Best for: filmmakers, video editors and content creators who need a smaller, premium-quality, 100% exclusive music library where every track feels hand-picked rather than algorithmically added.
Pricing: Creator plan $9.99/mo (annual) or $14.99/mo monthly, unlimited downloads, one channel per platform. Standard plan $24.99/mo (annual) or $59.99/mo monthly, unlimited downloads, broader use. Per-track: $49 Standard, $199 Premium.
Library: 45,000+ exclusive tracks across 30+ genres, 16,000+ sound effects.
Biggest strength: 100% exclusive catalog owned by Shutterstock. Every track is unique to PremiumBeat, making it harder to hear your music used by multiple other creators on the same platform.
Main weakness: Creator plan monetization is limited to one channel total across all platforms, not one channel per platform. This is more restrictive than Epidemic Sound or Artlist at the same price point.
Bottom line: worth it if you value catalog exclusivity and curated quality over sheer volume. If you need multiple monetized channels or a larger library, Epidemic Sound or Artlist are better fits.
PremiumBeat is a royalty-free music and sound effects platform founded in 2005 in Montreal, Canada, by a group of professional musicians and composers. As reported by FootageSecrets’ independent 2026 review, Shutterstock acquired PremiumBeat in 2015 and it has operated as a Shutterstock subsidiary since then. The platform distinguishes itself by offering 100% exclusive and copyright-clear music, meaning all tracks available on the platform are original and not sourced from generic royalty-free music repositories.
The platform has updated its offering significantly since earlier versions of this article. PremiumBeat launched unlimited subscription plans, replacing the old $64.95/mo five-track-per-month model with two new unlimited plans: Creator at $9.99/mo annual and Standard at $24.99/mo annual. This review covers the updated pricing, the licensing differences that matter, the PRO royalty caveat that most reviews miss, and an honest comparison with the main alternatives.
Table of Contents
How We Researched This Review
Pricing verification: all plan prices verified from premiumbeat.com/pricing and cross-referenced against Photutorial (February 2025), FootageSecrets (December 2025) and the Epidemic Sound comparison blog (2026). Note: the old $64.95/mo five-track subscription is discontinued. The current plans are unlimited.
PRO royalty caveat: confirmed from Epidemic Sound’s official comparison blog and Photutorial’s independent review.
Library counts: 45,000+ tracks and 16,000+ sound effects verified from Epidemic Sound’s own comparison of the two platforms.
Monetization limits: Creator plan single-channel monetization limitation verified from Photutorial’s independent review.
PremiumBeat at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2005, Montreal, Canada. Acquired by Shutterstock in 2015. |
| Music tracks | 45,000+ exclusive tracks across 30+ genres |
| Sound effects | 16,000+ sound effects (separate from subscription, purchased individually) |
| Exclusivity | 100% exclusive catalog. Tracks cannot be found on any other platform. |
| Creator plan | $9.99/mo annual or $14.99/mo monthly. Unlimited downloads. One channel total across all platforms. |
| Standard plan | $24.99/mo annual or $59.99/mo monthly. Unlimited downloads. Broader use cases. |
| Per-track Standard | $49 per track. Perpetual, unlimited use in one project. |
| Per-track Premium | $199 per track. TV, radio, broadcast, apps, games, film trailers. |
| Sound effects per-item | $5 Standard, $20 Premium |
| Free plan | No free plan. A small selection of free tracks is available without account. |
| Formats | MP3, WAV, AIFF. Full tracks, loops, stems and shorts included. |
| SFX in subscription | No. Sound effects are purchased separately even on a subscription plan. |
| Affiliate programme | Yes, route via ThirstyAffiliates |
Music Library: 45,000+ Exclusive Tracks
As reported by Photutorial’s independent review, PremiumBeat’s catalog includes 45,000+ tracks plus 16,000+ sound effects. The key word is exclusive. Every track on PremiumBeat is commissioned and owned exclusively by Shutterstock, which means you will not find any of these tracks on Artlist, Epidemic Sound, Soundstripe or any other platform.
