Incompetech vs YouTube
Incompetech
incompetech.com
YouTube
youtube.comSide by side
| Figure | Incompetech | YouTube |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $1.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 5 |
| Spec score · Stock Music Libraries | 7.7 (#19) | 8.3 (#5) |
| Privacy | The maker says the site no longer runs Google Ads or site-tracking analytics and has no subscriptions, cookies, or ads. | YouTube says it does not sell personal information and provides controls to review and manage data saved and used across Google services. |
| Support | The contact page directs music questions to the FAQ and says Kevin MacLeod usually replies to brief emails in a day or two. | YouTube directs users to its Help Center, Help Community, and TeamYouTube for troubleshooting and updates. |
Plans
YouTube
- Sports + News Plan$49.99 a month
- YouTube TV$59.99 a month
- Sports Plan$64.99 a month
- 4K Plus$9.99 a month
- More premium TV add-ons$1.99 a month
In their own words
Incompetech
Incompetech provides Kevin MacLeod’s royalty-free music catalog for videos, streams, live productions, films, games, podcasts, and other audio work. Its Creative Commons plan is free and requires crediting the music, including use of the site’s generated credits. The FAQ permits credited use in monetized YouTube videos, streaming sites, and live productions. Users may sing over tracks, cut or splice them, compress or lengthen them, or add instruments, while distinguishing their contributions in credits. Catalog metadata includes title, duration, instruments, genre, BPM, description, mood, ISRC, and collection. Downloads are identified as MP3, with some WAV files potentially available for an extra charge. The maker says the main download exceeds 100 GB and includes alternate takes, stems, MIDI files, and sheet music. Search, a movable mini-player, and JSON catalog data are provided.
YouTube
YouTube is a service for discovering, watching, and sharing videos and other content, as well as a platform for creators and advertisers. People can browse and search without a Google account, though some features require one. Channel owners can upload videos, comment, and make Shorts and playlists; YouTube Studio is the place to post videos and edit a channel. Shorts are vertical videos of 60 seconds or less, alongside longer videos. Recommendations use signals such as viewing behavior, likes, dislikes, subscriptions, and satisfaction feedback. Users can pause, edit, or delete their search and watch history. Developers can use YouTube APIs to embed playback, search and manage content, review analytics, add subscribe buttons, and manage live streams. Eligible Partner Program creators may access multiple revenue streams, subject to regional availability and program criteria. The free service is listed for Android, iOS, and web, with an API. YouTube Premium adds ad-free viewing on millions of videos, offline downloads, background play, and ad-free music in YouTube Music, though some creator and event promotions may remain. Premium plan options include individual, household family, and annually verified student plans.