YouTube Music offers 100+ million licensed tracks with superior audio quality (up to 256 kbps) and deep YouTube integration, while SoundCloud specializes in independent and emerging artists with a 15 million+ track catalog and lower subscription costs, making them cater to different listener priorities.
YouTube Music vs SoundCloud — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Music streaming with 100+ million songs, official music videos, AI discovery, and YouTube integration.
Independent music platform hosting 15+ million tracks from emerging artists and established creators.
Catalog Size. Maximum Audio Quality. Monthly Subscription Cost (USD). Independent Artist Support. YouTube Video Integration. Ad-Free Trial Period. Offline Downloads Limit. Artist Upload Tools. Social / Community Features. Discovery Algorithm Quality. Smart TV & Cast Support. Podcast Integration. Platform Availability
Choose YouTube Music if you want the largest catalog, seamless YouTube integration, and don't mind paying premium prices for maximum convenience. Choose SoundCloud if you're passionate about discovering emerging independent artists, prefer supporting creators directly, and want a lower subscription cost with a community-focused experience.
YouTube Music: 1000+ million | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Not available | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Data not available | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 320 kbps standard | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: YouTube-hosted only | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Primary growth engine via YouTube Shorts | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Wider access via Partner Program | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $13.99 | SoundCloud: $12.99
YouTube Music: Audio + Video (music videos, official content, shorts) | SoundCloud: Audio only (tracks, mixes, remixes)
YouTube Music: Requires YouTube Partner Program verification | SoundCloud: Open to any artist (no gatekeeping)
YouTube Music: Yes (Premium members) | SoundCloud: Limited (Pro members)
YouTube Music: 100+ million tracks | SoundCloud: 350+ million (includes user uploads)
YouTube Music: Deep (Google Assistant, Workspace, Search, Android) | SoundCloud: Minimal (standalone with API access)
YouTube Music: Ad revenue sharing, Super Chat, channel memberships | SoundCloud: Follower Exclusive Releases, Repost, fan payments
YouTube Music: 100+ million | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Limited | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Full integration (2.7B videos) | SoundCloud: Music-only platform
YouTube Music: Split-view Now Playing redesign rolling out | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Standard streaming splits | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 320kbps Opus (lossy) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $0.007 (blended average) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Yes - full catalog with shuffle | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Android, Wear OS, web browser only | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: YouTube ecosystem video performance + watch history | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $0.006-$0.012 | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $0.002-$0.004 | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: AAC 256kbps (lossy) | SoundCloud: 320kbps MP3
YouTube Music: Premium subscribers only | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $0.005-$0.009 | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Android-optimized only | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 256 kbps AAC | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Yes — full library | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Yes (ad-supported) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Yes (auto-mix) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Google Assistant | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Yes (preferred on Android) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Via AirPlay | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $11.99/mo ($15.99 w/ YT Premium) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $26.99/mo (w/ YT Premium) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $6.99/mo | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 100+ million | SoundCloud: 35+ million
YouTube Music: $12.99 | SoundCloud: $9.99 (Go+)
YouTube Music: No skipping allowed | SoundCloud: Unlimited with 3-hour limit per 8-hour window
YouTube Music: Unlimited downloads | SoundCloud: Limited downloads
YouTube Music: ~0.3-0.4 cents per stream | SoundCloud: Up to 55% of platform revenue
YouTube Music: $22.88 saved (buy yearly) | SoundCloud: $11.88 saved (buy yearly)
Monthly Subscription Price (Premium/Paid Tier)
YouTube Music: $11.99 | SoundCloud: $5.99
YouTube Music: 100+ million | SoundCloud: 500+ million
YouTube Music: 128 kbps | SoundCloud: 128 kbps
YouTube Music: $0.003-0.005 | SoundCloud: $0.007
YouTube Music: 100,000 watches/month (YouTube Partner) | SoundCloud: 1,000 streams
YouTube Music: 80 million | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Google Assistant (500M+ devices) | SoundCloud: N/A
Annual Prime/YouTube Premium Bundle Cost
YouTube Music: $139.99 (YouTube Premium music only) | SoundCloud: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Premium Tier)
YouTube Music: 256 kbps | SoundCloud: 256 kbps
YouTube Music: 800+ million | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: None (AAC only) | SoundCloud: N/A
Monthly Subscription Price (Standard Tier)
