Loopcloud alternative
Looking for a Loopcloud alternative?
Loopcloud has the best in-DAW plugin in the business. It also has a points system that producers describe as opaque, packs that run 1,000+ points (out of an Artist-tier 100/month allowance), and a free-25-daily program that quietly disappeared in 2024. Selekt is a flat $5/month cleared catalog with a license certificate per download and no points to track. Honest comparison below.
The honest version, in 30 seconds
- Loopcloud has 5M+ samples, the best in-DAW plugin (audition in your project's key and tempo before downloading), bundled DRUM + PLAY instruments, and points that roll over. For plugin workflow and breadth, it's strong.
- Selekt ($5/mo flat, no points) is the layer for commercial release — a cleared catalog plus the documentation and verification distributors and sync libraries actually check.
- Cleared at the source: Selekt accepts CC0, public-domain, and CC-BY material with a documented upstream source and rejects restrictive licenses at ingest.
- Checked before admission: open-upload and Internet Archive material is fingerprint-screened against 150M+ recordings and rejected on a match; authoritative public-domain archives use documented source attestation.
- Provable, not “trust us”: every download carries an Ed25519-signed, SHA-256 hash-chained certificate you can verify in your browser with no account. Watch one auto-verify live →
- Build loops that exist nowhere else: decompose any track — ours or your own upload — into stems, MIDI, chords, and one-shots, then recombine them in any direction in the browser. The export is yours alone. Stem Lab · Custom Mix.
- The honest gap: Loopcloud's friction is the points system — premium packs run 100–1,000+ points and producers report prices shifting after they subscribe. Selekt is flat $5/mo with no points and no math, plus the verification layer Loopcloud doesn't have.
The real difference: build loops that exist nowhere else
Loopcloud hands you finished loops to audition and download. Selekt's catalog adds production-ready parts where applicable — stems, MIDI, chords, and one-shots — and its tools can separate audio you bring in, so catalog material and your own files can meet in the same workspace. You choose and shape the combination instead of stopping at the source loop.
Say you want a beat no one has heard. Pull the drums from one public-domain break, take the guitar from a different cleared track, drop your own viola or violin line over the top, then spin in random cleared textures until it clicks. It all snaps together because it was already split into parts — and the moment you export it, you're the only person who has that loop.
And that's just one recipe. The mixing and matching goes in any direction: your melody under a cleared break, your vocal over a public-domain guitar, your drums swapped for a vintage kit, our bassline beneath your chords — any part from our catalog or your own files, in any order. Spin in random cleared textures and one-shots at any point. The combinations don't run out, and every one you make is yours alone.
Catalog ingredients retain their documented CC0, public-domain, or CC-BY provenance. Files you upload remain your audio and are not silently relicensed or represented as cleared catalog material. That keeps the proof honest while the tools still let both sources work together.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Selekt | Loopcloud |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat $5/month, library access included | $7.99–$21.99/month with monthly point allowance (100/300/600) |
| Catalog size | Curated cleared samples with documented sources | 5M+ samples |
| License model | CC0, Public Domain, CC-BY (verified upstream) | Royalty-free, not for use as isolated SFX or in “competitive products” |
| License certificate per download | Yes — PDF with source, license type, attribution | License document available |
| Free copyright-check tool (any audio) | Yes — 150M+ recordings, signed audit log | No |
| Points / credits to track | None | Yes — 0–2 points per sample, 100–1,000+ per pack |
| Pack pricing transparency | N/A — everything in flat catalog | Producers report inconsistent post-subscription pricing |
| DAW plugin (in-session preview) | No (web + Tauri desktop app) | Yes — flagship feature; tempo + key sync |
| AI semantic search | Yes — natural language via Grok | ML-based “find similar” search; no LLM-driven natural language |
| Bundled VST instruments | No | Yes — DRUM (sequencer) and PLAY (ROMpler) included |
| Free copyright-check tool | Yes — no signup required | No |
| Free stem separation | Yes — included in Workshop | No |
| Internet required for plugin | N/A (web app) | Yes — plugin won't work offline |
Where Selekt differs most from Loopcloud is the documented catalog plus the production workflow around it. Catalog sounds keep their verified provenance and include useful stems, MIDI, chords, or one-shots where applicable. Uploaded audio remains the user's own material; processing it does not clear or relicense it.
Where each platform wins
Where Loopcloud is genuinely better
- The DAW plugin. Universally praised. Auditioning samples time-stretched and pitch-locked to your project before downloading is the gold standard for sample-platform workflow. Selekt does not currently match this experience.
- Loopmasters production quality. Loopmasters has been producing in-house sample packs for 20+ years. Their packs are clean, well-edited, well-tagged, and consistent in quality.
- DRUM and PLAY VST instruments. Bundled with every tier. MusicRadar called DRUM “one of the most expedient drum sequencers we've ever seen.” A real value-add we don't bundle.
- Library breadth. 5M+ samples across hundreds of premium packs. If you produce in mainstream electronic, hip-hop, drum and bass, or trap genres, the catalog covers more ground than ours.
- Points roll over forever. Unlike Splice, Loopcloud doesn't expire your unused points if you cancel. That's a real concession on their part.
Where Selekt wins
- Flat pricing, no points to track. $5/month, full library access. No math, no “can I afford this pack this month?”, no surprises when a pack's point-cost shifts.
