AudioJungle is a pay-per-track royalty-free music marketplace operated by Envato, featuring over 2.4 million tracks and sound effects from independent musicians and audio engineers. Founded in 2008 and based in Australia, it offers low-cost licensing starting from $1 per track, making it one of the most affordable stock music marketplaces available.
How AudioJungle Works
AudioJungle operates as part of the Envato Market ecosystem alongside ThemeForest, CodeCanyon, and GraphicRiver. Unlike subscription-based platforms, AudioJungle uses a pay-per-track model where buyers purchase individual tracks or sound effects.
Their content categories include:
- Music tracks across all genres
- Music Packs (bundled collections)
- Music Kits (customizable song arrangements)
- Sound Source Files
- Logos and Idents
- Sound effects (1.2 million+ available)
License tiers scale with usage scope:
- Standard License: Covers web, digital, and social media use
- Broadcast (1 Million): Covers broadcast up to 1 million end users
- Mass Reproduction: Covers physical distribution
- Broadcast (10 Million): Covers broadcast up to 10 million end users
- Broadcast and Film: Covers theatrical and large-scale broadcast use
Envato also offers Envato Elements, a subscription-based alternative with unlimited downloads across all asset types (video, music, photos, templates). Elements uses a single license for unlimited downloads, but each use must be registered. AudioJungle remains the better option for one-time purchases of specific tracks.
Every item on AudioJungle is hand-reviewed by the Envato team before approval, which maintains quality standards despite the massive catalog size.
Real-World Example
A small business needs background music for a 2-minute promotional video. They find a suitable corporate track on AudioJungle priced at $12 with a Standard License. The license covers web and social media use, which fits their needs. If the same video runs as a local TV commercial, they need the Broadcast (1 Million) license at approximately $40 to $80. For a national TV campaign, the Broadcast (10 Million) license costs $100 to $200.
For artists, AudioJungle pays a percentage of each sale. An artist selling a track at $12 with a Standard License might earn 50% to 70% of the sale price, depending on whether they sell exclusively on Envato. Non-exclusive sellers earn a lower percentage but can sell the same tracks on other platforms. A popular track with 500 monthly sales at $12 each generates $3,000 to $4,200 in monthly revenue for the artist.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
AudioJungle is one of the easiest marketplaces to join. There are no exclusive contracts required, and you can sell the same music on other platforms simultaneously. Here is what you need to know:
- Create a free Envato account and upload tracks for review
- Each item is hand-reviewed, so quality matters. Rejected items come with feedback.
- Set your own prices within Envato's guidelines
- Exclusive sellers earn higher percentages (up to 70%) but cannot sell the same tracks elsewhere
- Non-exclusive sellers earn lower percentages (around 30% to 50%) but retain full distribution freedom
- Tags and descriptions directly affect search visibility, so optimize them carefully
The high-volume, low-price model means individual track earnings are small, but popular tracks can generate consistent passive income over years. Read our guide on library music and production music as passive income to learn how to build a profitable catalog on marketplace platforms.
Company Type and Business Model
AudioJungle is a royalty-free stock music marketplace. It is not a production music library, sync placement agency, or custom scoring service. There are no music supervisors reviewing submissions for film placement briefs. There is no curated exclusivity filter elevating tracks to the front page.
It is an open marketplace governed by search algorithms, buyer behavior, pricing competitiveness, and metadata precision. Buyers come to AudioJungle to find affordable, pre-cleared music for their projects. Artists upload tracks, set prices within Envato's guidelines, and earn a percentage of each sale.
Licensing Model: Pay-Per-Track
AudioJungle uses a pay-per-track model. Buyers purchase individual tracks or sound effects, not subscriptions. This differs from platforms like Epidemic Sound or Artlist, which use subscription-based unlimited download models.
License tiers scale with usage scope:
| License Type | Typical Price Range | Usage Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $1 to $20 | Web, digital, social media |
| Broadcast (1 Million) | $40 to $80 | Broadcast up to 1 million end users |
| Mass Reproduction | $80 to $150 | Physical distribution (DVD, CD, print) |
| Broadcast (10 Million) | $100 to $200 | Broadcast up to 10 million end users |
| Broadcast and Film | $200+ | Theatrical and large-scale broadcast |
Envato also operates Envato Elements, a subscription alternative with unlimited downloads across all asset types. Elements uses a single license for unlimited downloads, but each use must be registered. AudioJungle remains the better option for one-time purchases of specific tracks.
Catalog Size and Genre Coverage
AudioJungle hosts over 2.4 million tracks and sound effects. The catalog covers all mainstream genres: pop, electronic, cinematic, acoustic, corporate, rock, hip-hop, ambient, and world music. Sound effects account for 1.2 million+ items. The platform also offers Music Packs (bundled collections), Music Kits (customizable song arrangements), and Source Files.
Who Buys from AudioJungle
AudioJungle's primary clients are:
- YouTube creators needing affordable background music
- Freelance video editors sourcing tracks for client projects
- Small businesses producing promotional videos
- Indie filmmakers working on limited budgets
- Podcast producers requiring intro and outro music
- Corporate media teams creating internal content
- Indie game developers sourcing sound effects and music
AudioJungle does not target TV networks, major film studios, or global advertising agencies. Those clients typically use premium production music libraries like Extreme Music or Universal Production Music.
How AudioJungle Pays Artists
AudioJungle pays artists a percentage of each sale after Envato's fees:
| Seller Type | Revenue Share | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| Exclusive seller | 50% to 70% of sale price | Cannot sell same tracks on other platforms |
| Non-exclusive seller | 30% to 50% of sale price | Can sell same tracks elsewhere |
The exact percentage for exclusive sellers scales with total sales volume. Higher lifetime sales unlock higher percentages. Payments are made monthly for the prior month's sales.
A popular track with 500 monthly sales at $12 each generates $3,000 to $4,200 in monthly revenue for an exclusive seller at the higher percentage tiers.
AudioJungle vs. Competitors
| Feature | AudioJungle | Epidemic Sound | Artlist | Pond5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Pay-per-track | Subscription | Subscription | Pay-per-track |
| Catalog size | 2.4M+ tracks | 40,000+ tracks | 18,000+ tracks | 1M+ tracks |
| Price range | $1 to $200+ per track | $15 to $49/month | $10 to $17/month | $5 to $500+ per track |
| Exclusive required | No | No | No | No |
| Artist payout | 30% to 70% per sale | Flat fee per stream | Flat fee per download | 50% per sale |
| Best for | One-time track purchases | High-volume creators | High-volume creators | Stock footage + music |
Video Tutorials
Related Resources
- How to License Your Music for YouTube Creators - Understand how creators use marketplace music
- Sync Licensing Companies vs Music Libraries - Compare marketplace vs library models
- Sync Licensing Fee Calculator - Calculate potential licensing revenue
- Sync License Glossary Definition - Learn the legal framework for music licensing
- Official Website - Browse the marketplace and start selling
Similar Sync Licensing Companies
- Pond5 - Another pay-per-track marketplace with stock footage and music
- Epidemic Sound - Subscription-based alternative with unlimited downloads
- Artlist - Subscription model targeting YouTube creators
- PremiumBeat - Curated royalty-free marketplace owned by Shutterstock
- Motion Array - Subscription marketplace for video, music, and templates
