Yes, AI can now make usable songs and background music, but the legal picture is still moving. For most people we recommend Suno Pro at $10 a month ($8 billed yearly), which gives you commercial rights and the most capable song model. If you want the lowest legal risk for ads and client work, Soundraw, which trains only on music made in house, is the safer buy.
The music is good enough for social videos, ads and podcasts, but lawsuits from major labels are still active and terms keep changing, so businesses should read the license before publishing.- Our pickSunoStarts at $10/month for Pro, $8/month billed yearly
- Also greatSoundrawStarts at $16.99/month, $11.04/month billed yearly
- Upgrade pickElevenLabsStarts at $6/month for Starter; $22/month for Creator
- Best free optionAIVAFree (3 downloads/month, non commercial); Standard €11/month billed yearly
Suno
Best for most people who want full songs with vocals, jingles or custom tracks they can use commercially.
Suno is the most widely recommended AI song generator. An independent 2026 roundup from Tech Insider named it the best all around AI music generator for creators who want to publish and monetize their tracks Tech Insider roundup ↗. In September 2026 Suno launched its V6 model, which it says was built with Warner Music, BMG and Believe CMU on Suno V6 ↗. You type a description or your own lyrics and get a complete song, with vocals, in a few moments.
The paid plan is what makes Suno useful for a business. Pro costs $10 a month, or $8 a month billed yearly, and includes 2,500 credits, 20 song downloads a month, stem separation and commercial use rights Suno pricing ↗ Tech Insider roundup ↗. Suno's help center says that on Pro or Premier you are considered the owner of the song, and you keep commercial rights to songs made while subscribed even after you cancel Suno rights ↗. On the free plan, Suno keeps ownership and you may only use songs for non commercial purposes Suno rights ↗.
The catch is legal. Universal Music and Sony Music are still suing Suno, and on September 22, 2026 they filed a second suit claiming V6 builds on earlier models trained on their recordings without permission; Suno says V6 was trained from scratch without their music EDM.com on V6 suit ↗. Read the section on lawsuits below before you use Suno tracks in paid ads or client work. Hands on testing is in progress; we will update this guide with results.
Why we like it
- Most capable song model, with vocals and lyrics
- Commercial rights on any paid plan
- You keep rights to songs made while subscribed
- Pro is only $10 a month
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Active lawsuits from Universal and Sony
- Only 20 downloads a month on Pro
- Free plan is non commercial and has no monthly downloads
Soundraw
Best for background music for ads, videos and client work with the lowest legal risk.
Soundraw takes a different approach. Its pricing page says its AI is trained exclusively on music produced in house by its own team, not scraped from other artists' songs Soundraw pricing ↗. That is the main reason we recommend it to businesses that publish ads or make videos for clients. If a court rules against tools trained on label recordings, a tool trained on its own catalog is far less exposed.
The Creator plan is listed at $16.99 a month, or $11.04 a month with annual billing, and includes unlimited MP3 downloads with commercial use Soundraw pricing ↗. Artist plans add the right to distribute on Spotify and Apple Music, and the Artist Pro plan at $35.99 a month ($23.39 billed yearly) adds WAV files and stems Soundraw pricing ↗. Soundraw focuses on instrumental tracks you can adjust in length and mood, so it is not the right tool if you want a sung jingle.
Why we like it
- Trained only on music made in house
- Unlimited downloads on Creator
- Commercial use on every paid plan
- Streaming distribution on Artist plans
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Instrumental focus, not full songs with vocals
- Free plan limits not listed
- Annual discount terms are unclear on the pricing page
ElevenLabs
Best for businesses that already use ElevenLabs for voice and want music, voiceovers and sound in one place.
ElevenLabs is best known for AI voices, but its Eleven Music tool now makes songs, rap beats and instrumentals from a prompt, with lyrics and vocals Eleven Music ↗. Music v2 adds inpainting, which lets you regenerate one section of a track, and mid track genre changes Eleven Music ↗. ElevenLabs says the tracks are cleared for broad commercial use and that Music v2 was built in partnership with artists, labels and publishers, though it does not name the partners on that page Eleven Music ↗.
