Bandcamp and SoundCloud are two of the best platforms for such purposes, but which one is better?
Both are undeniably great for people who want to stream and upload music. They offer several benefits both to the listeners and the creators by providing simple-to-use apps that connect the international music scene.
If you are a die-hard music fan who lives, eats, and breathes music, you might be curious to know which is better. The same goes for those artists who want their work to be known to many people.
This article will compare Bandcamp and SoundCloud from the perspectives of both audiences and performers, so keep reading below to learn more!
Bandcamp For Listeners
It Is Free
Bandcamp provides a free version of the app, which grants you access to a wide range of music with its free version.
To sign up, you only need an active email address. Simply enter your email address, choose a passcode and a username, and you’re ready to start looking for those special tunes.
Moreover, its multi-device availability means that you can download and open Bandcamp from all kinds of devices – iOS, Androids, and so on.
Simple To Use
The Bandcamp UI (user interface) is amazing. Users can instantly narrow down their search for new artists thanks to the search window at the top of the screen.
The search window allows for filtered searches; for example, you can look for new songs from a specific genre, or a song from a particular album you love, or even look for a certain song right away.
Alternatively, you can browse the lists the app offers with recommendations of artists you might like. The site’s navigation is really as simple as that.
Option To Stream Or Purchase
Users are not forced to buy a song for which they know nothing about. Bandcamp lets its users listen to its music for free.
If you are into a song and would like to replay it later, you can buy it and download it to your preferred device. With Bandcamp, you can stream as many songs as you choose for free or buy music to download.
Soundcloud For Listeners
It Is Free To Sign Up
SoundCloud provides a free version for multiple devices, the same as Bandcamp. With a couple of alternative options, signing up to the platform can be done in no time and without breaking a sweat.
You can use your Apple ID, Facebook, or Google login information to sign in to SoundCloud, or you can sign up for a new account. No matter which way you choose to do it, a free account is what you get.
It Offers Great UI
You can navigate and listen to countless different musical acts with your free account. Simply enter a genre and you’ll be presented with an infinite list of tunes you can listen to right away.
You can also use keyword phrases or find a song by using the specific band’s name or track listing.
Options To Stream Or Purchase
With SoundCloud, you can either instantly listen to songs or buy them to listen to them offline whenever you want to.
If you choose to listen to songs on SoundCloud online, you will, of course, have access to unlimited songs for free.
Bandcamp For Artists
Opportunity To Earn A Living
An artist uploading their music on Bandcamp has complete power over digital download costs with Bandcamp for creatives.
They can set their own price, or they can give their music away for free in return for an email address to include in their promo email list.
Artists receive 85 percent of the proceeds from every purchase. Moreover, if people want to support the artists without purchasing their songs, they can always tip them, thanks to the convenient, online “virtual tip jar” feature.
With the free version, though, artists should either list all their songs for purchase or have them all freely available. It is not possible to combine the two.
Online Store
Bandcamp has an online store where artists can sell songs, merch, and tickets for their gigs. This is a fantastic option for creatives looking to make a living.
Bandcamp Live
Live-streaming events are possible with Bandcamp. You can organize live shows on the platform by using the “Live” option. This function also involves a fan group chat and a virtual merchandise table.
Bandcamp Pro
If an artist chooses a Bandcamp Pro account, their monthly subscription fee guarantees a personalized domain name as well as useful demographic data. With this account, they can easily mix up free music with paid downloads.
SoundCloud For Artists
Account Options To Meet All Artists’ Needs
SoundCloud comes with three options for an artist plan. The free plan is ideal for those with little content to share (anything that is up to 3 hours).
The other two account options are paid; the Pro account lets artists upload and host up to 6 hours of music or podcasts on SoundCloud, whereas the Pro Unlimited is, as its name suggests, unlimited.
Monetization
SoundCloud’s free version doesn’t let artists monetize their music.
Moreover, the content shared must be completely original. SoundCloud does not permit the commercialization of remixes or podcasts.
Not only that, but to monetize their content, creatives need to also have thousands of followers every month and at least 400 pieces of content uploaded over the past month.
Fan Support
The “Fan Support Button” on SoundCloud is a nice tool that lets fans of your music pay their respects to your art. They can make a financial contribution by pressing the link that connects to your PayPal, Patreon, etc.
You will receive the entire amount. SoundCloud does not profit from money donated to artists.
Statistics And Analytics
Pro User and Pro Unlimited customers get access to valuable statistical data that will provide artists with insights into which tunes are the most streamed ones, who their best followers are, and how many plays come from link-building.
Other Alternatives to Consider:
The Bottom Line – SoundCloud Vs Bandcamp
Both SoundCloud and Bandcamp are excellent resources if you want to discover new artists, particularly those that produce music that stays outside of the mainstream zone.
While listeners might be quite alike, if you are an artist looking to sell your music, it’s up to you to decide which one suits your needs.
