Bensound free music: the licence code rule
Bensound's free tracks are usable on YouTube if you paste the attribution text you get at download into the description. That text carries a unique licence code and covers one video only.
Not completely safe. Music from Bensound can still get a copyright claim. For music with full protection, use the safest options.
- Type
- Free library
- Cost
- Free with a credit, or from $9.99 a month billed yearly
- Credit
- A code for each video
- Copyright claims
- Claims happen
- How a claim clears
- Paste the code in the description
- Monetised videos
- Revenue is returned once a claim is cleared
- Platforms named
- YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTokRecommends 60 seconds of music or less on TikTok.
- Site
- bensound.com
How the free licence works
When you download a free track, Bensound gives you an attribution text. The terms describe it as "the attribution text and its unique license code provided when downloading a track". You paste it into your video description. Bensound reads the code and releases any claim on that video.
The catch
One code, one video. Bensound says "each attribution text is valid for 1 video only."
If you use the same track in ten Shorts, you download it ten times and paste ten different texts. Reusing last week's text is the mistake that leaves a claim standing.
The free licence has two more limits in the terms. It covers online video that is "published AND accessible free of charge", and it is revocable.
Paid plans
Bensound's pricing page lists three subscriptions, each priced per month and billed annually:
| Plan | Price | YouTube channels per platform |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $9.99 a month, billed $119 a year | 1 |
| Professional | $19.99 a month, billed $239 a year | 5 |
| Business | $39.99 a month, billed $479 a year | Unlimited |
Individual covers video, social media and podcasts. Professional adds digital advertising, and Business adds client work for several clients. The page says tracks can be used forever "if published during active subscription". Bensound also sells single-track licences.
With a paid plan you stop pasting codes. You list your YouTube channel ID in your account, which lets Bensound "recognize your channel(s) and release any claims related to our music automatically". The terms give the channel limits as one for Individual, up to five for Professional and unlimited for Business "provided that you keep it reasonable".
When a plan expires you can no longer download tracks or clear new channels, and projects have to be published before the expiry date.
Monetising
Bensound's claims page says that if monetisation is on, "all revenue starting from the day you contested the claim will be returned to you." That makes speed matter. Paste the text when you publish, not after the claim arrives.
Common questions
Can you reuse a Bensound attribution text in a second video?
No. Bensound says "each attribution text is valid for 1 video only". Download the track again to get a new text for the new video.
How do Bensound's paid plans clear claims?
You list your YouTube channel ID in your account, and Bensound releases claims on that channel automatically. Individual covers one channel, Professional up to five.
Sources
- Bensound on YouTube copyright noticesbensound.com
- Bensound terms and conditionsbensound.com
- Bensound pricingbensound.com
- Bensound FAQbensound.com
Facts checked against the sources below on . Licences and prices change, so read the provider's own page before you rely on one.