Rights depend on the plan. Free is personal use only, Starter at $6 a month is commercial but not for streaming release, and Creator at $22 a month and Pro at $99 a month are commercial, not enterprise Eleven Music ↗. Creator includes 121,000 credits a month, shared with voice and other tools ElevenLabs pricing ↗. Stems go up to four on Creator and six on Pro Eleven Music ↗. That makes it more expensive than Suno for music alone, but good value if you also need voiceovers for the same videos.
Why we like it
- Says tracks are cleared for broad commercial use
- Music, voice and sound effects in one account
- Section editing with inpainting
- Up to six stems on Pro
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Starter plan excludes streaming release
- Credits are shared with voice tools
- Licensing partners not named on the music page
AIVA
Best for trying AI music for free and downloading the files, as long as you credit the tool and do not sell the result.
Most free AI music plans now block downloads or commercial use. AIVA's Free Forever plan needs no credit card and lets you download three tracks a month, up to three minutes long, as MP3 and MIDI files AIVA pricing ↗. MIDI is useful if you want to load the melody into your own music software and change it. The limits are strict: AIVA owns the copyright, use is non commercial only, and you must credit AIVA AIVA pricing ↗.
AIVA focuses on composed instrumental music, such as cinematic, ambient and classical styles, rather than songs with vocals. If you outgrow the free plan, Standard is €11 a month billed annually and allows monetization on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Instagram, while Pro at €33 a month billed annually gives you full ownership of the copyright AIVA pricing ↗.
Why we like it
- Free downloads, including MIDI files
- No credit card needed
- Pro plan transfers copyright to you
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Free plan is non commercial and requires credit to AIVA
- Only 3 downloads a month
- Prices in euros, plus VAT
Compare them
| Tool | Starting price | Free plan | Commercial use | Vocals | Streaming release | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SunoOur pick | $10/mo ($8 yearly) | Yes, 50 credits/day, no downloads | Paid plans | Yes | Not stated | Full songs |
| SoundrawAlso great | $16.99/mo ($11.04 yearly) | Not stated | All paid plans | Not stated | Artist plans | Low risk background music |
| ElevenLabsUpgrade pick | $6/mo | Yes, personal use only | Starter and up | Yes | Not on Starter | Music plus voiceovers |
| AIVABest free option | €11/mo yearly | Yes, 3 downloads/mo | Standard (limited), Pro (full) | Not stated | Pro, full monetization | Instrumental scores |
| Mubert | $32.49/mo yearly for commercial | Yes, 5 downloads/mo | Pro and Business | Not stated | No Content ID | Endless background tracks |
| Udio | Not stated | Not stated | Restricted | Yes | No, downloads disabled | Not recommended now |
Prices and features from each vendor’s site, checked Oct 9, 2026. Prices change often.
Who this is for
This guide is for small business owners, marketers, video creators and podcasters who need music but do not want to pay a composer or dig through stock libraries. Typical uses are background tracks for Instagram and TikTok videos, intro music for a podcast, music under a YouTube ad, a jingle for a local radio spot, or hold music for a phone line.
It is also for musicians and hobbyists who want to sketch song ideas. If you plan to release music under your own name on Spotify, pay close attention to which plans allow streaming distribution, because many do not Eleven Music ↗ Beatoven pricing ↗.
If what you really need is a voiceover rather than music, see our guide to AI voice generators. If you need the whole video, see our guide to AI video generators.
Why you should trust us
We read each vendor's pricing page, plan comparison and license terms, and checked every price on October 9, 2026. For the legal picture we read the court filing coverage from music trade press, a litigation timeline and the US Copyright Office's guidance on AI generated works Case timeline ↗ Digital Music News ↗ EDM.com on V6 suit ↗ Copyright Office ↗. Every fact on this page links to its source.
We have not tested these tools hands on for this guide yet. Hands on testing is in progress, and we will add sample tracks and notes when it is done. No vendor paid for placement, and we picked on merit.
How we picked
We started with the tools most often named in independent roundups and creator forums: Suno, Udio, ElevenLabs Music, Soundraw, AIVA, Mubert, Beatoven and Riffusion. For a business, the quality of the music matters, but the license matters just as much. A great track you cannot legally use in an ad is worth nothing.
