Softwr

Music · head to head

Cubase vs SoundHound

Cubase logo

Cubase

Music

Steinberg workstation with the strongest score editor of any DAW, now licensed without a USB dongle

From
$99.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SoundHound logo

SoundHound

Music

Song identification app that can match hummed or sung melodies, from SoundHound AI

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SoundHound has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cubase steinberg Licensing ties activations to an account across up to three machines, so an isolated or air-gapped studio computer needs the offline activation procedure rather than a carried dongle, and that procedure must be repeated whenever the hardware is rebuilt.; SoundHound the consumer app is a secondary product for a company whose real revenue and investment focus is enterprise voice AI licensing, and consumer feature development has been comparatively modest as a result.
  • They diverge on capability: Cubase covers Score editor, SoundHound covers Audio fingerprint matching.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cubase and SoundHound actually diverge.

Attributes where Cubase and SoundHound differ
AttributeCubaseSoundHound
Starting price$99.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseFree with ads; no consumer subscription, company revenue comes from enterprise voice AI licensing
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOSiOS, Android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Music).

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 Cubase

  • Score editor
  • Expression maps
  • VariAudio
  • Chord Track and Chord Pads
  • Logical Editor
  • Video track
  • Steinberg Licensing
  • MixConsole

Only in SoundHound

  • Audio fingerprint matching
  • Hum-to-search
  • Lyrics and artist info
  • Streaming service links
  • Music charts and history
  • Voice search

What people use each for

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

Cubase

  • Writing to picture where the deliverable includes printed parts as well as a mix, because the score comes from the same project rather than a MIDI exportnot SoundHound
  • Driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanesnot SoundHound
  • Studios standardised on Steinberg or Yamaha hardware, where control surface integration is already builtnot SoundHound
  • Replacing a dongle based Cubase installation, where the reason to upgrade is removing the USB key as a single point of failurenot SoundHound

SoundHound

  • Someone wanting to identify a song by humming or singing it when no recorded original is playing nearbynot Cubase
  • A user wanting an alternative to Shazam that also offers voice search for songs and lyricsnot Cubase
  • Someone identifying a song and wanting a direct link to play it on their existing streaming servicenot Cubase
  • A listener wanting to browse trending identification charts across genresnot Cubase

Where each one falls short

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

Cubase

  • Steinberg Licensing ties activations to an account across up to three machines, so an isolated or air-gapped studio computer needs the offline activation procedure rather than a carried dongle, and that procedure must be repeated whenever the hardware is rebuilt.
  • Elements and Artist withhold features most buyers eventually need, including the top VariAudio tier and full surround work, so the realistic price is the Pro edition rather than the entry figure.
  • Projects saved in a newer version cannot be opened in an older one, so studios collaborating with clients on mixed versions have to standardise, and paid upgrades arrive roughly once a year.
  • There is no Linux build and no stated plan for one, so the platform choice is Windows or macOS only and a Linux studio is excluded outright.
  • The interface carries three decades of accumulated windows and dialogs spread across the Project window, MixConsole, Key Editor and Score Editor, so the learning curve is considerably longer than Live or Logic for a new user.

SoundHound

  • The consumer app is a secondary product for a company whose real revenue and investment focus is enterprise voice AI licensing, and consumer feature development has been comparatively modest as a result.
  • The free app carries advertising with no option to pay for an ad-free experience, unlike Shazam, which carries no ads at all.
  • Hum-to-search accuracy depends heavily on how closely a user pitch and rhythm approximate the original melody, and it performs inconsistently on complex or heavily produced songs.
  • As a smaller company relative to Apple, which owns Shazam, SoundHound has less resource depth to invest in its consumer recognition database and matching accuracy over time.
  • The company brand and business have shifted heavily toward voice AI and conversational assistant licensing, so the long-term priority given to the consumer identification app is not guaranteed to remain stable.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cubase

$99.99/one-time
  • Cubase Elements$99.99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Capped audio, MIDI and instrument track counts
    • Reduced editing and mixing tool set
  • Cubase Artist$329.99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Higher track limits than Elements
    • Score editor included
  • Cubase Pro$579.99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Unlimited tracks
    • Full score editor, expression maps and surround

SoundHound

Free
  • SoundHoundFree
    • Unlimited song identification including hum-to-search
    • Ads shown within the app
    • No premium consumer tier

Which should you pick?

Choose Cubase if

  • You need score editor.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want expression maps.
Cubase review

Choose SoundHound if

  • You need audio fingerprint matching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want hum-to-search.
SoundHound review

Questions people ask

Is Cubase or SoundHound better?
Neither clearly leads. Cubase starts at $99.99/one-time and SoundHound at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cubase or SoundHound?
SoundHound has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99.99/one-time for Cubase and Free for SoundHound.
Does Cubase or SoundHound run on more platforms?
Cubase runs on Windows, macOS. SoundHound runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use SoundHound for free?
Yes. SoundHound has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cubase starts at $99.99/one-time.
What is Cubase best used for?
Cubase is most often used for writing to picture where the deliverable includes printed parts as well as a mix, because the score comes from the same project rather than a midi export, driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanes, studios standardised on steinberg or yamaha hardware, where control surface integration is already built, replacing a dongle based cubase installation, where the reason to upgrade is removing the usb key as a single point of failure. Of those, writing to picture where the deliverable includes printed parts as well as a mix, because the score comes from the same project rather than a midi export and driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanes are not what SoundHound is typically brought in for.
What can Cubase do that SoundHound cannot?
Cubase covers Score editor, Expression maps, VariAudio, Chord Track and Chord Pads. SoundHound covers Audio fingerprint matching, Hum-to-search, Lyrics and artist info, Streaming service links.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cubase: Does Cubase still need a USB dongle?

No. From Cubase 12 onwards Steinberg Licensing replaced the eLicenser. Activation runs through the Steinberg Activation Manager on up to three computers.

SoundHound: Is SoundHound free?

Yes, the consumer app is free with ads and no subscription tier.

Cubase: Can I run Cubase on a computer with no internet access?

Yes, but through the offline activation path in the Activation Manager rather than a normal sign in, and you repeat it if the machine is rebuilt. Test it before committing an isolated scoring rig.

SoundHound: What is SoundHound's actual business?

Its primary revenue comes from licensing voice AI and conversational assistant technology to businesses such as automakers and restaurants, not from the consumer identification app.

Cubase: Is Cubase a subscription?

No. Editions are bought outright and keep working. Steinberg charges separately for version upgrades, which appear roughly once a year.

SoundHound: Can SoundHound identify a song from humming?

Yes, it can match a song from humming, singing or whistling, a capability Shazam does not offer.

Cubase: Which edition do I need for scoring work?

Pro. Artist includes a score editor, but Pro is the edition with the full engraving, expression map and surround feature set that media work assumes.

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