Best Royalty-Free Music Sites in 2026: Licenses Compared

"Royalty-free" doesn't mean "free", and neither one means "no copyright". Royalty-free only means you don't pay per play or per view. The track is still licensed to you on conditions, and those conditions vary more than most lists admit. One library needs a credit in every video description, another allows YouTube but not ads, and a third is fine for ads but can't go in a game.

We checked ten music sources on 28 and 29 September 2026: eight you can download from for free and two paid subscriptions for comparison. Sonilo runs one of the libraries below, so it's included, but it isn't placed first and we're upfront about where it falls short. Numbers in brackets point to the sources at the end. Terms change, so check a site's own license page before a big project.

Quick comparison

"Not stated" means the site doesn't publish it.

1. YouTube Audio Library: the safest choice for YouTube

If your video only lives on YouTube, start here. YouTube says Audio Library music is "copyright-safe" and "won't be claimed by a rights holder through the Content ID system." If you're in the YouTube Partner Program, you can monetize videos that use it [1]. Creative Commons tracks need a credit in the video description. The library lives inside YouTube Studio, and downloads are MP3 [1].

The catch: YouTube says it "can't give legal guidance, including guidance on issues with music that can occur off the platform" [1]. If the same edit is also going to Instagram, a podcast or a paid ad, check each track's rights first.

2. Pixabay Music: the biggest free pool

Pixabay lists "over 290,000+" free tracks [5]. The Pixabay Content License allows commercial use without attributing the author. You can't sell or distribute the tracks on a standalone basis [2]. Pixabay's blog says many composers, including some who share their work on Pixabay, fingerprint their music with Content ID [4]. For tracks registered with Content ID, Pixabay provides a license certificate you can use in a YouTube dispute. For other tracks, it suggests keeping the download link, file name and license summary as proof [3].

Good for: big variety at no cost. Watch out for: Content ID claims are common enough that Pixabay built a certificate system for them. Budget time to dispute claims, and keep your records.

3. Mixkit: no sign-up, no credit, online only

Mixkit's music comes with "no attribution or sign up required." Its license allows use on "any web or social media platform, including internet-based video on demand services, podcasts and advertisements" [6]. It rules out CDs, DVDs, video games, and TV or radio broadcast, and you can't remix the tracks or register them with rights-management services [6]. The catalog is small and curated, and Mixkit doesn't publish a count.

Good for: online video, podcasts and ads. Watch out for: games and broadcast. Mixkit's sound effects have a different license from its music.

4. Chosic: Creative Commons music, sorted by mood

Chosic collects public domain (CC0) tracks, which need no credit, and Creative Commons attribution tracks (CC BY, and in some cases CC BY-SA), which do. Its policy says commercial use, including monetization, is allowed, and asks you to credit the artists [7]. You download from the track page, which gives you the attribution text to paste [7].

Chosic's music can't be registered with Content ID or Facebook Rights Manager, and Chosic says it can't provide license certificates. If you get a YouTube claim, its advice is to dispute it by mentioning the Creative Commons license with a link to the source, and to contact the artist if the claim stays [7]. Radio, game, app and film use depends on the artist: some allow it and some require a paid license [7].

Good for: YouTube videos and social posts where adding a credit line is easy. Watch out for: attribution on most tracks, and claims you may have to dispute yourself.

5. Free Music Archive: independent artists, a license per track

Free Music Archive (FMA) hosts music by independent artists. Most of it is under Creative Commons licenses, ranging from CC0 and CC BY (commercial use allowed, with credit for BY) to CC BY-NC-ND (no commercial use, no changes) [8]. Some tracks use FMA's own "FMA-Limited License: Download Only", which allows only personal downloading, listening and streaming: no video, no redistribution, no broadcast or podcast [8]. You don't need an account to download, and tracks download as MP3 [9]. FMA's advice when a video is flagged is to reach out to the artist [8].

Good for: distinctive music, and supporting independent artists. Watch out for: you have to read every track's license. Many tracks are NC, which rules out monetized or client work.

