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Music · head to head

REAPER vs SoundHound

REAPER logo

REAPER

Music

Full digital audio workstation with a 60 day evaluation and a USD 60 personal licence

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: REAPER the USD 60 discounted licence requires that yearly gross revenue does not exceed USD 20,000, above which the commercial licence at USD 225 applies; 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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which REAPER and SoundHound actually diverge.

Attributes where REAPER and SoundHound differ
AttributeREAPERSoundHound
Pricing modelone-timeFree with ads; no consumer subscription, company revenue comes from enterprise voice AI licensing
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxiOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 REAPER

Nothing recorded that SoundHound does not also cover.

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.

REAPER

  • Music productionnot SoundHound
  • Audio recordingnot SoundHound
  • Audio editingnot SoundHound
  • Post productionnot SoundHound
  • Podcast editingnot SoundHound

SoundHound

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

Where each one falls short

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

REAPER

  • The USD 60 discounted licence requires that yearly gross revenue does not exceed USD 20,000, above which the commercial licence at USD 225 applies
  • The commercial licence at USD 225 is nearly four times the discounted one for identical software, since the price is set by who is using it rather than by what it does
  • The evaluation lasts 60 days, after which continued use requires a purchased licence
  • Sold as a paid licence with no free tier beyond the evaluation period

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

REAPER

Free
  • Discounted License$60/one-time
    • For individuals using REAPER personally
    • For businesses with yearly gross revenue under 20000 USD
    • For educational and non-profit organizations
  • Commercial License$225/one-time
    • For commercial use by businesses exceeding revenue threshold
    • Includes free upgrades through REAPER version 8.99

SoundHound

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

Which should you pick?

Choose REAPER if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
REAPER 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 REAPER or SoundHound better?
Neither clearly leads. REAPER starts at Free and SoundHound at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, REAPER or SoundHound?
REAPER starts at Free and SoundHound at Free.
Does REAPER or SoundHound run on more platforms?
REAPER runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. SoundHound runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use REAPER for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is REAPER best used for?
REAPER is most often used for music production, audio recording, audio editing, post production. Of those, music production and audio recording are not what SoundHound is typically brought in for.
What can REAPER do that SoundHound cannot?
SoundHound covers Audio fingerprint matching, Hum-to-search, Lyrics and artist info, Streaming service links.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

REAPER: How much does REAPER cost?

REAPER costs 60 USD for a discounted license (individuals, non-profits, organizations under 20000 USD annual revenue) or 225 USD for commercial use. All licenses include free updates through version 8.99.

Source
SoundHound: Is SoundHound free?

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

REAPER: Can I try REAPER before buying?

Yes, REAPER offers a 60-day full evaluation period with no artificial feature limitations, allowing you to test all capabilities before purchasing.

Source
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.

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.

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