Can you download from SoundCloud on Android?

What is SoundCloud?

SoundCloud is an audio streaming service that was founded in 2007 in Berlin, Germany. SoundCloud allows users to upload and promote original audio recordings, according to https://www.businessofapps.com/data/soundcloud-statistics/. Listeners can then stream music and podcasts on the platform for free or with a paid subscription, which offers ad-free listening and additional features.

As of 2024, SoundCloud has over 320 million monthly active users and over 230 million tracks uploaded to the platform according to statistics shared by https://leftronic.com/blog/soundcloud-statistics/. Around 30-40 million users visit SoundCloud every day to listen to their favorite audio recordings.

Downloading on SoundCloud

SoundCloud limits free users to streaming audio only. Downloading songs is available only for users with a paid subscription like SoundCloud Go or Go+.

SoundCloud Pro and Pro Unlimited creators can also enable downloading for their tracks, but have download limits based on their subscription plan.

When available, downloads can be accessed on both web and mobile apps. This allows subscribers to listen offline or transfer songs to other devices.

Downloading on Android devices

Android users can download tracks and playlists from SoundCloud with a SoundCloud Go subscription. Downloads are available offline through the SoundCloud mobile app, and audio is saved to your device storage or SD card.

Steps to download

To download tracks from SoundCloud on your Android device, first download and install the SoundCloud app from the Google Play Store. Once installed:

1. Open the SoundCloud app and find a track you want to download. Tap the track to expand it.
2. Tap the downward arrow icon next to Like and Share icons to bring up the download options.
3. Select either “High” or “Low” to choose the quality. High will download a higher quality 320kbps MP3, while Low downloads a 128kbps MP3.
4. Once downloaded, go to the “My Collection” tab in the SoundCloud app to access your downloads.

As per SoundCloud’s download policies, you can download tracks to listen offline as long as you maintain an active SoundCloud Go or Go+ subscription. Downloads also include attribution to help support the artists.

Sound Quality

When downloading tracks from SoundCloud on Android, users have the option to download high quality audio files up to 256 kbps, according to Soundcloud Downloader and SoundCloud to MP3 Converter. This allows users to listen to tracks offline while preserving excellent sound quality and saving cellular data.

The 256 kbps download option provides audio on par with an MP3 file. While not lossless, 256 kbps has high enough audio quality for most listener’s needs, especially for portable listening. This strikes a good balance between sound quality and file size.

Lower quality options are also available if smaller files are preferred for storage space reasons. However, 256 kbps is recommended for premium SoundCloud downloads on Android devices. At this quality, tracks sound fantastic even through high-end headphones and speakers.

Limits

SoundCloud sets download limits that depend on your subscription level. As noted on SoundCloud’s help page, Next users can enable up to 100 downloads per track, while Next Pro users have unlimited downloads for their tracks.

For general listeners, SoundCloud Go allows a limited number of downloads across tracks and playlists, while SoundCloud Go+ provides unlimited downloads. However, if you cancel your paid subscription, any downloaded content will expire after 30 days and can no longer be accessed.

Downloading playlists

As the How to download SoundCloud playlists as ZIP article explains, SoundCloud allows Android users to download full playlists for offline listening. This makes it quick and easy to access multiple tracks from a playlist without an internet connection. The key steps are:

1. Copy the URL of the SoundCloud playlist you want to download
2. Paste the playlist URL into the SoundCloud playlist downloader
3. The site will generate a ZIP file containing the MP3 version of all tracks in the playlist
4. Save the ZIP file to your Android device
5. Unzip the file to access the MP3 tracks

With playlists downloaded, Android users can listen to all their favorite tracks from a playlist offline, anytime and anywhere. This is perfect for situations like traveling without steady internet access. It also avoids streaming large playlists which could use up mobile data.

Copyright considerations

While downloading audio files from SoundCloud for personal use is typically allowed, redistributing that audio content violates SoundCloud’s terms of service (SoundCloud Help). According to SoundCloud’s copyright policy, “SoundCloud has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to the unauthorized publication of unreleased content.” This includes uploading or distributing content that has been directly downloaded from SoundCloud without the proper licensing permissions.

Even if you download a file from SoundCloud for personal listening on your device, you cannot then re-upload or redistribute that file elsewhere without permission. As SoundCloud states on their copyright information page, “We expect all SoundCloud users to respect other people’s copyright.” So while the SoundCloud Terms of Service may allow downloading audio files from the platform under fair use for personal enjoyment, violating their zero-tolerance copyright policy can lead to account suspension or termination.

Alternatives

If SoundCloud’s music library or download options are limited, there are other streaming services to consider. Some popular SoundCloud alternatives include YouTube Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

YouTube Music offers over 70 million official songs, albums, playlists, and more to stream or download for offline listening. Downloads are available on Android and iOS devices through the YouTube Music app. The free version has ads, while YouTube Music Premium removes ads and allows background listening for $9.99/month.

Spotify has a library of over 82 million tracks available to stream or download. Downloading for offline listening requires a Spotify Premium subscription for $9.99/month. Downloads are supported on mobile apps as well as desktop. Spotify has larger libraries and more advanced discovery features compared to SoundCloud.

For those focused on owning their music outright, Bandcamp and Amazon Music are also great SoundCloud alternatives. Bandcamp offers artists’ full catalogs for digital download, usually at affordable set-your-own prices. Amazon Music has over 90 million songs available to buy as MP3s or physical albums/vinyl, which can then be downloaded and owned forever.

Summary

Android users can download tracks and playlists from SoundCloud to listen offline and save cellular data, but only with a paid SoundCloud Go or Go+ subscription. The free SoundCloud app for Android does not allow downloads due to copyright restrictions.

With a subscription, Android users can download tracks and playlists directly within the SoundCloud mobile app. Simply open the app, find the track or playlist you want to save for offline listening, and select the download icon. Downloads are saved locally on your device storage.

Offline listening can be great for situations when you don’t have an internet connection, like flights or subways. It also helps reduce mobile data usage. Just be sure to only download content you have the rights to access.