What is the difference between YouTube Audio Library and Epidemic Sound for Attribution?

YouTube Audio Library (Free): varies. Epidemic Sound (Personal): no.

What is the difference between YouTube Audio Library and Epidemic Sound for Digital Use?

YouTube Audio Library (Free): limited. Epidemic Sound (Personal): yes.

What is the difference between YouTube Audio Library and Epidemic Sound for Client Work?

YouTube Audio Library (Free): limited. Epidemic Sound (Personal): no.

What is the difference between YouTube Audio Library and Epidemic Sound for Survives Cancellation?

YouTube Audio Library (Free): yes. Epidemic Sound (Personal): no.

What is the difference between YouTube Audio Library and Epidemic Sound for Refund Policy?

YouTube Audio Library (Free): no. Epidemic Sound (Personal): limited.

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YouTube Audio Library vs Epidemic Sound

Side-by-side comparison of licensing terms between YouTube Audio Library and Epidemic Sound.

License Comparison

Hover or tap any field name to see what it means. Highlighted rows indicate differences.

Field	YouTube Audio Library Free · Free Visit YouTube Audio Library	Epidemic Sound Visit Epidemic Sound
	✓	✓
	~Tracks under the standard YouTube license are limited to monetized YouTube videos. Tracks licensed under Creative Commons (CC-BY 4.0) may be used commercially on any platform with proper attribution.	~Licensed only for personal content on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitch, and podcasts. Not for corporate or client use.
	✓	✓
	Varies	Not required
	✗	✗
	✗	✗
	✗	✗
	~Standard-license tracks are limited to YouTube. Creative Commons (CC-BY 4.0) tracks may be used on other platforms, apps, and websites as long as the artist is credited.	✓
	~Client work is permitted when the final output is a YouTube video. For CC-BY 4.0 tracks, client work on other platforms is allowed with proper attribution. Tracks cannot be sublicensed or delivered as standalone assets.	✗
	✓Published	✗
	✗	✗
	✗	~

Prices may vary by region and are subject to change.

Epidemic Sound:

YouTube Audio Library

Free

Visit Platform

Epidemic Sound

Personal

Visit Platform

Price

Free

$9/mo

Prices may vary by region and are subject to change.

Download

Yes

Commercial Use

Tracks under the standard YouTube license are limited to monetized YouTube videos. Tracks licensed under Creative Commons (CC-BY 4.0) may be used commercially on any platform with proper attribution.

Licensed only for personal content on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitch, and podcasts. Not for corporate or client use.

Editing

Yes

Attribution

Nice to

Exclusive Rights

Redistribution

Print Use

Music - not applicable to physical print. This plan does not cover broadcast or physical media.

Digital Use

Standard-license tracks are limited to YouTube. Creative Commons (CC-BY 4.0) tracks may be used on other platforms, apps, and websites as long as the artist is credited.

Yes

Client Work

Client work is permitted when the final output is a YouTube video. For CC-BY 4.0 tracks, client work on other platforms is allowed with proper attribution. Tracks cannot be sublicensed or delivered as standalone assets.

Survives Cancellation

Forever

Lose it

YouTube Audio Library:

Tracks under the standard YouTube Audio Library license are restricted to YouTube videos. Using these tracks on other social media platforms, websites, or in podcasts violates the terms of service. However, tracks licensed under Creative Commons (CC-BY 4.0) may be used outside YouTube with proper attribution.

Some tracks may still trigger Content ID matches from third-party claimants despite being in the Audio Library. Check the music policies page in YouTube Studio for current claim status.

Epidemic Sound:

License is tied to subscription - content use rights stop if you cancel. Videos already published can stay up, but you cannot use tracks in new projects.

Personal plan is limited to individual creators. Using it for business or client work violates the terms of service.

Key Differences

Fields where these platforms differ

Attribution

YouTube Audio Library:Varies

Epidemic Sound:Not required

Digital Use

YouTube Audio Library:~Standard-license tracks are limited to YouTube. Creative Commons (CC-BY 4.0) tracks may be used on other platforms, apps, and websites as long as the artist is credited.

Epidemic Sound:✓

Client Work

YouTube Audio Library:~Client work is permitted when the final output is a YouTube video. For CC-BY 4.0 tracks, client work on other platforms is allowed with proper attribution. Tracks cannot be sublicensed or delivered as standalone assets.

Epidemic Sound:✗

Survives Cancellation

YouTube Audio Library:✓Published

Epidemic Sound:✗

Refund Policy

YouTube Audio Library:✗

Epidemic Sound:~

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Informational Only - Not Legal Advice

LicenseOrg provides informational summaries of platform license terms for educational purposes only. This is not legal advice. Always consult the platform’s official license page and a qualified legal professional.

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