Lickd or Epidemic Sound For YouTube Videos?
As an African creator, I’ve always been budget-conscious—something many of us can relate to. We’re constantly weighing value for money, especially when it comes to investing in our creative tools, and has influenced how I source my music for YouTube videos.
I started, like many do, with YouTube’s free audio library, then moved on to Epidemic Sound, and eventually landed on Lickd – each step driven by my growing needs and appreciation for sound quality. Here’s how I’ve found value in each platform:
LICKD FOR COMMERCIAL MUSIC
To date, I haven’t come across another platform that offers licensing for mainstream music at this level. That said, the catalog is still relatively small, and it’s not uncommon for me to search for a specific track and come up empty-handed. Even so, the pricing model works well for my workflow:
- $22/month gets you 2 commercial tracks
- $8 per extra track after that
- This can be bought and paid for monthly.
Since I rarely produce more than two videos a month due to time constraints, the basic creator plan gives me solid value without overspending. For commercially licensed music, Lickd is best.
Get 25% off your first chart track with licensed music here.
EPIDEMIC SOUND
Lickd advertises that their library is significantly bigger than Epidemic Sounds, which is true, however I find the quality of the stock music to be far lower.
- $5.99/month IF you pay annually ($71.88), alternatively it’s $8.99/month, which is higher. Unlimited downloads.
- $11.99 if you want to monetize up to 3 channels per platform ($143.88 annually). Alternatively it’s $29.99/month.
Justin Bieber was ripped off for speaking about “expensive sounding sounds”, but he’s right. Some music is just very cheesy, low-quality and predictable. So if you’re not seeking commercially released music, Epidemic Sound is definitely for you – and is also far more affordable than Lickd. (It’s a once off yearly fee.)
Get a free Epidemic Sounds trial here.
JUSTIFYING THE COST
There was a time when I canceled my Lickd subscription as I wasn’t producing enough to justify the cost. But as Rick Rubin’s advice on making the best thing you can with the resources you have motivated me to try create something I actually enjoyed making more than usual. Pop music energizes me, and having access to it helps me stay motivated and inspired.
I’ve also started making a small income from Google ads so I’ve adopted Mr Beast’s philosophy of investing income back into the project you’re trying to develop. Let’s see how I get on by the end of 2025!
EPIDEMIC SOUNDS AND LICKD
I also, however, accidentally renewed my Epidemic Sound licence and decided to keep it due to the quality and low rate that I still qualify for (if I cancel and resubscribe, the rate goes up). So now I have both! This year will be telling to see how long I can stick with it.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you don’t need commercial music, absolutely use Epidemic Sound. If you need commercial AND stock music, explore Lickd’s library before switching to Epidemic Sound. If you agree with me, get both. Happy creating!