Overview

SoundHound is a mobile music discovery app that identifies songs and lets you search and control playback by voice. It is best suited to listeners who want to identify a tune by humming or singing, then move directly into lyrics or listening. Its mix of hands-free search and Apple Watch support is useful; the free version’s ads and subscription requirements for personalized playlists narrow its appeal.

SoundHound keeps an identification history and provides listening links, so discoveries can be revisited and followed up. They can also sync across devices and be shared through Facebook, Twitter, messaging services, or email. SoundHound AI Inc. was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

For a category-wide comparison, see our Music Identification Apps list.

Key features

Identify music by listening or humming

SoundHound can recognize music playing nearby, but it does not require a recording: users can sing or hum a tune into the app. That makes it a practical option when a melody is remembered but its title is not. Identification history and listening links help turn a match into something to revisit or play. Offline identification is not supported, so this is not the right choice when recognition must work without connectivity.

Voice control and playback

Commands beginning with “Hey SoundHound…” can navigate the app, start music discovery, and control playback hands-free. This is a useful distinction for listeners who want to search without typing, although playlist access depends on connected services and accounts. Personalized playlists through Apple Music or Spotify require both a SoundHound account and a music subscription; playing Spotify playlists by voice also requires a Spotify account and registration.

Lyrics, services, and sharing

LiveLyrics displays moving lyrics in real time, making the app more useful during playback than a recognizer that stops at naming a song. SoundHound can connect to Apple Music or Spotify and includes a built-in YouTube player. Discoveries sync across devices and can be shared through Facebook, Twitter, messaging, or email. The Apple Watch app identifies music and displays LiveLyrics; a cellular-enabled watch can do this without an iPhone connection.

Pricing

SoundHound uses a freemium model. The SoundHound plan is 0.00 USD per free and includes use of the app with advertising. It is the sensible starting point for occasional identification, but ads are the trade-off, and personalized playlists still require a music subscription and SoundHound account.

SoundHound∞ costs 6.99 USD per once, billed as a one-time fee with no monthly fees, and provides an ad-free experience. It suits regular users who want to remove advertising without taking on a recurring charge. It does not replace the subscriptions or registration required for service-linked playlists.

Platforms

SoundHound is a mobile app for Android and iOS. Its Apple Watch app adds music identification and LiveLyrics, including use without an iPhone connection on a cellular-enabled watch. The app also offers a Support Center with FAQs and support information.

Who it's for

SoundHound fits listeners who often hear unfamiliar music, remember melodies without lyrics, or want voice-led discovery and playback. It is also a stronger fit for Apple Watch users who want identification and lyrics on the watch. Listeners who need offline recognition should look elsewhere, and those seeking personalized playlists should account for the additional music-service subscription and SoundHound registration.

Pros and cons

Pros: Song searches can start from nearby music or a sung or hummed tune, giving users a fallback when no recording is available.
Pros: Voice commands cover navigation, discovery, and playback, while LiveLyrics and Apple Watch support extend the experience beyond identification.
Pros: The one-time ad-free upgrade avoids a monthly fee.
Cons: The free app includes advertising, and the upgrade removes ads rather than removing service requirements.
Cons: Personalized Apple Music or Spotify playlists require a SoundHound account and a music subscription; Spotify voice playback also requires registration.
Cons: Offline identification is not available.

Alternatives

For related software categories, browse Music Identification Apps, Voicebot Software, or Restaurant Drive-Thru Software. The drive-thru products below serve a different need from SoundHound’s music discovery focus.

Solink Drive-Thru AI — a paid option available on Android, iOS, and web.
Qu Drive-Thru — a paid Android and iOS option with pricing on request.
DRIVETHRUiQ — a paid web option.
PAR Ordering — a paid Android, iOS, and web option; contact PAR for a demo and pricing details.
Dine Out Pro Drive-Thru Software — a paid Android and web option with staff-account and terminal limits across its listed plans.
Hi Auto — a paid alternative.
VOICEplug Drive-Thru AI — a paid alternative.
Berry AI Drive-Thru Timer — a paid web option with pricing and setup handled by Berry AI.

Verdict

Choose SoundHound if you want a music identifier that can search from a hum, offer hands-free control, and carry discoveries into lyrics and playback. Its best case is music discovery across phone and Apple Watch, with a straightforward one-time fee to remove ads. Look elsewhere if offline identification is essential or if you want personalized playlists without a separate music subscription and account.

	Cognigy	SoundHound
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	—	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, self-hosted, Web	Android, iOS
Human handoff	Yes	—
Free plan	—	Yes

Cognigy vs SoundHound

Cognigy

SoundHound