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Music & Audio Apps · head to head

Bandcamp vs YouTube

Bandcamp logo

Bandcamp

Music & Audio Apps

An artist-first music platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
YouTube logo

YouTube

Entertainment

Video sharing and streaming platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bandcamp the vendor's own About page as captured by the Internet Archive on 20 November 2021 stated that when a fan buys something on Bandcamp, an average of 82 percent of the money goes to the artist or label, with the remainder covering Bandcamp's revenue share and payment processor fees; this is an average figure rather than a fixed per-sale rate and the capture is several years old; YouTube youTube Premium/Music subscriptions bill through the App Store with a stated auto-renewal clause: renewal charges are applied within 24 hours of the current period ending unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before that point, and no price figure is disclosed in the listing itself.
  • They diverge on capability: Bandcamp covers Music streaming, YouTube covers Video hosting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bandcamp and YouTube actually diverge.

Attributes where Bandcamp and YouTube differ
AttributeBandcampYouTube
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles
CategoryMusic & Audio AppsEntertainment
Founded20082005

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bandcamp

  • Music streaming
  • Downloads
  • Artist support
  • Merchandise
  • Community
  • Payment processing
  • Artist tools
  • Secure payments

Only in YouTube

  • Video hosting
  • Live streaming
  • Content discovery
  • Creator tools
  • Analytics
  • Google services
  • Creator tools
  • Third-party apps

Both cover

  • Social media
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bandcamp

  • Artist discoverynot YouTube
  • Music supportnot YouTube

YouTube

  • Video sharingnot Bandcamp
  • Content marketingnot Bandcamp
  • Educationnot Bandcamp
  • Entertainmentnot Bandcamp
  • Live streamingnot Bandcamp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bandcamp

  • The vendor's own About page as captured by the Internet Archive on 20 November 2021 stated that when a fan buys something on Bandcamp, an average of 82 percent of the money goes to the artist or label, with the remainder covering Bandcamp's revenue share and payment processor fees; this is an average figure rather than a fixed per-sale rate and the capture is several years old

YouTube

  • YouTube Premium/Music subscriptions bill through the App Store with a stated auto-renewal clause: renewal charges are applied within 24 hours of the current period ending unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before that point, and no price figure is disclosed in the listing itself.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bandcamp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited listening
    • Artist support

YouTube

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited video watching
    • Basic video uploads
    • Community features
  • YouTube Premium$11.99/month
    • Ad-free videos
    • Background play
    • YouTube Music included

Which should you pick?

Choose Bandcamp if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want downloads.
Bandcamp review

Choose YouTube if

  • You need video hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
  • You also want live streaming.
YouTube review

Questions people ask

Is Bandcamp or YouTube better?
Neither clearly leads. Bandcamp starts at Free and YouTube at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bandcamp or YouTube?
Bandcamp starts at Free and YouTube at Free.
Does Bandcamp or YouTube run on more platforms?
Bandcamp runs on Web, Ios, Android. YouTube runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Gaming-consoles.
Can I use Bandcamp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bandcamp best used for?
Bandcamp is most often used for artist discovery, music support. Of those, artist discovery and music support are not what YouTube is typically brought in for.
What can Bandcamp do that YouTube cannot?
Bandcamp covers Music streaming, Downloads, Artist support, Merchandise. YouTube covers Video hosting, Live streaming, Content discovery, Creator tools. Both handle Social media, Web support, Ios support, Android support.
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Related pages

More on Bandcamp

More on YouTube

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