AI Tools for Music: 12 Tools That Make Songs, Beats & More (2026)

AI tools for music can now write a full song from a text prompt, make background music for a video, separate the vocals from a finished track, and master a song so it sounds ready for Spotify. You do not need a studio, a band, or years of training to try them. Most of these tools have a free plan, so you can test them before you spend anything.

But there is one thing to know before you start: the rules about who owns an AI-made song are different on every tool. A free plan that sounds great can still leave you with a song you cannot sell or use in a paid video. This guide covers 12 tools, what each one is best at, what the free plan really gives you, and the copyright rules that matter.

AI Tools for Music at a Glance

Prices change often. Check the tool’s own pricing page before you pay. The prices in this guide were checked in November 2026.

Make Full Songs With Vocals

1. Suno

Suno is the most popular AI music tool right now, and the easiest place to start. Type a short description or paste your own lyrics, and it makes a complete song with vocals, instruments, and mixing in about 30 seconds. Its current model is v6, and it handles pop, country, folk, and R&B well.

The free plan gives you 50 credits a day, which is roughly 10 songs. The catch is that free songs cannot be downloaded and cannot be used commercially. The Pro plan costs $10 a month ($8 a month if you pay yearly) and gives you 2,500 credits a month, 20 song downloads a month, and commercial rights. The Premier plan costs $30 a month ($24 yearly) with 10,000 credits and 60 downloads. Since September 2026, downloads are the real limit, not credits.

Best for: anyone who wants a finished song fast, from a simple idea or their own lyrics. Learn more on the Suno website.

2. Udio

Udio also turns prompts and lyrics into full songs, but it aims for deeper production quality: better layering, clearer instruments, and more detail in the arrangement. It also lets you edit the music and lyrics, and use an existing song as a style reference.

The free plan gives you 10 credits a day and 100 a month, with up to 3 full-length songs a day. The Standard plan costs $10 a month ($8 yearly) with 2,400 credits, and Pro costs $30 a month ($24 yearly) with 6,000 credits.

There is one big limit to know. After Udio settled its copyright case with Universal Music Group in October 2025, it disabled downloads of audio, video, and stems. Songs stay inside Udio, and everything you make is for personal, non-commercial use only. Udio is a great place to write and test ideas, but you cannot take the songs out and use them elsewhere. See the details on the Udio website.

3. ElevenLabs Music

ElevenLabs is best known for AI voices, and its music tool takes a different approach from Suno and Udio: the songs are made from licensed training data, which makes the commercial rules clearer. That matters if you plan to use the music in work you get paid for.

The Starter plan costs $6 a month ($5 a month billed yearly). There are free trial credits so you can test it first. Best for: creators and small businesses that need music they can use in commercial projects without worrying about unclear rights.

Background Music for Videos and Podcasts

Not every project needs a song with vocals. If you make YouTube videos, podcasts, ads, or social clips, you need background music that fits the mood, loops cleanly, and will not get your video flagged. These four tools are built for that job.

4. Soundraw

Soundraw makes instrumental music from choices you pick: genre, mood, tempo, and length. You can edit the arrangement after it is made, which helps when a track needs to be exactly 60 seconds long for a video.

The Creator plan costs $5.99 a month and includes unlimited MP3 downloads and commercial use. That makes it one of the cheapest honest options for creators who publish videos every week. Best for: YouTubers and small businesses that need safe background music on a tight budget. Visit the Soundraw website for current plans.

5. Mubert

Mubert generates royalty-free tracks by mood, genre, and use case, and it can make tracks of any length, which is useful for livestreams and long videos. The free plan gives you 25 tracks a month and 5 downloads, but it is non-commercial, adds an audible watermark, and requires attribution.

The Pro plan costs about $32.49 a month when billed yearly, and it removes the watermark and adds a license certificate and a copyright checker. Best for: streamers and video makers who need long, looping tracks with clear paperwork.

6. Beatoven.ai

Beatoven.ai makes background scores for videos, podcasts, and presentations. You pick a genre and a mood, set the length, and it builds a track that fits. It also has an API, so developers can build it into their own apps.

There is a free plan to try it, and paid plans add commercial licenses and more downloads. Best for: podcasters and course makers who need a new score for every episode without hiring a composer.

7. Boomy

Boomy is built for total beginners. Pick a style, tap a few buttons, and you have a song in a minute. You can then release it to streaming services through Boomy itself.

There is a free plan, and paid plans add more saves, faster creation, and better release options. Best for: someone who has never made music and wants to try it today, with no learning curve.

Compose and Arrange Music

8. AIVA

AIVA is the tool to pick for orchestral, cinematic, and classical-style music. It was trained on more than 30,000 classical and film scores, and it works in over 250 styles. You can shape the composition, edit individual tracks, and export MIDI files to keep working in your own software.

The free plan gives you 3 downloads a month, but AIVA owns the copyright, you cannot earn money from the music, and you must give credit. The Pro plan costs €33 a month billed yearly, and it is the only plan in this guide that clearly states you own the copyright of what you make. Best for: filmmakers, game makers, and composers who need editable orchestral music. See the plans on the AIVA website.

9. BandLab

BandLab is a free online studio with more than 10 AI tools built in. SongStarter turns a short idea into a melody, Palette matches loops in your key and tempo, Splitter separates vocals from instruments, and AutoMix balances volume and panning for you.

The core tools are free, and some advanced features need a paid plan. Best for: beginners and hobbyists who want one free place to write, record, and mix a song.

Finish and Polish Your Tracks

10. Moises

Moises started as a vocal remover and grew into a practice and production tool. It separates a finished song into vocals, drums, bass, guitar, and piano, so you can mute one part, slow the track down without changing its key, or change the pitch to match your voice. It also detects chords and tempo.