So we weighted three things: what you are allowed to do with the music on each plan, how much legal risk sits behind the tool's training data, and how much music you get for the money. We also checked whether you can actually download your files, because at least one major tool has turned downloads off Tech Insider roundup ↗.
- Commercial rights on the plan you would actually buy
- Whether you can distribute to Spotify and Apple Music
- How the model was trained, and any lawsuits against the company
- Downloads per month and file formats (MP3, WAV, stems, MIDI)
- Price for a typical small business user
- Quality as reported by independent reviewers
The lawsuits, and what commercial rights really mean
In June 2024 the major labels, through the RIAA, sued Suno in Massachusetts and Udio in New York, claiming the tools were trained on copyrighted recordings without permission Case timeline ↗. Suno answered that its training was fair use Case timeline ↗. Since then the cases have split. Universal settled with Udio on October 31, 2025, Warner settled with Suno in November 2025, and Warner also settled with Udio Case timeline ↗. Sony is still suing Udio Digital Music News ↗.
Suno's fight with Universal and Sony continues. In 2026 they amended their complaint to claim Suno ripped audio from YouTube by getting around technical protections, which Suno denies CMU on Suno V6 ↗. On September 22, 2026 they filed a new suit over V6, claiming Suno copied 60,202 recordings and asking for statutory damages and an injunction EDM.com on V6 suit ↗. Canada's SOCAN also sued Suno on September 2, 2026, claiming its outputs copy songs in SOCAN's repertoire SOCAN suit ↗. No court has ruled on Suno's fair use defense Case timeline ↗.
What does this mean for you? The lawsuits target the companies, not their users. The practical risk is that a settlement or ruling changes what you can do with your songs. That already happened at Udio: after its label deals, downloads of audio, video and stems were disabled from October 29, 2025, including for paid users Tech Insider roundup ↗ Digital Music News ↗. Download your files and keep a copy of your plan terms on the day you make each track.
There is a second issue that surprises people. A tool can call you the owner of a song, but that does not mean you can register a copyright in it. The US Copyright Office said in January 2025 that writing prompts alone is not enough human authorship for copyright, though your own creative work that is visible in the result, or a creative arrangement or edit of it, can be protected Copyright Office ↗. In plain terms, a competitor may be able to reuse a purely AI generated track and you may have little to stop them. If owning the copyright matters, add your own lyrics, melody or editing.
Finally, streaming and Content ID rules vary. Beatoven's pricing page bars distribution to Spotify and SoundCloud and bars registering tracks in Content ID Beatoven pricing ↗. Mubert says its tracks cannot be registered in Content ID systems such as YouTube's Mubert pricing ↗. ElevenLabs' Starter plan is commercial but excludes streaming Eleven Music ↗. Read the line about distribution before you upload.
What AI music tools can and can't do today
They can produce a full song, with lyrics, vocals and a mix, from a one line description Tech Insider roundup ↗ Eleven Music ↗. They can make instrumental background tracks in a chosen mood and length Soundraw pricing ↗. Some can split a track into stems, such as vocals, drums and bass, so an editor can lower the vocals under a voiceover Suno pricing ↗ Eleven Music ↗. ElevenLabs can regenerate one section of a song without changing the rest Eleven Music ↗.
They can't guarantee you a copyright, as covered above Copyright Office ↗. They can't promise the legal ground will stay still, since the biggest tool is in active litigation EDM.com on V6 suit ↗. Reviewers also note quality differences between tools, with Udio rated as having the most realistic vocals but not recommended for production work because of its download restrictions Tech Insider roundup ↗. Expect to generate several versions before you get one you like, which uses credits.
Before you sign up
Decide first whether you need songs with vocals or just background music. For background music in ads, the lowest risk choice is a tool trained on its own catalog, like Soundraw Soundraw pricing ↗. For songs with vocals, Suno and ElevenLabs are the main options, and each has different rights by plan Suno rights ↗ Eleven Music ↗.
Check credits and download limits against how much you will make. Suno Pro includes 20 downloads a month, and extra downloads are sold as add ons Suno pricing ↗. Subscription credits on Suno do not roll over, though purchased top ups do not expire while you keep a subscription Suno pricing ↗.
