We've used both for years. Here's our honest comparison, including when to use each one.
Short answer: Musicbed for music quality and cinematic storytelling. Epidemic Sound for sound effects, Premiere Pro integration, and budget. We pay for both and probably always will.
| Feature | Musicbed | Epidemic Sound |
|---|---|---|
| Library Size | ~70,000 songs (curated) | 50,000+ songs |
| Sound Effects | 150,000+ (separate add-on) | 200,000+ (included) |
| Creator Price | $25/month | $9.99/month (annual) |
| Pro/Business Price | $70-100/month | $16.99/month (annual) |
| Premiere Pro Plugin | No | Yes |
| AI Search | Yes (Search by Song) | Yes (Soundmatch) |
| Copyright Clearing | SyncID (automatic) | Auto-clear on upload |
| Music Style | Cinematic, indie, real artists | Production music, broad variety |
| Best For | Filmmakers, emotional storytelling | High-volume content, SFX needs |
We signed up for Musicbed before we published our first YouTube video. That was years ago, back when we had zero subscribers and no idea what we were doing. We've used it on every video since, through 150K subscribers, brand deals, and a few Musicbed sponsorships (which we're always transparent about, but we were paying customers long before any partnership).
We also pay for Epidemic Sound. Have for years. Use it regularly, mostly for sound effects and the Premiere Pro plugin.
So this isn't "Musicbed is perfect and Epidemic is bad." Both platforms have a place in our workflow. Here's when we reach for each one.
This is the main thing. Musicbed doesn't sound like stock music.
The artists on the platform have real careers outside of licensing. They tour. They release albums. They have fans who listen to their music on Spotify just because it's good, not because they need it for a video.
Take Jo Blankenburg, one of our favorites on the platform. He's a German composer based in LA whose music has been in trailers for Wonder Woman, Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon, and The Hunger Games. He's worked with Peter Jackson on Lord of the Rings projects. His track "Dirt" is pure cinematic energy. When we need something epic, something that makes footage feel bigger than it is, that's where we go.
Or Ben Rector. Nashville singer-songwriter, sold out three consecutive nights at the Ryman, toured with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. His song "Living My Best Life" has this warm, genuine feel that works perfectly for travel montages and feel-good moments. This isn't production music made to fill space. It's a real song by a real artist with a billion+ streams.
Judah & the Lion is another one. Nashville alternative band, formed at Belmont University, had a #1 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart with "Take It All Back." Their track "Spirit" has this anthemic, hopeful energy we've used for road trip content. They wrote the official anthem for Nashville SC. These are working musicians.
That's what you're licensing with Musicbed. Not "royalty-free track #47,832." Real music from real artists.
Musicbed's "Search by Song" feature changed how we find music. You can type in any artist or song in the world (even a Top 40 hit you could never afford to license), and it finds similar tracks in their library.
Client says "I want something that feels like Coldplay"? Paste in a Coldplay song. Get licensable alternatives in seconds.
"Search by Song Segment" goes further. Found a track where you love the build at 2:30 but the intro doesn't work? Set in and out points on just that section, and the AI finds songs that match that specific part.
"Quick Preview" skips to the heart of every track instead of making you listen from the beginning. Small thing, but when you're auditioning 50 songs, it saves serious time.
When you get a claim on YouTube, Musicbed's SyncID clears it automatically. We've had maybe two flags in years of uploads, both resolved within a day. When your income depends on monetization, this matters.
Sync licensing pays musicians meaningful money, not fractions of a penny like streaming. We like knowing the person who made the song actually benefits when we use it.
We keep both subscriptions for a reason. Epidemic Sound wins in specific situations.
This is the big one. Epidemic has 200,000+ sound effects included with every subscription. Whooshes, transitions, ambient sounds, room tone, everything. Their Premiere Pro plugin means we don't leave the editing software. Search, drag, drop.
Musicbed recently launched Musicbed Sounds with 150,000+ SFX from Oscar-winning sound designers, but it's an add-on to your subscription, not included in the base price.
Epidemic's plugin is genuinely useful. Soundmatch analyzes your video footage and suggests tracks. You can browse, preview, and drop music into your timeline without switching windows. Musicbed doesn't have this, and we wish they did.
This sounds like criticism, but it's not. Sometimes you need German polka for a Bavaria segment. Or cheesy ukulele for an ironic moment. Or very specific regional music that's more "flavor" than "feature."
Musicbed's curated approach means they don't have as much utility music. Epidemic does. When we need something generic on purpose, that's where we go.
Epidemic's Creator plan is $9.99/month when billed annually. That's real money saved if you're just starting out and budget is tight.
Here's the thing about Epidemic Sound: everyone uses it.
Kara and Nate use it. Lost LeBlanc promoted it. Peter McKinnon promoted it. Thousands of travel YouTubers, wedding videographers, and creators all pulling from the same library.
The result? You hear the same songs constantly. Once you notice it, you can't unhear it. That upbeat track in the Bali video you watched? Same one in the Portugal video from a different creator. Same one in that brand commercial.
Musicbed's smaller, pickier library is actually an advantage here. Curated means less competition for the same tracks.
Musicbed costs more. That's the trade-off for the curation and artist quality. If budget is the deciding factor and you're just starting out, Epidemic makes sense. If music quality matters to your storytelling and you want your videos to sound different, Musicbed is worth the upgrade.
It's not perfect.
Words only go so far. Here's a video where the Musicbed track does real work:
[EMBED: https://youtu.be/9ZmxV688mEg]
Notice how the music isn't just sitting underneath the footage. It's building with the visuals, pulling back when it needs to. That's the difference between background noise and actual scoring.
We use both Musicbed and Epidemic Sound. Probably always will.
Musicbed for the music that matters. The emotional beats. The moments where the song needs to carry weight. Jo Blankenburg when we need epic. Ben Rector when we need warmth. Real artists making real music.
Epidemic Sound for sound effects, utility tracks, the Premiere Pro plugin, and when budget is tight.
If we could only keep one, it'd be Musicbed. The quality difference is real, and after years of using both, that's where we land.
Musicbed offers a 14-day free trial with full library access. Best way to know if it works for you is to drop some tracks into a real edit and see how they feel.
Hey! We're Chris and Sara. From national parks to international adventures, we've been traveling together since 2018 with our dog Kramer and a 1988 Land Cruiser.
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