YouTube Music: $10.99/month | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $139/year (Premium + YouTube ad-free) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: ~80+ million (estimated YouTube Music users) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $0.003-0.005 (estimated) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Yes, available on Premium | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $11.99 | SoundCloud: $9.99
YouTube Music: No (requires distributor) | SoundCloud: Yes (instant)
YouTube Music: 15-20 per hour | SoundCloud: 20-30 per hour
YouTube Music: Full integration with official videos/Shorts | SoundCloud: Limited to user uploads
YouTube Music: $11.99/month | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 100+ million songs | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Under 1 million (limited availability) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Unlimited | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Select Google devices + Google Home ecosystem | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $18.99/month (6 accounts) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 256 kbps (AAC) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 100,000 songs maximum | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Full official videos | SoundCloud: Not included
YouTube Music: Yes—ad-supported with limitations | SoundCloud: Yes (with ads, limited plays)
YouTube Music: Not applicable | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 320 (MP3) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 70+ official videos | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Unlimited with Premium | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 6 profiles | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $13.99 | SoundCloud: $9.99
YouTube Music: 320 kbps | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Separate subscription | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: No (Premium required) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $11.99 | SoundCloud: $4.99
YouTube Music: 100+ million | SoundCloud: 635+ million
YouTube Music: 256 kbps | SoundCloud: 320 kbps (Hi-Fi tier)
YouTube Music: Not available | SoundCloud: 3 hours
YouTube Music: Via distributor only | SoundCloud: Direct upload supported
YouTube Music: $167.88/year | SoundCloud: $59.88/year
YouTube Music: 100+ million | SoundCloud: 15+ million
YouTube Music: 30 days | SoundCloud: 7 days
YouTube Music: Unlimited | SoundCloud: Unlimited (Premium+)
YouTube Music: 80+ million | SoundCloud: 30+ million
YouTube Music: $143.88 standalone | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Millions of official videos | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 360 Reality Audio (8,000+ tracks) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Full YouTube podcast library | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: Advanced mood/activity detection AI | SoundCloud: N/A
Artist Growth Multiplier (focused strategy)
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: Baseline (1x)
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: Free tier available + paid tiers
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: $0.001-0.003 per stream
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: Native direct upload available
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: Direct comments/engagement, immediate
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: Follower Exclusive Releases feature (2026)
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: Higher number of musicians
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: 256 kbps
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: $0.002-0.007
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: Not required (instant upload)
YouTube Music: N/A | SoundCloud: Unlimited (with ads)
How to choose between YouTube Music and SoundCloud
YouTube Music vs SoundCloud — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for YouTube Music vs SoundCloud. Contains 159 attribute comparisons, 13 FAQ pairs.
YouTube Music vs SoundCloud — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for YouTube Music vs SoundCloud.
Yes. YouTube Music offers a free tier with ads and no background listening on mobile. YouTube Music Premium ($10.99/month) removes ads and enables offline and background play.
Does SoundCloud have music not on Spotify or Apple Music?
Yes — SoundCloud hosts over 300 million user-uploaded tracks, many of which are not distributed to other streaming platforms. This includes DJ mixes, demos, bootlegs, and releases from independent artists who self-distribute exclusively on SoundCloud.
Can I listen to music videos on YouTube Music?
Yes. YouTube Music integrates directly with YouTube, allowing you to switch between audio-only and music video versions of a song. This is a unique feature not available on Spotify, Apple Music, or SoundCloud.
Which is better for discovering new music?
YouTube Music has stronger algorithmic discovery thanks to Google's recommendation systems and YouTube play history. SoundCloud offers better discovery for underground and independent artists through genre charts and creator reposts.
Is YouTube Music or SoundCloud better for DJs?
SoundCloud is significantly better for DJs. It hosts DJ sets, mixes, and unreleased edits that are central to DJ culture. YouTube Music focuses on licensed mainstream content and does not cater specifically to DJ workflows.
SoundCloud Go+ costs $9.99/month ($4.99/month for students), while YouTube Music Premium costs $10.99/month ($5.49 for students). Both have free ad-supported tiers. SoundCloud's free tier is more generous — it allows full desktop streaming; YouTube Music's free tier restricts background playback on mobile. Annual plans: SoundCloud Go+ at ~$99/year vs YouTube Music Premium at $109/year. SoundCloud wins on price.
Which has better audio quality: SoundCloud or YouTube Music?
