Can You Use SoundCloud Music for Free

In the early 2000s, physical media was very popular for playing music. However, technological inventions have seen these devices become obsolete. One technology that has contributed to this is the music streaming platform. With their large music libraries, affordable pricing, and convenience, these platforms have become popular with listeners.

One of the most popular streaming platforms is SoundCloud. Users can access over 250 million tracks without the need for physical devices. But what is SoundCloud? What are its services, and is it free? Let's find out in this article.

What is SoundCloud?

SoundCloud is an online music streaming platform founded in 2007 as a platform for artists to promote their audios. It is now a significant distribution channel for upcoming and established artists. It boasts a platform enabling users to discover and listen to new music. Today, it has over 76 million registered users. The platform is available on both desktop and mobile apps.

Can You Use Soundcloud Music for Free?

One of SoundCloud's benefits is that listening to music on the platform is entirely free. You can even listen to music on SoundCloud without opening an account. However, registering on the platform will give you special rights, such as uploading and commenting on songs.

As a free but registered user, you will have a limit to upload a maximum of three audio hours and a maximum file size of 4 GBs. If a new user creates a track, it can only be downloaded for a maximum of 100 times. Once you reach the limit of three hours, you will be temporarily banned from uploading music.

You need to delete old uploads to free up space for a new upload. Alternatively, you can upgrade to the paid plan, which offers unlimited uploads.

Understanding the SoundCloud Repost

On top of the free account, SoundCloud allows members to make minor upgrades to their accounts. With a subscription of $30 per month, they can access a wide range of features such as:

• Uploading the artwork of their tracks.
• Monetizing their track plays.
• Being able to distribute across all the major streaming platforms.
• Selecting the region for playing the tracks.
• Having unlimited distribution across the primary streaming services.
• Pitching tracks to some of the significant playlists.
• Promoting music on the Soundcloud Discover page.
• Splitting their revenues with other collaborators.
• Getting a guaranteed one-day response for support.

Understanding the SoundCloud Pro Unlimited

You can expect to pay $144 per year if you need the SoundCloud Pro Unlimited. This will provide you with all the essential functions. This is on top of other features that you may need to take your music to the next level. These are:

• Ability to upload tracks with a maximum length of 6 hours and 45 minutes long.
• Access to great listener insights to connect with your audience.
• An unlimited number of uploads and times your track can be downloaded.
• Use a new file to replace the tracks you downloaded while maintaining SoundCloud Analytics, such as plays, comments, and other stats.
• Stay in touch with your audience using advanced listener insights.
• Turn off commenting on your tracks.
• 24/7 live support.
• Free access to the Gobbler SoundCloud Suite of software and hardware programs.

Understanding the SoundCloud Go and GoPlus Packages

The good thing about SoundCloud is that it enables you to improve the user’s experience even when you aren't a producer. This is because it has an affordable package for listeners, SoundCloud Go, which costs $4.99 monthly. This package enables users to access premium features such as saving tracks to listen offline and the ability to listen online without ads.

For an even better listening experience, you can choose the SoundCloud Go Plus, which costs $9.99 monthly. In addition to the features in the Go plan, you will also enjoy higher-quality audio and exclusive access to an A-list of tracks. Students enrolled in a Title IV university can get SoundCloud Go Plus at a discount of 50% for a maximum of four years.

Can You Download SoundCloud Music?

You can download SoundCloud music only if you have a paid subscription. However, even with a paid subscription, some artists will not allow you to download their songs. To find out which tracks can be downloaded from SoundCloud, you can use the search bar to find music that qualifies using a keyword like “free download”.

If you have a SoundCloud Go account and you want to download music from the platform, you can follow these steps:

1. Go to SoundCloud.
2. You can upgrade to either SoundCloud Go or the Go Plus. You can easily download music from SoundCloud from either of these premium accounts.
3. Search for the artist’s name.
4. Select an album.
5. Tap the download button or the icon marked by three dots.
6. Select Download to start the download automatically.

FAQs on Using SoundCloud Music for Free

Here are some frequently asked questions on using SoundCloud music for free.

Why are some SoundCloud music only available for download for 30 seconds?

If you see a 30-second video on SoundCloud, that is known as a snippet. Artists, music producers, creators, and producers often use them to show listeners a preview of a song before they can release it in full. There are several reasons why artists prefer to upload a snippet instead of a full song. This could be because of a:

• Teaser. The goal of a musical teaser is usually to generate interest in a song and create anticipation for an upcoming release. This enables artists to create a buzz about the music and even engage with their audience before it can be released, which helps increase their SoundCloud fanbase.
• Copyright protection. At times, artists will upload music snippets to protect their work for legal distribution or sharing. That way, they can make a small part of a song available without sharing it.
• Project collaboration. When an artist collaborates with another one on a project, they can share snippets showcasing their work with other producers or artists. The snippets can also help promote the upcoming SoundCloud music.
• Market strategy. You can also use the snippet as part of your biggest SoundCloud marketing strategy if you want to promote your project or specific projects. When you release short clips of a song, you can reach a bigger audience and reach new listeners.

Therefore, artists usually share a 30-second snippet to engage with their audience, create hype for their upcoming projects, and promote their music.

Conclusion

SoundCloud is an excellent platform for sharing music, streaming, and even building a following. Our guide will help determine whether you can share SoundCloud music for free. We recommend you also read our guide on promoting SoundCloud tracks.