This exclusivity cuts both ways. On the positive side, your project is less likely to use the exact same background music as another creator’s video on the same platform. On the less positive side, the catalog is smaller than competitors who licence tracks from a broader pool of artists.
Search and filter options cover:
- Genre: 30+ genres from acoustic and ambient through cinematic, classical, electronic, hip-hop, jazz, pop, rock and trailer
- Mood: happy, dramatic, mysterious, uplifting, aggressive, relaxed, romantic, inspirational, dark, funny and more
- BPM: filter by tempo range for specific rhythmic needs
- Duration: filter by track length from under 30 seconds to over 3 minutes
- Popularity and most recent: sort by listener activity or newest additions
Each track page includes a waveform preview, genre and mood tags, available versions (full track, loops, stems, shorts) and a direct add-to-cart button. Find a track, pick a license, pay once, use forever is the per-track model.
Curated collections group tracks by project type, from wedding videos and travel vlogs to horror films and corporate presentations, which saves time for creators who prefer browsing by project rather than searching by genre.
The PRO Royalty Caveat (What Most Reviews Miss)
Pricing: Subscription Plans and Per-Track Licenses
PremiumBeat offers two ways to access music: unlimited subscription plans or per-track purchases. Both models have their use cases depending on how often you need music.
| Plan or option | Annual price | Monthly price | Key notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creator (subscription) | $9.99/mo | $14.99/mo | Unlimited music downloads. One channel total (one YouTube OR one Instagram, not both). Not for client work. |
| Standard (subscription) | $24.99/mo | $59.99/mo | Unlimited music downloads. Broader monetization and commercial use. Check premiumbeat.com/license for exact scope. |
| Per-track Standard | $49 per track | $49 per track | Perpetual license. Unlimited use in one project. Online and social media, up to 500,000 views. |
| Per-track Premium | $199 per track | $199 per track | Perpetual license. TV, radio, broadcast, film trailers, apps, games. No view limit. |
| Sound effects Standard | $5 per SFX | $5 per SFX | Purchased individually. Not included in any subscription plan. |
| Sound effects Premium | $20 per SFX | $20 per SFX | Broadcast and TV use. Not included in any subscription plan. |
One important thing to check before subscribing: the Creator plan allows monetization on a single channel, regardless of the platform. This means one YouTube OR one Instagram, not one channel per platform. This is more restrictive than competitors like Artlist and Epidemic Sound, which offer entry-level plans that permit one channel per platform. If you publish on multiple channels or platforms, the Standard plan or a competitor may be the right choice.
Sound effects are not included with either subscription plan and must be purchased separately at $5 to $20 per effect. This is an important practical difference from Epidemic Sound (250,000+ SFX included) and Artlist (SFX included in combined plans).
PremiumBeat Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 100% exclusive catalog. Tracks cannot be found on any other platform. | Creator plan covers only one channel total, not one per platform. More restrictive than Epidemic Sound or Artlist at the same price. |
| New unlimited subscription plans. Old 5-downloads/month model is gone. Now truly unlimited on both plans. | Sound effects not included in any subscription. Must be purchased individually at $5 to $20 each. |
| Shutterstock ownership means consistent professional curation standards and long-term stability | PRO royalty involvement on broadcast use. Not fully royalty-free at the TV and cinema level unlike Epidemic Sound or Artlist. |
| Downloads include full tracks, loops, stems and shorts on all subscription plans | Smaller library (45,000 tracks) than Epidemic Sound (55,000+), Artlist (300,000+) or Soundstripe (10,000+ but more affordable) |
| Per-track model with perpetual license is useful for one-off projects without subscribing | No free plan, only a small selection of free tracks available without account |
| Strong mood-based and project-type collections make discovery easy for specific film and video use cases | No AI tools, no footage, no stems on per-track purchases (stems only available on subscription downloads) |
PremiumBeat vs the Alternatives
| PremiumBeat | Epidemic Sound | Artlist | Mixkit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $9.99/mo (annual) | $9.99/mo (annual) | $9.99/mo (annual) | Free |
| Music tracks | 45,000+ (exclusive) | 55,000+ | 300,000+ | 1,000+ |
| SFX in subscription | No (extra cost) | Yes (250,000+) | Yes (combined plans) | Yes (3,000+) |
| Entry-level channels | One channel total | One per platform | One per platform | All (free) |
| Perpetual license | Per-track only | No | Yes | Yes (free) |
| Best for | Exclusive curated catalog | YouTube safety, large SFX | All-in-one, perpetual | Free starter library |
As reported by Photutorial’s independent review, PremiumBeat starts at the same $9.99/mo as Epidemic Sound, Artlist and Soundstripe, but its licensing terms are less generous at the entry level, particularly regarding monetization across multiple social media channels. For a fuller comparison see our Epidemic Sound review, Artlist review and best royalty-free music sites guide.
