How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Audiomack is the best free music download app, with unlimited free offline downloads on its free tier.
- Trebel suits mainstream legal offline downloads, earned by watching ads rather than paying.
- Bandcamp suits supporting independent artists directly, with many releases offered at name-your-price including $0.
- SoundCloud suits indie and emerging tracks, with many artists enabling free download on individual tracks.
- Jamendo suits royalty-free and Creative Commons discovery from independent artists.
- Free Music Archive suits curated Creative Commons music for listening and content creation.
- Musopen suits public domain and Creative Commons classical recordings plus sheet music.
- Internet Archive suits live concerts, historic recordings, and netlabel releases.
- Honest limit: free tiers of Spotify and YouTube Music do NOT allow offline downloads. Downloads are a paid feature there. This article covers legal sources only. Downloading copyrighted music without permission is illegal and risky, with malware, poor quality, and legal consequences.
Quick comparison
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best apps to download music for free
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Audiomack is the best free music download app, with unlimited free offline downloads on its free tier. Unlike Spotify or YouTube Music, Audiomack lets free users download tracks for offline listening without paying, and background playback works on the free tier too. The catalog is strongest in hip-hop, Afrobeats, and emerging artist content, which suits listeners in those genres.
The trade off is catalog breadth. Major-label catalog is thinner than Spotify, and the free tier shows ads. For free offline listening, Audiomack is unmatched.
What we like- Unlimited free offline downloads
- Strong hip-hop and Afrobeats catalog
- Background playback on free tier
Watch out for- Catalog skews to hip-hop and emerging artists
- Major-label catalog is thinner
- Ads on free tier
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Trebel suits mainstream legal offline downloads without a subscription. Users earn downloads by watching ads, then play downloaded tracks offline. It is the best option for listeners who want mainstream tracks offline without paying a monthly fee.
The limits are ads and availability. Ads are frequent and required to earn downloads, and Trebel is not available worldwide. Catalog varies by region. For ad-supported mainstream downloads, Trebel is the best legal pick.
What we like- Legal mainstream offline downloads
- No subscription needed
- Downloads earned by watching ads
Watch out for- Ads are frequent and required to earn downloads
- Not available worldwide
- Catalog varies by region
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Bandcamp suits listeners who want to own high-quality files and support artists directly. Many artists offer releases at name-your-price, including $0, and downloads come in FLAC, MP3, and ALAC formats. Money goes directly to creators, which makes Bandcamp the best option for supporting independent artists.
The trade off is catalog. Not every release is fully playable free, and the catalog is indie-focused rather than major-label. For owning files and supporting artists, Bandcamp is the best choice.
What we like- Many releases at name-your-price including $0
- Downloads in FLAC, MP3, and ALAC
- Money goes directly to artists
Watch out for- Not every release is fully playable free
- Catalog is indie-focused
- No subscription catalog
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
SoundCloud suits indie and emerging tracks, with hundreds of millions of tracks from independent artists, DJs, and producers. Many artists enable free download on individual tracks, shown as a free download link under the waveform, and background playback works on the free tier.
The limits are download scope. Some tracks are preview-only, quality varies across uploads, and offline downloads for most tracks are a paid feature. For discovery and artist-enabled free downloads, SoundCloud is hard to beat.
What we like- Massive indie catalog
- Many artists enable free download on tracks
- Background playback on free tier
Watch out for- Some tracks are preview-only
- Quality varies
- Offline downloads are a paid feature for most tracks
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Jamendo suits royalty-free and Creative Commons discovery from independent artists. Music is free for personal use, with commercial licenses available for creators who need music for projects. It is a strong source for background music and for listeners who enjoy independent sounds.
The trade off is mainstream appeal. Jamendo has less mainstream music and a smaller catalog than SoundCloud, and discovery takes more effort. For legal Creative Commons downloads, Jamendo is a solid pick.
What we like- Independent artists licensing under Creative Commons
- Free for personal use
- Commercial licenses available
Watch out for- Less mainstream music
- Smaller catalog than SoundCloud
- Discovery takes more effort
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Free Music Archive suits curated Creative Commons music for listening and content creation. The catalog is genre-organized and curated, which helps creators find background music with clear licensing. Downloads are free, and licensing terms are stated per track.
