The Complete SoundCloud Guide
Everything you need to know about SoundCloud — from discovering music to understanding what you can download and why.
What is SoundCloud?
SoundCloud is one of the world's largest audio streaming platforms, launched in 2007 in Berlin, Germany. Unlike Spotify or Apple Music which focus on major label content, SoundCloud built its reputation as the home of independent music, podcasts, DJ mixes, and emerging artists.
With over 320 million tracks and 40 million creators, SoundCloud hosts a staggering amount of content that simply doesn't exist anywhere else. Many of today's biggest artists — Post Malone, Chance the Rapper, Billie Eilish — first gained traction by uploading directly to SoundCloud.
SoundCloud Free vs SoundCloud Go
SoundCloud offers several tiers:
- Free: Access to the full library with ads, limited offline listening, shuffle-only on mobile for some tracks.
- SoundCloud Go ($5.99/mo): Ad-free listening, offline downloads within the app, full on-demand playback.
- SoundCloud Go+ ($9.99/mo): Everything in Go, plus high-quality audio (up to 256 kbps AAC) and access to tracks from major labels.
Note on Downloads
SoundCloud's in-app downloads are tied to your account and expire if you cancel. AudDL lets you save tracks as standard MP3 files that you keep forever, which is useful for tracks you legally own or for offline listening where the app isn't available.
Discovering Music on SoundCloud
SoundCloud's discovery ecosystem is different from algorithmic platforms. Here's how to get the most out of it:
- Charts: Check the weekly charts broken down by genre and country — a great way to find trending tracks.
- Search by genre tag: Artists tag their uploads. Searching "lofi hip hop" or "ambient electronic" surfaces genre-specific results.
- Follow artists: Your stream is curated by who you follow — no algorithm, just people you've chosen.
- Reposts: Artists often repost tracks they like, acting as a discovery chain through the community.
- Comments: Timestamped comments on tracks show community reactions at specific moments — a unique SoundCloud feature.
SoundCloud for Artists
SoundCloud remains one of the best platforms for independent artists to upload and grow. Key features for creators:
Stats & Insights
Track plays, likes, reposts, comments, and geographic listener data in the creator dashboard.
Monetization
SoundCloud's Partner Program pays artists per stream once they meet eligibility thresholds.
Distribution
SoundCloud for Artists can distribute your music to Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms.
Private Links
Share tracks privately with collaborators or labels before public release using secret links.
Audio Quality on SoundCloud
SoundCloud transcodes uploaded audio to ensure compatibility across all devices. Understanding this helps set expectations:
- Most uploads are streamed at 128 kbps MP3 on the free tier.
- Go+ subscribers get 256 kbps AAC for supported tracks.
- Original file quality is preserved on the server but not always accessible to listeners.
- Lossless (WAV/FLAC) uploads are accepted but delivered as compressed streams.