Comparison
Artlist vs Epidemic Sound vs Envato: best stock music for YouTube (2026)
October 14, 2026 · 5 min read
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If you publish on YouTube, stock music has one job: sound good and never trigger a copyright claim. Artlist, Epidemic Sound and Envato all do that by subscription, but they draw the lines differently — what the cheap plan covers, what client work costs, and what happens to your videos once you stop paying.
At a glance
Entry plans, USD before tax, checked on each vendor's pricing page on 14 October 2026. Envato lists yearly billing only. Prices change often and vary by region.
| Epidemic Sound | Artlist | Envato | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan | Creator: $9.99/mo billed yearly ($119.88) | Music & SFX Social: $9.99/mo billed yearly ($119.88) | Core: $16.50/mo billed yearly |
| Pay monthly | $17.99/mo (Creator) | $14.99/mo (Social only) | Yearly billing only on the pricing page |
| Commercial & client work | Pro: $16.99/mo billed yearly | Music & SFX Pro: $299/yr, yearly only | Included in Core, client projects and ads too |
| Monetised channels | 1 per platform (Creator), 3 (Pro) | 1 per platform (Social), 3 (Pro) | Licensed per project, not per channel |
| Also included | Sound effects, AI voiceover credits | Sound effects; footage on Max plans | SFX, stock video, templates, fonts, photos |
| After you cancel | Videos published while subscribed stay cleared | Videos published while subscribed stay covered | Finished projects stay covered; no new ones |
What happens when you cancel
This is the part people miss, and it decides whether a cheap month now costs you a claim later.
Stays covered
- Epidemic Sound, Artlist: videos you published while subscribed — for good.
- Envato: projects you finished while subscribed — for good.
No longer covered
- Epidemic Sound, Artlist: new videos published after you cancel, even with tracks you downloaded earlier.
- Envato: old downloads going into new projects.
Epidemic Sound: the safe bet for a channel
Epidemic Sound is audio only — 55,000+ tracks and 250,000+ sound effects — and its plans are built around channels. Creator lets you monetise one channel per platform, sponsored posts on your own channels included. Pro adds client work and online ads and raises the limit to three channels per platform. Both can be paid monthly, so you can subscribe for one project and stop.
Best for: YouTubers and podcasters who only need music and sound effects.
Artlist: curated music, and footage if you want it
Artlist's Music & SFX Social plan matches Epidemic's entry price, but its licence covers your personal social channels only — one per platform. Client work and commercial projects need Music & SFX Pro, which is billed yearly only. Pro clears up to three channels per platform plus any number of individual YouTube videos through Artlist's Clearlist.
Its real draw is the Max plans, which put music, SFX, stock footage and templates under one licence: Max Social at $29.99/mo and Max Pro at $39.99/mo, both billed yearly.
Best for: filmmakers who want a cinematic sound and footage from the same place.
Envato: the most for your money, with more admin
Envato isn't a music service as such — it's a library of 29+ million assets where music and sound effects sit next to stock video, video templates, fonts and photos. Core costs $16.50/mo billed yearly, and every download comes with a commercial licence.
The catch is the licence model: each download is licensed to one specific project. Finished projects stay covered forever, but an old download can't go into a new one after you cancel.
Best for: editors who need templates and footage as well as music, and don't mind licensing each project.
Which one should you pick?
- Music for your own channel only: Epidemic Sound Creator or Artlist Social. Pick Epidemic if you'd rather pay monthly.
- Client work: Epidemic Sound Pro ($16.99/mo yearly) or Envato Core ($16.50/mo yearly). Envato if you also want templates and footage.
- Music, footage and templates on one bill: Envato for range and price, Artlist Max for a more curated look.
Questions
Will my old videos get copyright claims if I cancel?
Not with any of the three, as long as they were published (Epidemic Sound, Artlist) or finished (Envato) while you were subscribed. What you lose is the right to use the music in new videos.
Which is cheapest for one YouTube channel?
Epidemic Sound Creator and Artlist Music & SFX Social both cost $9.99/mo billed yearly. Paid monthly, Artlist Social is cheaper: $14.99 against $17.99.
Can I use the music in client videos?
On Envato Core, yes. On Epidemic Sound you need Pro, and on Artlist Music & SFX Pro, which is billed yearly only.
Is there free music that's safe for YouTube?
Yes — Creative Commons music. Check the licence: CC BY needs a credit line, and NC tracks can't go into monetised videos.
Try it now
Music & SFX