Epidemic Sound vs. Audiio

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Epidemic Sound vs. Audiio
Epidemic Sound vs. Audiio

Music licensing platforms have revolutionized content creation, offering creators access to vast libraries of high-quality tracks. Two prominent players in this field are Epidemic Sound and Audiio. This article compares these platforms, helping you choose the best option for your creative needs.

Overview of Epidemic Sound and Audiio

Epidemic Sound and Audiio are both subscription-based music licensing services catering to content creators. They offer extensive libraries of royalty-free music and sound effects for use in various media projects.

Epidemic Sound

Founded in 2009 in Sweden, Epidemic Sound has established itself as a leader in the music licensing industry. It boasts a vast library of tracks across various genres and moods, produced by their roster of music creators.

Audiio

Audiio, a newer player in the field, has quickly gained popularity among content creators. It offers a growing library of music tracks and an extensive collection of sound effects.

Library Size and Content

The size and diversity of a music library are crucial factors for content creators. Let's compare Epidemic Sound and Audiio in this aspect.

Epidemic Sound's Library

Epidemic Sound boasts an impressive library:

  • Over 40,000 music tracks
  • 90,000 sound effects
  • 26 main music categories with around 100 subgenres

Audiio's Library

Audiio's library, while smaller in terms of music tracks, offers:

  • Thousands of songs by 450+ artists
  • 300,000+ sound effects created by top sound designers
  • New music added daily

Epidemic Sound has a larger music catalog, but Audiio excels in sound effects. Audiio's focus on daily additions ensures a constantly growing library.

Music Quality and Production

Both platforms pride themselves on offering high-quality tracks produced by professional musicians and composers.

Epidemic Sound

Epidemic Sound is known for consistently high-quality tracks. They have an in-house team of songwriters, producers, and sound engineers who elevate submitted music into world-class tracks. All songs are professional quality, with no amateur or low-quality tracks reported.

Audiio

Audiio is described as having "great quality" and "premium" music tracks. They recently launched "Audiio Originals," a library of new music produced with top artists. Audiio collaborates with music industry veterans and producers to ensure high-quality content.

Some reviewers argue that Audiio has "higher quality tracks" compared to older competitors like Epidemic Sound. However, this is subjective, and both platforms are generally praised for their music quality.

Licensing Models

Understanding the licensing terms is crucial when choosing a music licensing platform. Both Epidemic Sound and Audiio offer royalty-free music, but their specific terms differ.

Epidemic Sound's Licensing

Epidemic Sound uses a direct license model:

  • Royalty-free music with all rights included
  • Allows worry-free, worldwide usage
  • Owns all rights to their music, offering a license beyond standard royalty-free

Audiio's Licensing

Audiio provides a nonexclusive, worldwide copyright license:

  • Allows use in various media projects, including client work
  • Covers synchronization for motion pictures, films, social media, video gaming, podcasts, audiobooks, branded content, and visual media projects

Both platforms follow the general policy trend for subscription-based music licensing services:

  • Projects published during an active subscription remain licensed in perpetuity
  • Users cannot use downloaded music in new projects after subscription cancellation

Subscription Options and Pricing

Pricing is a key factor for many content creators. Let's compare the subscription options offered by Epidemic Sound and Audiio.

Epidemic Sound's Subscription Options

Epidemic Sound offers different subscriptions to suit various content needs:

  1. Personal plan:
    • $9.99/month (billed annually) or $15/month (billed monthly)
    • Allows publishing anywhere online
    • Monetization for 1 channel per platform
  2. Commercial plan:
    • $24.99/month (billed annually) or $49/month (billed monthly)
    • Everything in Personal plan
    • Monetization for up to 3 channels per platform
    • Can use for client work and commercial productions

Audiio's Subscription Options

Audiio offers more diverse pricing options:

  1. Audiio Pro: $199 USD/year
  2. Lifetime Music Membership: $499 USD (one-time payment)
  3. Audiio Creator: $14.99 USD/month
  4. Enterprise Subscription and Single Song Purchase options available

Audiio's Lifetime Music Membership is a unique offering, providing perpetual access to their library for a one-time fee.

Usage Rights

Understanding where and how you can use licensed music is crucial. Let's compare the usage rights offered by Epidemic Sound and Audiio.

Epidemic Sound's Usage Rights

Epidemic Sound allows use on various platforms:

  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitch
  • TikTok
  • Podcasts
  • Websites

They also offer customized plans for major publishers needing to soundtrack TV, cinema, streaming video on demand, and live events.

Audiio's Usage Rights

Audiio's usage rights vary by subscription level:

  • Audiio Pro covers use anywhere, including YouTube Monetization and local television broadcast
  • Audiio Creator is limited to personal social media content use
  • Enterprise options are available for larger clients and broader usage rights

User Interface and Experience

A user-friendly interface can significantly impact your workflow. Both Epidemic Sound and Audiio are praised for their intuitive interfaces, but there are some differences.