There is a free plan, and the Premium plan costs a few dollars a month. Best for: musicians who learn covers, practice with backing tracks, or need clean stems for a remix.

11. LANDR

LANDR uses AI to master your track, which means it adjusts the loudness and balance so the song sounds good on phones, speakers, and streaming services. You upload a track, pick a style like Warm, Balanced, or Open, and get a finished master back.

LANDR also distributes music to Spotify, Apple Music, and more than 150 other platforms, so it can take a song from your computer to a release. Paid plans start at about $11 a month, and free mastering previews let you hear the result before you pay. A LANDR study of 1,241 music makers found that 87% now use AI in at least one part of their creative process, mostly for post-production work like mastering and stem separation. Best for: independent artists who want a release-ready master without hiring an engineer. See the plans on the LANDR website.

12. Kits AI

Kits AI gives you AI singing voices. You can sing a melody yourself and turn it into a different voice, clone a voice you have permission to use, or pick from more than 100 voice models. It also has tools for harmonies, vocal cleanup, stem splitting, and mastering.

There is a free tier, and paid plans add more voices, higher quality, and commercial use. Best for: producers who need a demo vocal, a harmony, or a voice they cannot record themselves. One rule to remember: only clone a voice you own or have clear permission to use.

How to Pick the Right AI Music Tool

Start with what you are making, not with the tool list. The right choice changes with the job:

• You want a full song with vocals: try Suno first. If you care more about sound quality and editing, also try Udio, but remember you cannot download from Udio right now.
• You need music for videos or podcasts: start with Soundraw. It is cheap, the license is clear, and the music is made for background use.
• You score films or games: try AIVA. The MIDI export and copyright ownership on the Pro plan are hard to find elsewhere.
• You practice or learn songs: try Moises. Stem separation and pitch control are more useful than another song generator.
• Your song is done and needs a final polish: try LANDR. Mastering is the step most beginners skip, and it makes the biggest audible difference.
• You are on a zero budget: start with BandLab and the free plans of Suno and Soundraw. You can make and finish a real song without paying anything.

Copyright and Commercial Use: Read This First

This is the part most roundups skip, and it is the part that can cost you money. AI music tools do not share one set of rules. Each tool has its own terms, and the rules change with the plan you are on.

• Free plans usually mean no commercial use. Suno’s free plan and Mubert’s free plan both block commercial use. Do not use free-plan songs in ads, client work, or videos you earn money from.
• Downloads are not the same as rights. Being able to download a song does not mean you own it or can sell it. Check the plan terms for the words “commercial use” and “copyright ownership.”
• Some tools keep the copyright. On AIVA’s free plan, AIVA owns the copyright. You need the Pro plan to own it yourself.
• Voice cloning needs permission. Never clone a real person’s voice without their clear consent. It can break the tool’s rules and the law in some places.
• Lawsuits are still being settled. Udio settled with Universal Music Group in October 2025, and that deal is why downloads are disabled there. Other tools may face similar cases, so the rules can change.
• Save the license. When a tool gives you a license certificate, as Mubert does, keep the file. If a platform ever questions your music, that file is your proof.

When in doubt, use a paid plan with clear commercial terms, or use music made for background use from a tool like Soundraw. A $6-a-month plan is cheaper than a copyright claim.

A Free Starter Stack

If you want to make a full song today without paying, here is a simple stack that works:

1. Write the song with Suno (free). Use your 50 daily credits to make ideas and pick the best one.
2. Practice or remix it with Moises (free). Separate the stems, learn the parts, or pull out the vocals.
3. Record and mix it in BandLab (free). Add your own vocals or instruments on top of the AI track.
4. Master it with LANDR (free preview). Hear what a finished master sounds like before you decide to pay.

This stack costs nothing and covers the whole path from idea to finished song.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Publishing a free-plan song as your own commercial release. Check the license first. Free almost never means commercial.
• Judging a tool by one song. Prompts matter a lot. Try the same idea three or four ways before you decide a tool is bad.
• Skipping the mix. AI songs often need a little volume and EQ work. A quick master in LANDR or BandLab makes a real difference.
• Trusting the first take. AI output can have odd notes, wrong words, or strange timing. Listen all the way through before you share it.
• Forgetting to back up your work. Projects live on the tool’s servers. Download your files and keep copies when the plan allows it.
• Using AI vocals to copy a famous singer. That is the fastest way to get a takedown, and most tools ban it in their terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free AI music generator?

Suno has the most generous free plan, with 50 credits a day. The limit is that free songs cannot be downloaded or used commercially. If you need free music you can actually use in videos, Soundraw’s Creator plan is cheap, and BandLab’s core tools are fully free.

Can I sell songs made with AI?

It depends on the tool and the plan. Suno Pro and Premier give you commercial rights, and AIVA Pro gives you copyright ownership. Suno’s free plan and Udio’s free plan do not allow commercial use. Always read the plan terms before you sell anything.

Is AI-generated music legal?

Making AI music for personal use is legal in most places. The open questions are about training data and copyright, and some cases are still being settled in court. The safest choice is a tool with clear commercial terms and, where possible, licensed training data.

Can AI music replace a real musician?

No. AI is good at drafts, demos, and background music. It still needs a human to judge the result, fix mistakes, and add the feeling that makes a song worth hearing. The LANDR study found that most musicians use AI for post-production tasks, not to replace songwriting.

Which AI music tool is best for YouTube videos?

Soundraw is the best value for most YouTubers: $5.99 a month, unlimited downloads, and commercial use. Mubert and Beatoven.ai are also built for video and podcast background music.

Do I need music skills to use these tools?

No. Tools like Suno, Boomy, and BandLab are made for beginners with no training. But knowing a little about tempo, key, and song structure helps you write better prompts and get better results.

Last updated: November 2026