Soundstripe

Soundstripe is a Nashville-based music licensing platform founded in 2016 that provides a catalog of over 116,000 tracks by Grammy-winning artists to creators, agencies, and brands. The platform offers both subscription and single-song licensing, with $1 million indemnification on enterprise plans and perpetual rights on content published during an active subscription. Soundstripe has paid over $13 million in royalties to artists.

How Soundstripe Works

Soundstripe operates two licensing models: unlimited subscriptions and single-song licenses.

Subscription Plans

1. Personal ($19.99/month or $119/year): For personal social media content, school projects, and hobbyist videos. Includes unlimited access to Soundstripe Original music and sound effects. Covers one YouTube channel for monetization and copyright clearance. Does not include third-party collections like Warner Chappell Production Music.

2. Pro ($39.99/month or $239/year): For commercial content created by freelancers and professionals. Includes everything in Personal plus monetization for up to 5 YouTube channels, Content ID tools for client videos, project-based workflow tools, track stems for every song, and Premiere Pro integrations.

3. Pro Plus ($69.99/month or $399/year): For creators who need both music and stock video. Includes everything in Pro plus access to 100,000+ stock video clips in HD through 8K resolution.

4. Business ($999/year): For companies and agencies creating brand-owned or client-owned content within a single geographic market. Includes warranties, indemnification, and distribution limited to one designated market area.

5. Enterprise (custom pricing): For brands and organizations with national, global, or broadcast distribution needs. Includes everything in Pro plus multiple team seats, custom contract terms, role-based access, dedicated account manager, API access, and up to $1 million in indemnification.

Single-Song Licenses

For one-off projects, Soundstripe offers per-track licenses at four coverage tiers:

• Personal ($49+): Non-commercial personal projects
• Digital ($199+): Commercial digital use
• Expanded ($399+): Venues, events, out-of-home, gaming
• All Media ($1,249+): Broadcast TV, radio, streaming

Enterprise Features

Soundstripe's enterprise tier is built for brands and agencies that need comprehensive coverage. Key features include perpetual rights (content published during the subscription stays cleared even after cancellation), automated YouTube Content ID clearance, cue sheet support for broadcast, coverage for agency partners and influencers, and a dedicated account manager.

Real-World Example

A freelance videographer produces 10 client videos per month, each needing background music. They subscribe to Soundstripe Pro at $39.99/month. Total monthly music cost: $39.99 for all 10 videos. If they had licensed each track individually through traditional sync deals, the cost would be $200 to $2,000 per track, totaling $2,000 to $20,000 for 10 videos.

A national brand running a TV ad campaign subscribes to the Enterprise plan. They get $1 million in indemnification, perpetual rights on everything they publish, coverage across paid social, organic social, broadcast, OTT, and agency-created content, plus a dedicated account manager. A single national TV commercial using a Soundstripe track is fully covered with no per-placement fees.

Compare subscription costs against traditional per-placement fees using our sync licensing fee calculator.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Soundstripe pays artists royalties from subscription revenue, which differentiates it from platforms that pay flat upfront fees with no ongoing compensation. The company has paid over $13 million in royalties to date, with credits including 12 Grammy wins, 30 gold and platinum records, and 4 Billboard number ones among its roster.

For artists considering Soundstripe:

• The platform has an in-house, Nashville-based team of professional musicians plus global artist partnerships
• Music must be broadcast-ready with clean mixes and no uncleared samples
• Instrumental versions and stems are expected (the platform offers stems for every song)
• Complete metadata is required: songwriter credits, publisher info, ISRC codes
• Artists should understand whether they are granting exclusive or non-exclusive rights
• The royalty model means earnings depend on catalog volume and usage frequency

Artists with large catalogs (50+ tracks) tend to earn more through accumulated usage across the subscriber base. This contrasts with platforms like Epidemic Sound that pay upfront fees but take full ownership of rights. Read our guide to sync licensing companies vs music libraries to understand the differences.

If you are evaluating licensing agreements, check our guide to music licensing agreements for terms to watch for, including perpetuity clauses, territory restrictions, and indemnification caps.

Related Resources

• How to License Your Music for YouTube Creators - Understanding the YouTube music licensing ecosystem
• Sync Licensing Companies vs Music Libraries - How Soundstripe compares to other models
• Sync Licensing Fee Calculator - Compare subscription costs vs per-placement fees
• Library Music and Production Music for Passive Income - Understanding royalty models
• Soundstripe Official Website - Current catalog, pricing, and artist info