SoundCloud
by SoundCloud Ltd. · Music & Audio · Music Creation
Open music platform for independent artists to upload, share, and discover music.
Quick Answer: SoundCloud has a verified Real Score of 3.5/5 based on 82,000 verified reviews, compared to its App Store rating of 4.4/5. Mixed reviews from verified users.
Real Score vs App Store Rating
App Store Rating
Includes unverified reviews
Verified Real Score
Based on 82,000 verified reviews
Gap Alert: SoundCloud's App Store rating is 0.9 points higher than its verified Real Score. This suggests that some store reviews may be inflated by fake or incentivized ratings.
Pros & Cons
What Users Love
- Platform for independent artists
- Free uploads
- Discover underground music
- Repost culture
Common Complaints
- Audio quality limited
- Monetization is difficult
- Lots of low-quality content
- App can be buggy
Verified Reviews (20)
Where new music breaks first
SoundCloud is where independent artists share music before anywhere else. Upcoming rap, electronic, and experimental music surfaces here months before Spotify. For discovering what's next, SoundCloud is unmatched.
Quality ranges from amazing to terrible
Anyone can upload to SoundCloud, so the quality spectrum is vast. Bedroom productions next to professional releases. Finding gems requires sifting through a lot of noise.
Essential for electronic music
DJ mixes, unreleased tracks, and experimental electronic music live on SoundCloud. For electronic music fans, the platform has content that simply doesn't exist on Spotify or Apple Music.
Free tier is mostly ads now
The free listening experience has more ads than ever. Between tracks, mid-stream, and banner ads. The ad-supported model is getting aggressive. SoundCloud Go removes them for $5/month.
Repost and sharing culture
The repost feature where users share tracks to their followers creates organic discovery. A track reposted by the right person can reach thousands of new listeners. Viral potential is real.
Monetization for artists is poor
SoundCloud pays even less than Spotify per stream. The creator fund exists but amounts are tiny. For artists, SoundCloud is a discovery platform, not an income source.
Comment on specific timestamps
Leaving comments at specific timestamps in a track creates a unique social experience. Noting "this drop is insane" at exactly 2:34 of a track adds community to listening.
Pro Unlimited for serious uploaders
Pro Unlimited at $16/month gives unlimited upload time, advanced stats, and distribution. For artists using SoundCloud as their primary platform, the features justify the cost.
SoundCloud rap culture
An entire genre of rap was born and named after this platform. SoundCloud rap represents a generation of artists who bypassed labels and built audiences directly. Cultural impact is significant.
App stability needs work
The app crashes occasionally, streaming sometimes buffers, and the search can be slow. For a music platform, these reliability issues are frustrating. Technical polish needed.
Private sharing for works in progress
Sharing private tracks with specific people for feedback before public release is valuable for artists. The private link sharing facilitates collaboration without exposing unfinished work.
128kbps for free uploads is low
Free uploads are transcoded to 128kbps MP3. That's audibly inferior to professional streaming quality. For artists wanting their music heard properly, the compression is unfortunate.
Distribution to other platforms
SoundCloud's distribution feature lets you push your music to Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms. All-in-one upload and distribute from SoundCloud simplifies artist workflows.
Playlists are user-curated
SoundCloud playlists are mostly user-created rather than editorially curated. The quality and relevance of playlists varies. Finding good curated playlists requires following the right accounts.
Live DJ sets and mixes
Long-form DJ mixes (1-2 hours) that get DMCA'd on other platforms survive on SoundCloud. For DJ mix culture, SoundCloud is the archive that preserves live sets and continuous mixes.
Discover tab is improving
The discovery section with genre charts and trending tracks has improved. It's easier to find popular new music within specific genres than before. Still not Spotify-level but better.
Embed and share flexibility
SoundCloud tracks embed easily anywhere - websites, blogs, social media. The player widget is recognizable and functional. For artists promoting music, the shareability is excellent.
Instagram and social integration
Sharing SoundCloud tracks to Instagram stories and other social platforms works but the integration isn't as slick as Spotify's. The sharing experience could be more polished.
Still the launchpad for artists
Despite competition, SoundCloud remains where many artists launch their careers. The low barrier to uploading, the engaged community, and the discovery potential make it the musician's starting line.
Needs to find sustainable business model
SoundCloud has nearly gone bankrupt multiple times. The platform's survival isn't guaranteed. Using it for music discovery while maintaining presence elsewhere is the prudent approach.
Showing 1-20 of 12,847 reviews
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Last updated: April 2026