SoundHound
SoundHound: A mobile music finder for humming, nearby-song recognition, lyrics and playback. Ranked #2 of 23 in Music Identification Apps by our editors (8.8/10); pricing: Free plan; best for mobile users who hum or sing songs.
At a glance
- Editor score8.8 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forMobile users who hum or sing songs
- Free planYes
- Platform supportMobile
- Founded2005 · Santa Clara, California, United States
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Recognizes songs playing nearby or sung and hummed by users
- Provides real-time lyrics and keeps a personal identification history
- Connects with Apple Music, YouTube and Spotify across iOS and Android
Where it doesn't
- Identification searches require internet access for results
- The free experience is ad-supported
- Some playback and service availability varies by location
Our verdict on SoundHound
SoundHound is a mobile music identification and discovery app for people who want to recognize songs they hear, sing or hum. Available on iOS and Android, it returns song details and lyrics, saves identified songs to a personal history, and supports voice commands through “Hey SoundHound.” It suits listeners who want to move from recognition to playback without leaving the app.
Its strongest advantage is the range of ways it helps users identify and revisit music. SoundHound can recognize nearby songs as well as songs users sing or hum, then provide real-time lyrics and store discoveries in a personal history. Voice control adds another way to search, while the built-in YouTube music player supports playback. Discoveries can also be linked to Apple Music, YouTube and Spotify, subject to service and location availability, and synced across devices.
SoundHound uses a freemium model. The Free plan includes music identification, built-in YouTube playback and lyrics, while SoundHound∞ provides an ad-free experience through a one-time ad-removal purchase. Identification searches made without internet access are saved as pending for later retry rather than completed offline, so it is better suited to connected mobile use than offline discovery. Choose SoundHound if humming, lyrics, history and multiple listening links matter; consider another option if offline identification is essential or if an ad-supported free experience is not suitable.
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SoundHound pricing
All 2 SoundHound plans and prices →
SoundHound fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Platform support | Mobile |
| Lyrics | Yes |
| Identification history | Yes |
| Offline identification | No |
| Listening links | Yes |
| Recognition limit | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud, Mobile |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Support | Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 3 integrations: Apple Music, YouTube, Spotify |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | soundhound.com |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
SoundHound integrations
SoundHound lists 3 integrations on its own site.
- Apple Music
- YouTube
- Spotify
Alternatives to SoundHound
- ShazamA free, cross-platform identifier with lyrics, history, offline recognition, and listening links.9.3
- ACRCloudA broad audio identification platform for businesses building recognition workflows.8.6
- AHA MusicA browser-focused recognizer with broad input options, history, playlists, and streaming links.8.4
See all SoundHound alternatives →
SoundHound vs the competition
- SoundHound vs Shazam
- SoundHound vs ACRCloud
- SoundHound vs AHA Music
- SoundHound vs Snag
- SoundHound vs WhoSampled
- SoundHound vs Audile
Compare SoundHound with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
SoundHound is ranked in 4 of our directories.
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Featured on iTechGuides
SoundHound is listed in our Music Identification Apps directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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