YouTube Music streams at up to 256 kbps AAC (Premium) or 128 kbps (free), with lossless audio not available. SoundCloud streams at up to 256 kbps MP3 (Go+) or 128 kbps (free). In practice, audio quality is similar between platforms at their highest tiers. Neither offers lossless (unlike Tidal or Apple Music). YouTube Music's edge is consistency: its audio bitrate is stable across devices. SoundCloud's quality varies by upload — some user-uploaded tracks are lower quality.
Can I listen to SoundCloud or YouTube Music offline?
Both platforms require a paid subscription for offline listening. YouTube Music Premium allows offline downloads on mobile for up to 500 songs. SoundCloud Go+ allows offline listening on iOS and Android (up to 500 tracks per playlist). Neither free tier supports offline playback. Verdict: offline feature is equivalent on both paid tiers.
Which is better for indie and underground music: SoundCloud or YouTube Music?
SoundCloud is significantly better for indie and underground music. Its 350+ million track catalog includes DJ mixes, demos, unreleased tracks, and self-distributed releases that major streaming platforms don't have. Many emerging artists debut exclusively on SoundCloud before signing to labels. YouTube Music's 100M track catalog focuses on major-label releases and officially licensed content. If discovering new artists before they go mainstream is your priority, SoundCloud has no rival.
Yes. SoundCloud remains the go-to platform for electronic music, hip-hop mixtapes, DJ sets, and emerging artists who self-distribute. In 2025–2026, SoundCloud launched Premiere monetization, allowing creators to earn per-stream without a label. It has 40+ million creators and 350+ million tracks — categories that grow every year. While Spotify and YouTube Music lead in mainstream catalog, SoundCloud's niche dominance in independent and underground music keeps it highly relevant, particularly for younger listeners in electronic, lo-fi, and hip-hop genres.
Is SoundCloud better than YouTube Music overall?
It depends on your use case. YouTube Music wins for listening convenience — it has 100+ million tracks, deep YouTube integration, better smart TV support, and uses Google's powerful recommendation engine. SoundCloud wins for discovering independent artists and niche genres, and it lets artists upload directly without a distributor. For most general listeners, YouTube Music is the better choice (especially at $13.99/mo with full YouTube Premium benefits); for music producers, DJs, and indie fans, SoundCloud's $9.99 plan or even its free tier is unmatched for discovering unsigned talent.
Is SoundCloud or YouTube Music better for free listeners in 2026?
SoundCloud is better for free listeners. SoundCloud's free tier allows unlimited ad-supported streaming. YouTube Music's free tier requires keeping the screen active — no background play on mobile without a paid plan. For free listening, SoundCloud wins; for paid subscribers, YouTube Music ($13.99/mo) offers better catalog depth and YouTube integration.
Which music app is better for discovering underground music — SoundCloud or YouTube Music?
SoundCloud is far better for discovering underground and independent music. SoundCloud hosts over 300 million tracks — many from unsigned artists, DJs, and bedroom producers. YouTube Music's 100M+ licensed catalog skews toward commercial releases. If you want music before it's mainstream, SoundCloud is unmatched in 2026.
How to Choose Between YouTube Music and SoundCloud
Catalog Size: YouTube Music has 100+ million tracks, while SoundCloud has 15 million tracks.
Maximum Audio Quality: YouTube Music has 256 kbps (Premium), while SoundCloud has 128 kbps (Free), 256 kbps (Premium+).
Consider: Monthly Subscription Cost (USD)
Monthly Subscription Cost (USD): YouTube Music has $13.99, while SoundCloud has $9.99.
Independent Artist Support: YouTube Music has Limited discovery features, while SoundCloud has Core platform focus with algorithmic discovery.
YouTube Video Integration: YouTube Music has Full YouTube ecosystem access, while SoundCloud has No integration.
Ad-Free Trial Period: YouTube Music has 1 month free, while SoundCloud has 7 days free.
Offline Downloads Limit: YouTube Music has Unlimited, while SoundCloud has Unlimited (Premium+).
Podcast Integration: YouTube Music has No native podcast support, while SoundCloud has Seamless YouTube podcast support — over 1M podcasts available.
Platform Availability: YouTube Music has iOS, Android, Web; limited smart TV support, while SoundCloud has iOS, Android, Web, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Roku, Chromecast).
YouTube Music offers 100+ million licensed tracks with superior audio quality (up to 256 kbps) and deep YouTube integration, while SoundCloud specializes in independent and emerging artists with a 15 million+ track catalog and lower subscription costs, making them cater to different listener priorit