Bensound vs Pond5
Bensound
bensound.com
Pond5
pond5.comSide by side
| Figure | Bensound | Pond5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $9.92/mo | $10/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 10 |
| Spec score · Stock Music Libraries | 8.2 (#6) | 7.4 (#30) |
| Support | Customers can contact support through the contact form for license, copyright claim and custom licensing assistance. | The enterprise page says a dedicated Creative Partner is available for questions and research requests; general customer support is reachable at [email protected]. |
Plans
Bensound
- Free License with AttributionFree
- Individual All Access$119 a year
- Professional All Access$239 a year
- Business All Access$479 a year
- EnterprisePriced on request
Pond5
- Pay per asset — illustrations$1, paid once
- Pay per asset — photos$1, paid once
- Pay per asset — sound effects$2, paid once
- Pay per asset — music$3, paid once
- Pay per asset — After Effects$5, paid once
- Pay per asset — Photoshop PSD$5, paid once
- Music$10 a month
- Music & SFX$15 a month
- Pay per asset — video$39, paid once
- Footage Plus$199 a month
In their own words
Bensound
Bensound is a web library of royalty-free music and sound effects for creative projects. Its Free License with Attribution applies to selected tracks in the Free Music section for qualifying uses, with a single-use attribution requirement. All Access subscriptions allow unlimited downloads from the library for one year; subscribers can choose high-quality MP3 or uncompressed WAV files and receive license certificates. Projects published while a subscription is active retain their licenses indefinitely. Bensound lists YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch and Vimeo as cleared video platforms. Paid licenses and subscriptions include YouTube channel whitelisting, though the number of channels varies by plan. Business options cover unlimited client work; individual and professional plans have different channel allowances. Remixing audio or using it to create songs or music productions is prohibited. Organizations with more than 250 employees need an Enterprise License tailored to their requirements. The service is web-based and accepts credit and debit card payments; support for licensing, copyright claims and custom licensing is available through a contact form.
Pond5
Pond5 is a marketplace for royalty-free media aimed at video creators, filmmakers, media organizations and marketers. Its catalog includes video, music, sound effects, After Effects templates, photos, illustrations and Photoshop PSD assets. Buyers can purchase individual items or use subscriptions. Listed starting prices per asset are 1.00 USD for photos and illustrations, 2.00 USD for sound effects, 3.00 USD for music, 5.00 USD for After Effects templates and Photoshop PSDs, and 39.00 USD for video. Music costs $10 a month, Music & SFX costs $15 a month, and Footage Plus costs $199 a month. Subscription downloads are limited; Footage Plus lists 10 per month, while Music and Music & SFX list 50. Pond5's Free Collection includes more than 3,000 complimentary clips, images and tracks. Purchases include an Individual License for worldwide personal or business use, with media usable forever across unlimited projects. Enterprise options include visual search, team activity controls and integrations; its API offers partner platforms custom licensing, pricing and content selection.