Epidemic Sound's Interface

Epidemic Sound is known for its excellent user experience:

  • Three main tabs at the top: Discover, Browse, and Saved
  • Features playlists and themes on the homepage
  • Offers advanced music filtering options
  • User-friendly search function

Audiio's Interface

Audiio's interface is praised for its simplicity and clean design:

  • Clean interface similar to popular streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music
  • Allows users to create custom playlists, favorite tracks, browse with filters or through curated playlists
  • Enables continuous browsing while listening to tracks

While both platforms are user-friendly, Epidemic Sound seems to have an edge in advanced filtering and search capabilities. However, Audiio's streamlined interface may appeal to users looking for a more straightforward experience.

Additional Features

Both platforms offer features beyond their music libraries to enhance the user experience and streamline the creative process.

Epidemic Sound's Additional Features

Epidemic Sound provides several unique features:

  1. Stems: Users can access individual track components for most songs, allowing for greater customization.
  2. Adobe Premiere Pro Plugin: This integration allows seamless use of Epidemic Sound tracks in Adobe Premiere Pro.
  3. Soundmatch: An AI-powered tool that suggests tracks based on video frames.
  4. Epidemic Audio Reference (EAR): Finds similar tracks using music samples.
  5. Mobile app: Allows discovering and downloading music on the go.

Audiio's Additional Features

While Audiio doesn't offer as many additional features as Epidemic Sound, it focuses on:

  1. Daily music additions: Ensures a constantly fresh and growing library.
  2. Audiio Originals: A library of new music produced with top artists.

Epidemic Sound seems to offer more advanced tools for finding and using music, which could be beneficial for power users. However, Audiio's focus on regular content updates could be appealing to creators who value variety and freshness in their music selections.

Customer Support

Quality customer support can make a significant difference in your experience with a music licensing platform. Let's compare the customer support offerings of Epidemic Sound and Audiio.

Epidemic Sound's Customer Support

Epidemic Sound offers comprehensive support:

  • A detailed Help Centre with articles answering common questions
  • Direct contact with the support team through a contact form
  • Fast response times, with some users reporting responses within minutes
  • Generally positive reviews for clear and helpful responses

Audiio's Customer Support

Audiio also provides strong customer support:

  • Multiple contact methods including a contact form, social networks, and email
  • A detailed FAQ section on their website
  • Positive reviews for prompt responses and assistance

Both platforms have received mixed reviews regarding their customer support. While Epidemic Sound has demonstrated extremely fast response times in some cases, Audiio has a higher overall rating on Trustpilot, which could indicate better overall customer satisfaction.

Pros and Cons

To help you make an informed decision, let's summarize the pros and cons of each platform.

Epidemic Sound

Pros:

  1. Large music library with over 40,000 tracks
  2. High-quality, professionally produced music
  3. Advanced features like Stems, Soundmatch, and EAR
  4. Adobe Premiere Pro integration
  5. Comprehensive licensing coverage

Cons:

  1. More expensive than some competitors
  2. Tiered licensing model may require upgrades for certain uses
  3. Smaller sound effects library compared to Audiio

Audiio

Pros:

  1. Extensive sound effects library (300,000+)
  2. Lifetime membership option
  3. Daily music additions
  4. Clean, user-friendly interface
  5. Generally positive customer support reviews

Cons:

  1. Smaller music library compared to Epidemic Sound
  2. Fewer advanced features for music discovery and customization
  3. Limited usage rights for lower-tier subscriptions

Who Should Choose Epidemic Sound?

Epidemic Sound might be the better choice for:

  1. Professional content creators who need a vast music library
  2. Users who value advanced music discovery and customization features
  3. Adobe Premiere Pro users who want seamless integration
  4. Creators who need comprehensive licensing coverage for various platforms

Who Should Choose Audiio?

Audiio might be the better option for:

  1. Creators who need an extensive sound effects library
  2. Users who prefer a simple, streamlined interface
  3. Those who value regular content updates
  4. Creators looking for a lifetime membership option
  5. Users who prioritize customer support and overall satisfaction

Making Your Decision

Choosing between Epidemic Sound and Audiio depends on your specific needs as a content creator. Consider these factors:

  1. Library size and content: If you need a vast music library, Epidemic Sound has the edge. For sound effects, Audiio is the clear winner.
  2. Licensing needs: Both offer royalty-free music, but Epidemic Sound's direct license model might provide more comprehensive coverage.
  3. Budget: Compare the pricing plans and consider Audiio's lifetime membership if it fits your long-term needs.
  4. Features: If you need advanced music discovery and customization tools, Epidemic Sound offers more options.
  5. User interface: While both are user-friendly, Audiio's streamlined interface might appeal to those who prefer simplicity.
  6. Customer support: Both have received mixed reviews, but Audiio has a higher overall rating on Trustpilot.

Conclusion

Both Epidemic Sound and Audiio are strong contenders in the music licensing space, each with its unique strengths. Epidemic Sound offers a larger music library and more advanced features, making it ideal for professional content creators who need comprehensive tools and licensing coverage. Audiio, with its extensive sound effects library, daily music additions, and lifetime membership option, might be more suitable for creators who prioritize variety and long-term value.

Your choice between Epidemic Sound and Audiio will depend on your specific needs, budget, and workflow preferences. Consider starting with free trials (if available) to get a hands-on feel for each platform before making your decision.

Remember, the best music licensing platform is the one that seamlessly integrates into your creative process and provides the content you need to bring your projects to life. Whether you choose Epidemic Sound, Audiio, or another option, the right music can elevate your content and help you connect with your audience more effectively.