6. Bensound: free for YouTube with a single-use credit

Bensound's Free License with Attribution covers online videos and live streams that are free to watch. Its FAQ says you can monetize YouTube videos under it. Theatrical performances and films are covered only for educational purposes that generate no revenue [10]. You paste an attribution text that Bensound gives you at download, and each text is valid for one video only [10]. If you forget the credit and get a claim, Bensound's fix is to download the track again for the text, add it to the description and dispute the claim [10]. Podcasts and audiobooks need a paid license, and so does client work [10]. Bensound's terms also describe the free license as revocable [11].

Good for: YouTubers who like the house style. Watch out for: podcasts, client projects and anything off YouTube.

7. Uppbeat: made for creators, credit codes on the free plan

Uppbeat asks you to start with a free account [24]. On the free plan, you paste an "Uppbeat Credit" into the description of the video that uses a track, and each credit is valid for one video only [25]. Uppbeat's FAQ describes the free plan as 3 downloads upfront, restored by 1 each month, with access to 25% of the catalog [25]. The free plan is for individuals publishing on their own channels. Freelancers and solo professionals need Uppbeat Pro, and companies, brands and agencies need Uppbeat Business [25]. Uppbeat says it has over 10,000 hand-picked tracks [26].

Good for: solo creators on their own channels. Watch out for: the small free allowance, and brand, client or agency work.

8. Sonilo: small, AI-made, free for personal use

Disclosure: this is our library. Sonilo's royalty-free music library has 1,201 tracks [13]. All of them are generated by Sonilo's own AI model: 1,161 are instrumental, 39 have wordless vocals and one has speech, so none has sung lyrics. Tracks run from 2-second stings to 6 minutes, with a median of about 2½ minutes [13]. You can preview and download MP3 or WAV without an account [12].

The free download is for personal use, with no credit and no royalties. Commercial use, such as monetized videos, ads, sponsored content, client work, apps and games, needs a Pro plan or above, with no revenue cap [12][14]. You can't sell or share the files on their own or in packs. Sonilo doesn't register library tracks with YouTube Content ID, so the track itself shouldn't trigger a claim [12]. A free download doesn't include a license certificate; Pro and Premium members can download one for any library track.

You can browse by use, for example YouTube or podcasts. There are also pages by mood (such as calm), instrument and tempo, plus seasonal collections such as Christmas. Every track page has a "Generate a variation" button that opens Sonilo's text-to-music generator with that track's description. Generating needs an account and uses credits, and what you generate follows your plan's license [12]. Sonilo's models are trained on licensed catalogs, including Shutterstock's.

Good for: personal videos and podcasts, and people who want WAV for free. On a Pro plan, it covers commercial work with no credit line. Watch out for: 1,201 tracks is tiny next to Pixabay. The pages are English only, there are no songs with lyrics, and commercial use isn't free. If you want music by a named human composer, Pixabay, FMA or a paid library is a better fit.

9. Suno: a generator, not a free commercial library

Suno generates full songs, including vocals, from a prompt. Its "free music library" landing page is about creating your own library of original tracks, not downloading a ready-made catalog [15]. Suno's help center says "songs made on the free plan are only intended for personal, non-commercial use" [16]. Paying subscribers have commercial rights to the songs they download while subscribed [17]. Since 3 September 2026, downloads are capped: up to 7 lifetime trial downloads on Free, 20 a month on Pro and 60 a month on Premier [18].

Good for: custom songs with vocals on a paid plan. Watch out for: don't treat free-plan Suno songs as royalty-free commercial music.

10. Epidemic Sound and Artlist (paid)

If you publish often or work for clients, a subscription can be simpler. Epidemic Sound advertises 55,000+ tracks it owns exclusively, and it offers a free trial [19]. Once you subscribe, you can connect your channels, and Epidemic says "all content published during an active subscription stays clear forever" [20]. Ad campaigns need its Pro or Enterprise plan [19].

