Softwr

Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head

SoundCloud vs Auphonic

SoundCloud logo

SoundCloud

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Discover, stream, and share music

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Auphonic logo

Auphonic

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Automated audio mastering and loudness processing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SoundCloud the free tier plays tracks with ads; Auphonic the free tier covers 2 hours of processed audio a month
  • They diverge on capability: SoundCloud covers Audio streaming, Auphonic covers Automatic loudness optimization.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SoundCloud and Auphonic actually diverge.

Attributes where SoundCloud and Auphonic differ
AttributeSoundCloudAuphonic
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, DesktopWeb
Founded20072010

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

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 SoundCloud

  • Audio streaming
  • Uploads
  • Discovery
  • Sharing
  • Social media
  • DJ software
  • Privacy settings
  • Content protection

Only in Auphonic

  • Automatic loudness optimization
  • Noise reduction
  • Audio restoration
  • Intelligent processing
  • API integration
  • Auto-upload
  • Podcast hosts
  • Dropbox

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

SoundCloud

  • Discovering tracks from emerging and independent artistsnot Auphonic
  • Uploading your own music to reach listeners directlynot Auphonic
  • Offline listening and ad-free playback on a paid tiernot Auphonic

Auphonic

  • Automatic loudness levelling and noise reduction on podcast audionot SoundCloud
  • Batch processing an archive of recordingsnot SoundCloud
  • Generating transcripts and chapters from an episodenot SoundCloud
  • Producing consistent output across multiple formats from one uploadnot SoundCloud

Where each one falls short

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

SoundCloud

  • The free tier plays tracks with ads
  • Offline saving of tracks requires a SoundCloud Go or Go+ subscription
  • Premium Go+ tracks are locked behind the higher Go+ tier, so SoundCloud Go alone does not unlock the full catalogue
  • Exclusive DJ app integrations require Go+
  • The app is available in only eight languages: English, Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Arabic
  • The iOS app requires iOS 16.4 or later

Auphonic

  • The free tier covers 2 hours of processed audio a month
  • Billing is by audio duration with a 3 minute minimum per production, so many short clips cost more than the running time suggests
  • Multilingual speech recognition, automatic chapters and show notes all require a paid plan
  • Watch folders, batch productions and team accounts are paid features
  • Free output carries an Auphonic jingle

Pricing, plan by plan

SoundCloud

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited uploads
    • Ads
  • Go$5.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Offline
  • Go+$12.99/month
    • Full catalog
    • HQ audio

Auphonic

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 hours/month processing
    • Basic mastering
    • Download files
  • Personal$10/month
    • 50 hours/month
    • Advanced mastering
    • API access

Which should you pick?

Choose SoundCloud if

  • You need audio streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want uploads.
SoundCloud review

Choose Auphonic if

  • You need automatic loudness optimization.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want noise reduction.
Auphonic review

Questions people ask

Is SoundCloud or Auphonic better?
Neither clearly leads. SoundCloud starts at Free and Auphonic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SoundCloud or Auphonic?
SoundCloud starts at Free and Auphonic at Free.
Does SoundCloud or Auphonic run on more platforms?
SoundCloud runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop. Auphonic runs on Web.
Can I use SoundCloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SoundCloud best used for?
SoundCloud is most often used for discovering tracks from emerging and independent artists, uploading your own music to reach listeners directly, offline listening and ad-free playback on a paid tier. Of those, discovering tracks from emerging and independent artists and uploading your own music to reach listeners directly are not what Auphonic is typically brought in for.
What can SoundCloud do that Auphonic cannot?
SoundCloud covers Audio streaming, Uploads, Discovery, Sharing. Auphonic covers Automatic loudness optimization, Noise reduction, Audio restoration, Intelligent processing. Both handle Web support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on SoundCloud

More on Auphonic

Keep looking

Other head to heads