- License certificate per download. Every download includes a PDF showing the sample's source, license type, and any attribution required. Samples ingested from less-authoritative sources also get a fingerprint screening section. Documents source authority for distributors and sync libraries.
- Free copyright-check tool. Run any audio — including your finished mix — against an industry-standard database of 150M+ commercial recordings. Every run is cryptographically signed and hash-chained into an immutable audit log you can verify yourself.
- Verified upstream sourcing. Sourced from CC0, public domain, and CC-BY contributors (Library of Congress, Citizen DJ, Freesound, Internet Archive pre-1926). License terms verified at ingest, not contributor-asserted.
- AI semantic search. Type “dark cinematic drone with thunder” or “sad piano,” and Grok translates that into our taxonomy filters. Loopcloud has “find similar” ML; we have LLM-driven natural language understanding.
- Free copyright-check and stem-separation tools. No signup required. Use them on any audio file you have. Same infrastructure that screens our catalog.
- Web-first, no plugin install required. Browse the catalog in any browser. Tauri desktop app for offline-style organization. No DAW plugin to manage, no internet-required-or-it-breaks situation.
What Loopcloud users actually complain about
1. The points system itself
Loopcloud's points-based pricing is the #1 source of producer frustration. Individual samples cost 0–2 points, but premium packs run 100–1,000+ points. The Artist tier's 100 monthly points often only cover 4–6 samples plus parts of one pack. And producers report pack pricing changes after they subscribe.
“After I purchased a year subscription...the average cost of sound packages offered to me went from 100-300 points, to an average of 1000+ points.”— KVR Audio forum thread
Selekt has no points. $5/month, full catalog access, no math.
2. Free 25 samples per day quietly removed
Loopcloud previously advertised “25 free samples per day” on the Studio tier. Producers report this was silently removed in 2024 with no announcement.
“When I signed up 3 months ago, the plan said ‘25 free/day’ for my ‘studio’ plan...today all traces of the free points per day have vanished.” Same user later called it “consumer fraud.”— KVR Audio forum thread
Selekt's pricing is documented and stable. $5/month flat means exactly $5/month with full library access — nothing to silently remove.
3. UI bugs and search reshuffling
Producers describe the web UI as “a real hassle” and report search results that lose your place when refreshing — forcing repeat scrolling through the same files.
“When it refreshes, it loses your place in the list and often reshuffles the list. So you wind up searching through the same files over and over.”— KVR Audio forum thread
Selekt's Sound Lab uses cursor pagination, so refreshes preserve your place and the order is stable.
4. Plugin requires active internet connection
The Loopcloud DAW plugin requires an active internet connection to function. No offline mode. If your connection drops mid-session, the plugin stops working until you reconnect.
Selekt's web catalog requires internet, but the Tauri desktop app gives you an offline-style organized library of your downloaded samples that doesn't depend on connection state.
5. Auto-renewal before period end
Loopcloud auto-renews subscriptions a few days before the period ends — charging users before they realize they need to cancel. Refund policy is limited to 14 days and only if you haven't downloaded anything.
Selekt's subscription renews on the last day of your billing period, not ahead of it. Cancel anytime and your access continues until the period ends.
Frequently asked questions
How is Selekt different from Loopcloud?
Selekt is a flat $5/month cleared catalog with no points or credits, a license certificate per download, a free copyright-check tool, and AI semantic search. Loopcloud is points-based ($7.99–$21.99/month) with a famously good in-DAW plugin and a much larger 5M+ sample library. Different shape, different audience.
Why do producers complain about the Loopcloud points system?
The most-cited issues: pack point-prices appear to change after you subscribe, individual samples cost 0–2 points but premium packs run 100–1,000+ points (so monthly allowances run out fast), and the previously-advertised “free 25 samples per day” feature was silently removed in 2024. KVR forum threads document these complaints.
Does Selekt have a DAW plugin like Loopcloud?
Loopcloud's DAW plugin is genuinely best-in-class — auditioning samples in your project's tempo and key before downloading is the killer workflow feature. Selekt is currently web-first with a Tauri desktop app. We don't have a 1:1 plugin equivalent yet. If in-DAW workflow is your top priority, Loopcloud wins.
Do my Loopcloud points expire if I cancel?
Loopcloud's points policy is producer-friendly compared to Splice — points roll over and don't expire even after you cancel. Selekt keeps it simple: a flat subscription with a monthly download allowance and no per-sample points math, and its AI-tool credits are fair too: add-on credits never expire and monthly ones roll over. Different models, both honest — Selekt bundles a monthly download allowance with metered AI tools; Loopcloud is points-based à la carte.
What about Loopcloud DRUM and PLAY?
Loopcloud DRUM (a step sequencer) and PLAY (a multi-sample ROMpler) are bundled VST instruments included with all subscription tiers. They are genuinely good. Selekt does not bundle VST instruments — we focus on the cleared sample catalog and the Workshop tools (copyright check, stem separation, denoise). Different scope.
How does Selekt pricing compare to Loopcloud?
Selekt is $5/month flat. Loopcloud's Artist tier is $7.99/month for 100 points, Studio is $11.99 for 300 points, Professional is $21.99 for 600 points. The point pricing means at lower tiers you can typically afford 4–6 individual samples per month, plus parts of one premium pack. Selekt's flat-access model removes that math.
No points. No quotas. $5/month.
Browse the Sound Lab catalog free. Try the AI search bar with a description. If it fits your workflow, $5/month unlocks downloads with the audit certificate per file.
