YouTube Music offers 100+ million licensed tracks with superior audio quality (up to 256kbps) and seamless YouTube integration, while SoundCloud excels at independent artist discovery with 500+ million user-uploaded tracks and lower artist barriers to entry. YouTube Music dominates mainstream streaming; SoundCloud dominates independent/underground music.
YouTube Music vs SoundCloud — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Google's licensed music streaming service integrated with YouTube and YouTube Premium.
User-generated content platform for independent and underground music with 500M+ tracks.
Total Available Tracks. Maximum Audio Bitrate. Artist Revenue Model. YouTube Integration. Independent Artist Accessibility. Premium Subscription Cost (US). Free Tier Ad Frequency
Choose YouTube Music if you prioritize high-quality audio, massive licensed catalog, and seamless video/music integration with strong recommendation algorithms. Choose SoundCloud if you're an independent artist, want direct artist support, or crave discovery of emerging/underground music that major platforms won't surface.
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: Yes (seamless) | SoundCloud: N/A
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: Full YouTube library integration | SoundCloud: Embedded clips only
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
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: 100,000 watches/month (YouTube Partner) | SoundCloud: 1,000 streams
YouTube Music: 256kbps | SoundCloud: 128kbps
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 Price (Standard Tier)
YouTube Music: $10.99/month | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: $139/year (Premium + YouTube ad-free) | SoundCloud: N/A
YouTube Music: 100+ million (plus music videos) | 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: 100+ million | SoundCloud: 200+ million
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
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
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 96 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
YouTube Music vs SoundCloud — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for YouTube Music vs SoundCloud.
Which platform has better sound quality?
YouTube Music supports up to 256kbps audio bitrate on Premium, while SoundCloud maxes out at 128kbps. This means YouTube Music delivers noticeably better audio fidelity on high-end headphones or speakers. However, the difference is only noticeable on premium audio equipment; casual listeners won't hear much difference on standard earbuds.
Can I upload my own music to both platforms?
SoundCloud allows direct instant uploads for any artist at no cost. YouTube Music requires you to use a third-party distributor (like DistroKid, CD Baby, or Tunecore) and negotiate licensing deals, making it inaccessible to unsigned independent artists. This is SoundCloud's strongest advantage for creators.
How much will I earn per stream as an artist?
Both platforms pay $0.003-$0.007 per stream on average, but SoundCloud tends toward the higher end ($0.005-$0.007) for independent artists, while YouTube Music pays $0.003-$0.005. For every 1 million streams, SoundCloud artists earn approximately $5,000-$7,000 vs YouTube Music's $3,000-$5,000.
Is YouTube Music worth the extra cost over SoundCloud?
YouTube Music Premium ($11.99/month) costs $2 more than SoundCloud Go ($9.99/month), but includes YouTube Premium benefits and superior 256kbps audio. If you use YouTube heavily or prioritize audio quality, YouTube Music offers value. If you're budget-conscious and primarily listen to independent/underground music, SoundCloud is cheaper with better artist curation.
Which platform is better for discovering new music?
YouTube Music excels at algorithmic recommendations using Google's AI, surfacing commercially successful and trending tracks. SoundCloud excels at community-driven discovery of emerging artists, with comment features and reposts from niche communities. YouTube Music = mainstream discovery; SoundCloud = underground/independent discovery.
How to Choose Between YouTube Music and SoundCloud
Total Available Tracks: YouTube Music has 100+ million licensed tracks, while SoundCloud has 500+ million total tracks (including user uploads).
Maximum Audio Bitrate: YouTube Music has 256kbps (Premium), while SoundCloud has 128kbps (standard).
Artist Revenue Model: YouTube Music has Per-stream rates: $0.003-$0.005, while SoundCloud has Per-stream rates: $0.003-$0.007 (higher for independent artists).
YouTube Integration: YouTube Music has Seamless access to YouTube videos, Shorts, and music, while SoundCloud has Limited cross-platform integration.
Consider: Independent Artist Accessibility
Independent Artist Accessibility: YouTube Music has Requires label/distributor partnership, while SoundCloud has Direct upload capability for any artist.
Consider: Premium Subscription Cost (US)
Premium Subscription Cost (US): YouTube Music has $11.99/month (or $139/year), while SoundCloud has $9.99/month (or $99/year).
Free Tier Ad Frequency: YouTube Music has Every 3-4 minutes on ads, while SoundCloud has Every 2-3 minutes on ads.