Best Royalty-Free Music for Educators Creating Online Lessons

By Ayo Bamgbose ACIM, Assoc CIPD, MA, MSc, BSc

Are You Looking for the Perfect Background Music for Your Lessons?

You’ve spent time crafting your course content, making sure every slide, every explanation, and every detail is just right. But something’s missing, your videos feel a little flat. Adding the right background music can bring your lessons to life, creating a more engaging experience for your learners.

But before you hit play on just any track, there’s something crucial to consider: music licensing. Using copyrighted music without permission can lead to your videos being taken down, demonetised, or flagged for copyright infringement—especially if you’re uploading them to platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, or online course platforms.

That’s why royalty-free music is your best friend. It allows you to legally add music to your videos without worrying about takedowns or copyright claims.

Here’s a list of the best royalty-free music platforms for educators, course creators, and online trainers.

  • Epidemic Sound(Paid Subscription with Free Trial)

Epidemic Sound is one of the most popular platforms for creators. With over 35,000 tracks and 90,000 sound effects, it offers high-quality, professional-grade music. They provide a free 30-day trial, but after that, you’ll need a monthly or yearly subscription.

👉 Best for: YouTube creators, educators, and professionals looking for premium-quality tracks. 🔗 Visit Epidemic Sound

  • Bensound(Free & Paid Versions)

Bensound offers a collection of royalty-free music where you can download and use tracks for free, as long as you provide attribution. If you want to remove attribution and gain access to more tracks, they offer affordable licensing options.

👉 Best for: Beginners looking for free quality music with an easy licensing structure. 🔗 Visit Bensound

  • Artlist(Paid Subscription)

Artlist provides unlimited downloads for a flat fee. They have a one-time payment licensing model, which makes it a great choice if you don’t want ongoing subscription costs.

👉 Best for: Course creators and video educators looking for high-quality music without limitations. 🔗 Visit Artlist

  • Soundstripe(Subscription-Based)

Soundstripe offers unlimited music downloads for a flat monthly or annual fee. They also have a variety of sound effects and beats tailored for professional use.

👉 Best for: Educators looking for a diverse and modern music library. 🔗 Visit Soundstripe

  • Jamendo(Free & Paid Versions)

Jamendo provides a collection of Creative Commons licensed tracks that you can use for free in personal projects. However, commercial use requires purchasing a license.

👉 Best for: Those looking for free Creative Commons music for non-commercial educational projects. 🔗 Visit Jamendo

  • Pond5(Pay-Per-Track & Subscription)

Pond5 is a well-known marketplace for stock music, sound effects, and footage. You can either buy individual tracks or subscribe for unlimited access.

👉 Best for: Course creators needing professional-grade stock music and sound effects. 🔗 Visit Pond5

  • PremiumBeat(Pay-Per-Track)

Owned by Shutterstock, PremiumBeat provides exclusive, high-quality music with one-time licensing fees.

👉 Best for: Course creators who want unique, premium-quality tracks without a subscription. 🔗 Visit PremiumBeat

  • Mixkit(Completely Free)

Mixkit is a 100% free stock music platform offering a variety of tracks. No attribution required!

👉 Best for: Educators looking for free music without licensing worries. 🔗 Visit Mixkit

  • MusicBed(Subscription-Based)

MusicBed features cinematic, high-quality music, making it a top choice for those who want professional storytelling tracks.

👉 Best for: Online educators and filmmakers looking for cinematic music. 🔗 Visit MusicBed

  • SoundCloud (Creative Commons Music)(Free & Paid)

While SoundCloud is mostly known for independent artists, it has a section of Creative Commons-licensed tracks that you can legally use in your videos.

👉 Best for: Educators looking for unique, independent artist music. 🔗 Visit SoundCloud

  • Motion Array(Subscription-Based)

Motion Array provides an all-in-one package, including music, sound effects, video templates, and stock footage.

👉 Best for: Educators creating high-quality videos and needing more than just music. 🔗 Visit Motion Array

  • UpBeat(Free & Premium Plans)

UpBeat offers a free plan that lets you download a limited number of tracks per month. Their premium plan provides unlimited downloads and commercial use.

👉 Best for: Educators looking for free music with a structured upgrade option. 🔗 Visit UpBeat