Best SoundHound Alternatives in 2026
The top SoundHound alternatives are Shazam, ACRCloud and AHA Music: 15 music identification apps our editors would look at instead of SoundHound, in our ranking order.
SoundHound: A mobile music finder for humming, nearby-song recognition, lyrics and playback. Where it falls short: identification searches require internet access for results.
Switching from SoundHound? For most music identification apps buyers the best SoundHound alternative is Shazam, built for most people wanting a full-featured identifier. On a budget, AudD starts at $450/mo. AHA Music offers the most recognition limit (1000 queries/mo).
Why People Look for a SoundHound Alternative
- Identification searches require internet access for results
- The free experience is ad-supported
- Some playback and service availability varies by location
- No offline identification — 3 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallShazam9.3
Most people wanting a full-featured identifier
Visit Shazam - Lowest priceAudD7.1
Paid plans from $450/mo
Visit AudD - Best free optionShazam9.3
Has a free plan
Visit Shazam - Most recognition limitAHA Music8.4
1000 queries/mo
Visit AHA Music - Best for offline identificationShazam9.3
Offline identification (SoundHound: no)
Visit Shazam
All 15 SoundHound Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forMost people wanting a full-featured identifier
- Better than SoundHound:
- Offline identification
- Editor score 9.3 vs 8.8
A free, cross-platform identifier with lyrics, history, offline recognition, and listening links.
- Offline identification
- Lyrics
- Identification history
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Shazam -
Best forBusinesses needing broad identification workflows
- Better than SoundHound:
- Offline identification
A broad audio identification platform for businesses building recognition workflows.
- Offline identification
- Listening links
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit ACRCloud -
Best forBrowser users needing flexible recognition tools
A browser-focused recognizer with broad input options, history, playlists, and streaming links.
- Identification history
- Listening links
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit AHA Music -
Best foriPhone users who want saved audio evidence
- Better than SoundHound:
- Offline identification
A free iPhone identifier for listeners who want searchable audio evidence.
- Offline identification
- Identification history
- Listening links
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Snag -
Best forListeners researching samples, covers, and remixes
A music identifier built for tracing samples, covers, remixes, and song connections.
- Identification history
- Listening links
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit WhoSampled -
Best forAndroid users wanting an open-source identifier
A free, open-source Android identifier with flexible recognition and useful music history.
- Lyrics
- Identification history
- Listening links
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Audile -
Best foriPhone users wanting continuous recognition
A focused iPhone music identifier with continuous matching and Last.fm scrobbling.
- Identification history
- Listening links
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit AirScrobble -
Best forFree mobile users sharing music across services
A free mobile option for identifying songs and sharing them across services.
- Identification history
- Listening links
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Annie -
Best forPeople identifying songs from melodies
A free iOS app for finding songs from melodies stuck in your head.
- Identification history
- Listening links
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Earworm -
Best forChrome users identifying browser audio for free
A free Chrome extension for identifying browser audio and revisiting song history.
- Identification history
- Listening links
7.4/10★★★★☆Try Music Identifier -
Best forWeb users identifying uploaded or linked audio
A free web and API service for identifying songs from files, links, and short clips.
- Listening links
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit AudioTag -
Best forOpen-source desktop users and developers
A free desktop recognizer with flexible audio inputs, history export, and CLI access.
- Identification history
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit SongRec -
Best forTeams needing API and stream monitoring
A flexible recognition API for teams building monitoring and music metadata features.
- Lyrics
- Identification history
- Listening links
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit AudD -
Best forOpen-source Android users wanting lyrics
A focused Android identifier with lyrics, artwork, metadata, and local history.
- Lyrics
- Identification history
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit MuID -
Best forLinux users identifying desktop or microphone audio
A free Linux app for identifying desktop or microphone audio, with saved history and listening links.
- Identification history
- Listening links
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Mousai
SoundHound Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to SoundHound?
Shazam: #1 in our Music Identification Apps ranking, with an editor score of 9.3 out of 10. A free, cross-platform identifier with lyrics, history, offline recognition, and listening links.
Is there a free alternative to SoundHound?
Yes. Shazam, ACRCloud, AHA Music, Snag and WhoSampled have a free plan or a free tier (14 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for SoundHound alternatives?
Identification searches require internet access for results; The free experience is ad-supported; Some playback and service availability varies by location.
Which SoundHound alternative has the most recognition limit?
AHA Music, with 1000 queries/mo.
How do I switch from SoundHound?
Export your data from SoundHound (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel SoundHound.
How to Switch from SoundHound
- Export your data from SoundHound (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel SoundHound.
SoundHound vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Platform support | Identification history | Offline identification | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | SoundHound | Yes | Mobile | Yes | No | 8.8 | |
| 1 | Shazam | Yes | Free | Cross-platform | Yes | Yes | 9.3 |
| 2 | ACRCloud | Yes | Cross-platform | Yes | 8.6 | ||
| 3 | AHA Music | Yes | Cross-platform | Yes | 8.4 | ||
| 4 | Snag | Yes | Free | Mobile | Yes | Yes | 8.2 |
| 5 | WhoSampled | Yes | Cross-platform | Yes | 8.1 | ||
| 6 | Audile | Yes | Free | Mobile | Yes | No | 8.0 |
| 7 | AirScrobble | Yes | Mobile | Yes | 7.8 | ||
| 8 | Annie | Yes | Free | Mobile | Yes | No | 7.7 |
| 9 | Earworm | Yes | Free | Mobile | Yes | No | 7.6 |
| 10 | Music Identifier | Yes | Free | Browser | Yes | 7.4 | |
| 11 | AudioTag | Yes | Browser | 7.3 | |||
| 12 | SongRec | Yes | Free | Cross-platform | Yes | No | 7.2 |
| 13 | AudD | No | $450/mo | Cross-platform | Yes | 7.1 | |
| 14 | MuID | Free | Mobile | Yes | 6.8 | ||
| 15 | Mousai | Yes | Free | Desktop | Yes | No | 6.7 |
Head-to-Head
- SoundHound vs Shazam
- SoundHound vs ACRCloud
- SoundHound vs AHA Music
- SoundHound vs Snag
- SoundHound vs WhoSampled
- SoundHound vs Audile
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update