensing agreements because it implies ownership of the music itself.

Creating a YouTube playlist of unaltered stock music is generally against the rules. However, using that music as background for a video, even a simple slideshow, is usually acceptable. The difference lies in adding your own creative elements. Your video footage, narration, or even text overlays transform the music into part of a larger work. This transformative use is permitted under most licenses.

Monetizing videos with stock music depends entirely on the specific track’s license. Some allow monetization on platforms like YouTube; others restrict commercial use or charge extra fees. Always check the license terms before using stock music in any project you plan to monetize. “Royalty-free” often suggests commercial use is permitted. Some licenses require crediting the composer in your video description or may limit views or earnings. Ignoring these terms could result in copyright issues and content removal.

What’s the difference between music and a stem?

On stock music websites, understanding the difference between a music track and a stem is crucial. One is the finished product, the other its individual components.

A music track, also known as a full mix, is a complete audio file. Think of a fully baked and frosted cake. It includes all instruments and vocals, mixed and mastered as the artist intended. You can adjust the overall volume, but that’s about it – it’s ready for use in videos, podcasts, presentations, or games. Use it when you need a complete piece of music without tweaking individual parts.

A stem, on the other hand, is like having the individual ingredients of that cake: flour, sugar, and eggs. It’s a separate audio file containing a group of related instruments or vocals, such as all the drums or just the lead vocals. Stems are pre-mixed but not mastered, offering greater flexibility.

This flexibility unlocks a range of creative possibilities. You can adjust the volume of specific instruments, for instance, lowering the drums to emphasize dialogue. DJs use stems for remixes and mashups. Sound designers use them to create unique soundscapes. They enable the creation of instrumental or a cappella versions of a song.

This article was originally published in April 2023. The most recent update was in April 2025.

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Matic Broz

Matic Broz is a stock media licensing expert with over 10 years of experience using and testing creative platforms for his own creative work. He has personally licensed over 5,000 stock assets and helped 20,000+ creators choose the right subscription services through his work at Photutorial.

Tags

• Video & audio

Mentioned apps

• Adobe Stock
• Artlist
• Envato
• Motion Array
• Pond5