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
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.
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.
YouTube Music vs SoundCloud — Comparison Data
Structured comparison data for YouTube Music vs SoundCloud with 159 attributes.
Monthly Subscription Price (Premium/Paid Tier)
Annual Prime/YouTube Premium Bundle Cost
Monthly Subscription Cost (Premium Tier)
Monthly Subscription Price (Standard Tier)
Artist Growth Multiplier (focused strategy)
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.