Overview

Soundtrap is a cloud-based studio for making music and podcasts, best suited to creators who want recording tools and live collaboration in one workspace. Its breadth is appealing, but free access is limited and mobile and browser constraints matter for production work.

Launched in 2013 and based in Stockholm, Sweden, Soundtrap combines multitrack editing, MIDI sequencing, noise reduction, virtual instruments, vocal and mixing tools, and royalty-free sounds. It also offers a separate Education service for classroom audio projects.

Its mix of audio creation and shared-project features makes it relevant to Audio Editing Software and Music Collaboration Software.

Key features

Music and podcast production

The music studio brings together vocal and mixing effects, virtual instruments, a MIDI editor, and royalty-free loops and samples. Soundtrap says its library includes up to 24,000+ loops and hundreds of presets, with new sound packs added every two weeks. That range gives creators material to build from, though free accounts get only a selection and some sounds and features require a paid plan.

Plan descriptions name professional tools such as vocal tuning, Time Restore, and automation. Music Production also includes loops, one-shots, instruments, effects, high-quality downloads, and priority mixing; Vocals & Songwriting adds vocal tools, presets, songwriting features, podcast creation, and interactive transcripts. The Production & Vocals plan combines features from Music Production and Vocals & Songwriting.

Collaboration and mobile work

Real-time collaboration includes video and chat, comments on shared projects, and autosave. These tools suit people working together on a project without relying only on exchanged files. Soundtrap has iOS and Android apps, but automation and MIDI input are unavailable on mobile, so mobile is not a full substitute for the studio's desktop workflow.

Education

Soundtrap for Education is designed for students and teachers creating audio projects across subjects and ability levels. It integrates with Noteflight, Flat.io, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Canvas, Schoology, and MusicFirst. Soundtrap says the service is designed to comply with COPPA, GDPR, and FERPA standards and supports CIPA certification; its walled garden limits student collaboration to their account environment and groups.

Education plans have a 50-seat minimum and are billed annually, with Classroom, School, and District options aimed at different school needs. The School plan includes chat and email support. For accounts with 400 or more seats, the District plan adds an account manager, setup help, and professional development support. Educators can try Education free for 30 days without providing payment details upfront.

Pricing

Soundtrap uses a freemium model. Soundtrap Basic is free and supports creating and saving projects with limited loops and instruments. It is a practical starting point, but its restricted sound selection makes it a limited choice for creators who need the paid sound library or professional features.

Sound Starter, Production & Vocals, Music Production, and Vocals & Songwriting have custom pricing. Sound Starter includes music-making tools, with vocal tuning, Time Restore, and automation among its professional features. Music Production focuses on sounds, effects, high-quality downloads, and priority mixing; Vocals & Songwriting centers on vocal and songwriting tools plus podcast creation and interactive transcripts. Production & Vocals brings together features from Music Production and Vocals & Songwriting.

Soundtrap for Education also has custom pricing, billed annually and dependent on whether a school chooses Classroom, School, or District. Its 50-seat minimum makes it a poor fit for an individual educator seeking a small standalone subscription.

Platforms

Soundtrap supports web browsers, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It supports current versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari, and recommends Chrome or Microsoft Edge Chromium. Some audio features may not work fully across every browser and operating system, and recording may have higher latency. Check the browser and device workflow before relying on it for recording; mobile also lacks automation and MIDI input.

Who it's for

Soundtrap suits music makers and podcasters who want creation tools, a large sound library, and collaboration in a cloud-based studio. It is also aimed at schools that need classroom audio projects, education integrations, and account controls. It is less suitable for mobile-first production that depends on automation or MIDI input, or for school use below the Education plans' 50-seat minimum.

Pros and cons

Pros: A single studio covers multitrack editing, MIDI sequencing, noise reduction, music creation, and podcasts.
Pros: Real-time video and chat, project comments, and autosave support collaborative work.
Pros: The free account lets users create and save projects, while Education includes classroom integrations and a 30-day trial without upfront payment details.
Cons: The free account limits loops and instruments, and some sounds and features require a paid plan.
Cons: Automation and MIDI input are unavailable in the mobile apps, while browser and operating-system differences can affect audio features and recording latency.
Cons: Education requires at least 50 seats, and paid plan prices are custom rather than published fixed prices.

Alternatives

Choose Pibox if project coordination is the priority: its free plan allows two users, unlimited guests, up to two projects, and 1 Gb of storage. Choose Amped Studio if a browser-based music studio is the focus and a published Premium price of 6.99 USD per month suits your budget; its Starter plan caps projects at five and tracks at 16, with 0 GB external audio storage.

JackTrip is a free and open-source alternative, with studios able to be hosted on users' own servers for free. Sessionwire offers a free plan with unlimited connections, guest audio/video/file transfer, SessionChat, and a free Plugin Suite. Flat is a notation-focused option with a free plan that includes core notation features and a 15-score limit. Sound Credit is another freemium alternative. Highnote offers a free Starter plan with 15 total tracks and 50GB cloud storage. Jamulus is a free and open-source option with no usage limits stated.

Verdict

Choose Soundtrap if you want music and podcast tools together with cloud collaboration, or if your school needs an education-oriented workspace with classroom integrations. Its broad studio and shared-project features are the main draw; look elsewhere if mobile automation or MIDI input is essential, if browser-dependent recording latency is unacceptable, or if you need a small-seat school plan.

	OMNi DAW	Soundtrap
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial		Yes
Paid from	Free	Free
Platforms	Linux, Windows	Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Supported platforms	Windows, Linux	Web browser, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Multitrack editing	Yes	Yes
MIDI sequencing	Yes	Yes
Third-party plugins	Yes
Noise reduction		Yes
Cloud collaboration		Yes

OMNi DAW vs Soundtrap

OMNi DAW

Soundtrap