Freesound vs SoundBits

Freesound is a collaborative web library and API for audio snippets, samples, recordings, and other sounds shared under Creative Commons licenses. Users can search by keyword or find sounds resembling a reference, and explore packs, collections, tags, charts, a map, and a forum. Community members can upload and download sounds and interact with sound artists. Files are available in MP3, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, AIFF, and WAV formats. Each uploader selects CC0, CC BY, or CC BY-NC, so commercial-use permissions and attribution requirements vary by sound. Downloading requires a registered account. The API can search and retrieve sound, pack, and user information, access audio features, and support uploads, comments, and ratings; an API key is required. API call volumes may be limited, and commercial API terms are negotiated case by case with Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Institutions seeking large datasets are directed to the Data Packs Portal. Freesound's homepage lists 737,070 sounds, while its catalog listing gives 736,091. The service is based in Barcelona, Spain.

SoundBits is a web service offering sound-effects libraries and bundles for multimedia projects. Its free Sound Effects Collection contains 285 files in a 2.1 GB download and includes metadata. These sounds may be used in linear commercial or non-commercial projects. The Starter Pack costs 10.00 EUR once, provides a selection from an original library, and includes a 10€ coupon toward that library. Paid library sounds carry a lifetime, worldwide, royalty-free synchronization license that is non-transferable and non-exclusive. The license covers musical, video game, and multimedia projects without a limit on usage frequency. Files arrive as BWF-tagged WAV, mostly 24-bit/96 kHz. Just Whoosh includes metadata and follows the Universal Category System. One purchaser may use sounds on two same-owner workstations; additional users need licenses. Downloads follow PayPal payment, and downloaded sales are final except at SoundBits’ discretion.