Who Should Use PremiumBeat?
PremiumBeat works best in two specific scenarios. First, creators who value exclusivity above catalog size. If the thought of hearing your chosen track in someone else’s video on the same platform bothers you, the 100% exclusive catalog is a genuine practical differentiator. Every track on PremiumBeat is unavailable anywhere else.
Second, creators who need music for one-off projects without subscribing. The per-track model at $49 Standard or $199 Premium gives a perpetual license for a single project payment. This is practical for occasional video editors who do not need a monthly commitment and who want a clean, simple license for a specific film or campaign.
For creators who publish regularly on multiple channels, Epidemic Sound’s Creator plan at the same price point covers one channel per platform rather than one total, which is a meaningful practical improvement. For creators who need both music and footage under one license, Artlist Max at $39.99/mo covers both. For free music to test workflows, see our Mixkit review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PremiumBeat free? PremiumBeat does not have a free plan. A small selection of free tracks is available on the site without an account, but the full library requires a paid subscription or per-track purchase. Creator plan starts at $9.99 a month on annual billing.
How much does PremiumBeat cost? The Creator plan is $9.99 a month on annual billing or $14.99 a month on monthly billing, with unlimited downloads. The Standard plan is $24.99 a month on annual billing or $59.99 a month on monthly billing. Per-track licenses are $49 for Standard and $199 for Premium. Sound effects are $5 (Standard) or $20 (Premium) per effect. Verify current pricing at premiumbeat.com/pricing.
Are sound effects included with the subscription? No. Sound effects are purchased separately even on subscription plans. This is a meaningful practical difference compared to Epidemic Sound (250,000+ SFX included) and Artlist (SFX included in combined plans). The PremiumBeat SFX catalog has 16,000+ effects at $5 or $20 each.
Can I use PremiumBeat on YouTube without copyright claims? Yes. PremiumBeat music is cleared for YouTube, social media, online ads and podcasts. The Creator plan covers one YouTube channel. If you have multiple YouTube channels, you need the Standard plan. For channel-specific whitelisting (automatic claim release without description links), Epidemic Sound is more reliable.
What is the difference between Standard and Premium licenses? The per-track Standard license ($49) covers online and social media use including YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and podcasts, up to 500,000 views. The per-track Premium license ($199) covers expanded distribution including TV, radio, broadcast, film trailers, apps and games with no view limit. Always check premiumbeat.com/license for the full and current scope before purchasing.
Is PremiumBeat owned by Shutterstock? Yes. Shutterstock acquired PremiumBeat in 2015. PremiumBeat operates as a standalone platform at premiumbeat.com with its own library and subscription structure, separate from Shutterstock’s main stock media site.
Creator plan from $9.99/mo annual. Per-track from $49. Free tracks available without account.
Visit PremiumBeat →
Related: Best Royalty-Free Music Sites | Epidemic Sound Review | Artlist Review | Filmstro Review | Mixkit Review | AI Music vs Royalty-Free
Sources used in this article: PremiumBeat Official Pricing Page (premiumbeat.com/pricing) PremiumBeat Official License Page (premiumbeat.com/license) Epidemic Sound: PremiumBeat vs Epidemic Sound Comparison Blog, 2026 (epidemicsound.com) Photutorial: PremiumBeat Review, February 2025 (photutorial.com) FootageSecrets: PremiumBeat Unlimited Subscription Launch (footagesecrets.com) SoftwareOne Marketplace: PremiumBeat by Shutterstock Overview (softwareone.com)