Stock audio helps tell a story. It has psychological and emotional effects, so you shouldn’t take it for granted. Oftentimes, people do not notice sound unless it’s lacking or inappropriate. They are much more forgiving of imperfect video than flawed audio. Poor quality audio can cause genuine discomfort, which is the last thing on your creative project.
Hiring a sound designer to create appropriate sounds and mix tracks together can be very expensive. If you have a small budget, you will have to give up a lot. Fortunately, there is a way to get amazing audio without exceeding your budget. Professional stock sound effects are online for only a few bucks. Here are 5 of top websites, where you can download awesome stock audio for very low prices:
Shutterstock Music
Being part of one of the most popular stock image sources, Shutterstock Music offers a wide variety of sound effects and music tracks. They have a simple a la carte system, which allows you to download millions of royalty free stock music restricted to one project only. They have standard and extended licenses that give you the usage rights you need for your creative projects.- Audioblocks
Audioblocks is Storyblocks’ subsidiary site, which is dedicated to stock audio. They sell stock music, sound effects and loop files under the same unlimited download system. All tracks provided are 100% royalty free and are yours to keep forever. At only $99 per year, you can download unlimited tracks. New content is added regularly, so there is always something fresh for your creative projects. - Pond5
A footage-first stock agency, Pond5 aims to provide a complete service to footage buyers. They have a huge selection of stock audio in their library that are available on demand. Depending on length and quality, stock music track prices range between $5 and $300. On the other hand, the premium membership gives you 10 music downloads per month for only $839 – allowing you to save $360 from the monthly price. - Getty Images Music
The most renowned stock agency has migrated their music service to Getty Images Music and added rights managed license. They have an a la carte buying system and allow you to create and share playlists. One music track costs $50, while sound effects cost $10 each. If you are looking for exclusive sound effects, this is the website to go. - AudioJungle
Last but not the least, AudioJungle is a stock audio licensing platform that is part of Envato. They have over 430,000 track files in their library, which includes music and sound effects available for on-demand buying. A royalty-free license comes with every download, but is only allowed on one project. Their prices are a very good deal, too. Music tracks cost between $6 and $48. Sound effects are priced from $1 to $50 each.
Audio is more difficult to acquire at high quality levels, but thanks to stock agencies, you can tap into their effectiveness. Stock audio are relatively cheap. You can add more sense to your projects without breaking your bank.