- Make every track you plan to use commercially while on a paid plan
- Save a copy of the plan terms and the date you made each track
- Download your files promptly; do not rely on the cloud copy
- Check whether your plan allows Spotify and Apple Music release
- Do not prompt for a named artist's voice or style for commercial work
- Add your own lyrics or edits if you want copyright protection
What to look forward to
The industry is moving from lawsuits to licensing. Suno's V6 was built with Warner, BMG and Believe, and Suno has previewed opt in products built around individual artists CMU on Suno V6 ↗. ElevenLabs says its Music v2 was made in partnership with artists, labels and publishers Eleven Music ↗. Expect more tools to advertise licensed training data, and expect some of them to limit downloads, as Udio did Digital Music News ↗.
The outcome of Universal and Sony's cases against Suno will shape the whole category EDM.com on V6 suit ↗. We will update this guide when there is a ruling or settlement, and when our hands on testing is complete.
The competition
UdioNot stated
Reviewers rate Udio's vocals as the most realistic, but downloads of audio, video and stems have been disabled since October 29, 2025, including for paid users, and commercial use is restricted while it moves to a licensed platform Tech Insider roundup ↗. Sony is still suing Udio Digital Music News ↗. Until you can export your work, it is not a practical business tool.
MubertCreator $11.69/month billed yearly; Pro $32.49/month billed yearly for commercial use
Mubert makes endless background tracks and has a free plan with five downloads a month Mubert pricing ↗. Commercial use needs the Pro plan at $32.49 a month billed annually, and its pricing page is inconsistent about which plans allow commercial use Mubert pricing ↗. Tracks cannot be registered in Content ID Mubert pricing ↗.
Beatoven.aiNot stated
Beatoven sells royalty free background music for videos, but its pricing page does not list prices or license terms, and it bars distribution to Spotify and SoundCloud Beatoven pricing ↗. We could not confirm enough to recommend it.
Stable AudioNot stated
Stability AI's Stable Audio has a pricing and licensing page, but we could not read plan details from it when we checked Stable Audio pricing ↗. We will review it once we can confirm its terms.
Questions people ask
Can I use AI generated music commercially?
Often yes, but only on the right plan. Suno gives commercial rights on Pro and Premier, not on Free Suno rights ↗. ElevenLabs allows commercial use from Starter, but Starter excludes streaming Eleven Music ↗. AIVA's free plan is non commercial and requires credit AIVA pricing ↗. Always check the plan you are on when you make the track.
Do I own the copyright to songs I make with Suno?
Suno says paid users are considered the owner of their songs Suno rights ↗. But the US Copyright Office says prompts alone are not enough for copyright protection, so a purely AI generated song may not be registrable Copyright Office ↗. Adding your own lyrics, melody or edits improves your position.
Is Suno being sued?
Yes. Universal and Sony are still suing Suno in Massachusetts, and filed a second suit over its V6 model on September 22, 2026 EDM.com on V6 suit ↗. Warner settled with Suno in November 2025 Case timeline ↗. SOCAN sued Suno in Canada on September 2, 2026 SOCAN suit ↗.
Why can't I download songs from Udio?
After Udio's settlements with major labels, downloads of audio, video and stems were disabled from October 29, 2025, including for paid users, as Udio moves to a licensed platform Tech Insider roundup ↗ Digital Music News ↗.
What is the best free AI music generator?
AIVA's free plan lets you download three tracks a month as MP3 and MIDI, but it is non commercial and you must credit AIVA AIVA pricing ↗. Suno's free plan gives 50 credits a day to create, but no monthly downloads and no commercial rights Suno pricing ↗.
Which AI music generator is safest for ads?
Soundraw says its AI is trained only on music produced in house by its own team, and every paid plan includes commercial use Soundraw pricing ↗. That makes it the lowest risk choice we found for background music in ads and client videos.
Can I put AI music on Spotify?
Some plans allow it. Soundraw's Artist plans include distribution to Spotify and Apple Music Soundraw pricing ↗. ElevenLabs' Starter plan does not allow streaming release Eleven Music ↗, and Beatoven bars distribution to Spotify Beatoven pricing ↗.
Where this comes from
Checked Oct 9, 2026. Vendor pages describe their own products; independent sources add outside views.
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