The limits are mainstream appeal and search. There is no mainstream catalog, search is basic, and download quality varies by upload. For curated legal downloads, Free Music Archive is a good source.
What we like- Curated Creative Commons catalog
- Genre-organized
- Great for content creators needing background music
Watch out for- No mainstream catalog
- Search is basic
- Download quality varies by upload
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Musopen suits public domain and Creative Commons classical recordings plus sheet music. It is the best source for free classical downloads, with recordings and scores available without payment. Students, teachers, and classical listeners get real value here.
The trade off is scope. Musopen covers classical music only, with a smaller catalog than general platforms, and recording quality varies. For classical downloads, Musopen is the best free option.
What we like- Public domain and Creative Commons classical recordings
- Sheet music included
- Free downloads
Watch out for- Classical only
- Smaller catalog than general platforms
- Recording quality varies
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Internet Archive suits live concerts, historic recordings, and netlabel releases. Its audio archive holds a massive collection of live concert recordings, 78rpm digitizations, netlabel releases, and podcasts, all free to download. For rare and historic audio, nothing else compares.
The limits are search and quality. Search can feel clunky, quality varies widely across uploads, and there is no mainstream studio catalog. For historic and live audio downloads, Internet Archive is unmatched.
What we like- Massive collection of live concerts, 78rpm digitizations, netlabels, and podcasts
- Free downloads
- Historic recordings
Watch out for- Search can feel clunky
- Quality varies widely
- No mainstream studio catalog
How we chose
We compared legal download availability, catalog breadth, offline playback, format quality, and licensing clarity. Apps that offer free streaming but no free downloads, such as Spotify Free and YouTube Music Free, were excluded from the tool list and noted as streaming-only options. We favored platforms with clear artist licensing and noted where downloads require ads, payment, or specific licenses. We did not test any app hands-on, and prices here reflect published list prices that vendors change often.
Buying guide: what to check before you pay
Start with what you actually need. If you want offline listening without paying, Audiomack and Trebel are the only strong free options. If you want files you own, Bandcamp, Jamendo, Free Music Archive, Musopen, and Internet Archive offer real downloads. Next, check licensing. Creative Commons and public domain tracks carry clear terms, while artist-enabled SoundCloud downloads depend on each artist choice. Ask about catalog fit too, since Audiomack skews to hip-hop and Afrobeats while Musopen covers classical only. Check format quality as well, since Bandcamp offers FLAC and ALAC while other platforms vary. Finally, avoid grey-area downloaders. Stick to app stores and platforms with visible licensing agreements with rights holders, since unlicensed downloaders carry malware and legal risk.
Also check whether downloads stay playable if you switch devices. Some app downloads play only inside the app, while Bandcamp and archive downloads give you files you can move anywhere. Owned files are worth more than app-locked downloads, especially if you build a large offline library over time. A library of files you control survives app changes, subscription cancellations, and catalog removals, which streaming downloads never do, and that durability is the real advantage of legal downloads, for any listener building a lasting collection over many years.
Frequently asked questions
Can I download music for offline listening for free?
Yes, on Audiomack and Trebel, and through artist-approved downloads on Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Jamendo, Free Music Archive, Musopen, and Internet Archive. Free tiers of Spotify, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Pandora do not offer offline downloads.
What is the best free music download app for Android?
Audiomack is the best free download app for Android, with unlimited free offline downloads. Trebel is the best ad-supported option for mainstream tracks. Both are available in the Google Play Store.
Is it legal to download free music?
Yes, when the artist or rights holder offers the download, or when the music is Creative Commons or public domain. Downloading copyrighted music without permission is illegal and risky, with malware, poor quality, and legal consequences.
Does Spotify Free allow downloads?
No. Spotify Free gives the full catalog with ads and shuffle-only playback on mobile, but no offline download. Offline downloads require a paid Spotify Premium subscription at about $10 to $11 per month.
Which free music app lets me listen with the screen off?
SoundCloud, Deezer, Amazon Music, and Pandora allow background playback on their free tiers. YouTube Music does not, since it stops when you lock the phone unless you pay for Premium.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.
Audiomack
Trebel
Bandcamp
SoundCloud
Jamendo
Free Music Archive
Musopen
Internet Archive