Artlist sells "Music & SFX" plans on the Stock Catalog tab of its pricing page, starting at $9.99 a month [21]. Its Social plans are for personal content creators and cover one channel plus a podcast, not commercial or client work. Its Pro plans cover client work, advertising and paid media [22]. If a project is published while your subscription is active, you keep the right to use the assets in it after you cancel [23].

Good for: teams with regular output and a budget.

Which one should you use?

• YouTube only: the YouTube Audio Library. Add Chosic or Bensound if you don't mind a credit line.
• Most choice for free: Pixabay. Keep your certificates and download links for claims.
• Ads or client work with no credit line, for free: Mixkit (online use only).
• Ads or client work on a subscription: Epidemic Sound Pro, Artlist Pro, or Sonilo Pro, which also covers Sonilo's library tracks.
• A game or app: avoid Mixkit music. FMA and Chosic depend on the artist. Paid libraries and Sonilo's Pro plan cover it.
• A specific track that doesn't exist yet: a generator. On a paid plan, Suno is good for songs with vocals, and Sonilo is good for instrumentals or music scored to an uploaded video.

Whichever you choose, save the license page or certificate with your project. That's what clears a claim months later. If you also need sound effects, see our comparison of the best free sound effects sites. If you're moving off one source, we also compare YouTube Audio Library alternatives and Pixabay music and sound effects alternatives.

FAQ

Is royalty-free music the same as copyright-free music?

No. Royalty-free means no per-use fees. The music is still covered by a license with conditions. "Copyright-free" is mostly a search term: most of the music people call that is either licensed (CC BY, or a site's own license) or dedicated to the public domain (CC0). See what royalty-free music means and CC0 vs CC BY.

Which free music sites don't require credit?

Pixabay, Mixkit, Sonilo's library, CC0 tracks on Chosic and FMA, and the YouTube Audio Library tracks that aren't marked for attribution. Bensound, Uppbeat's free plan and CC BY tracks require credit.

Why did I get a Content ID claim on free music?

Usually because the composer or a distributor registered the track with Content ID, which Pixabay acknowledges happens with some of its contributors [4]. A claim isn't a copyright strike. Dispute it with your license proof. Our explainer on AI music, copyright and Content ID walks through the process.

Can I use free music in a podcast?

Pixabay and Mixkit allow it. Bensound says podcasts need a paid license [10], and FMA's Download Only tracks rule it out [8]. Sonilo's library is free for a personal podcast; a monetized or sponsored show needs Pro or above. For CC tracks, follow the license and put the credit in the show notes.

Is AI-generated music safe to use commercially?

It depends on the service's license and your plan, not on the fact that it's AI. Suno's free-plan output is non-commercial, and so are Sonilo's free library downloads. Paid plans on both allow commercial use. Copyright law on AI output is still developing; our explainer linked above covers the US Copyright Office's position.

Sources (checked 2026-09-28/29)

1. YouTube Help, Use music and sound effects from the Audio Library
2. Pixabay Content License summary
3. Pixabay FAQ
4. Pixabay blog, How to clear a YouTube Content ID claim with a Pixabay License Certificate
5. Pixabay Music
6. Mixkit free stock music and Mixkit license
7. Chosic free music policy
8. Free Music Archive FAQ and License Guide
9. Free Music Archive Help
10. Bensound FAQ
11. Bensound terms and conditions
12. Sonilo royalty-free music library
13. Sonilo music catalog: 1,201 tracks, 2 seconds to 6 minutes, median about 151 seconds (checked in the site source, 29 September 2026)
14. Sonilo help, Can I use the free sound effects library commercially? (covers the music library too)
15. Suno, free music library
16. Suno Help Center, free plan rights
17. Suno Help Center, paid plan rights
18. Suno blog, updates to Suno's terms (10 August 2026)
19. Epidemic Sound pricing
20. Epidemic Sound for YouTube
21. Artlist pricing
22. Artlist Help Center, plans and licenses
23. Artlist Help Center, using assets after you cancel
24. Uppbeat pricing
25. Uppbeat general FAQs
26. Uppbeat music