Best AI for making music (and the download catch)
Suno makes the most complete songs with vocals. Udio is good for tinkering. Both now limit what you can download, so read this before you pay.
The short answer
Use Suno. Type a mood or paste your lyrics and you get a full song with vocals, and the free plan gives 50 credits a day. The catch: since September 3, Suno limits downloads, and new free users don’t get regular ones. If you want to keep your songs, Pro ($8 a month billed yearly) includes 20 downloads a month. Udio has a free plan too, but people on X report its downloads are blocked.
Last checked against the sources below.
Side by side
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | Paid plan | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suno | Full songs with vocals from a prompt or lyrics | 50 credits a day, no commercial rights | Pro $8/mo yearly; Premier $24/mo yearly | 20/mo on Pro, 60/mo on Premier |
| Udio | Tweaking and remixing sections | 10 credits a day, 100 a month | Standard $10/mo ($8 yearly) | Reported blocked (see below) |
Prices from Suno’s and Udio’s own pages, checked October 15, 2026.
Why Suno is our pick
Suno is the one most people mean when they say “AI song.” Describe a song or paste lyrics and you get a finished track with verses, a chorus and a singer. The free plan gives 50 credits a day on its free model, so you can try it properly before paying.
In an r/udiomusic thread comparing the two, even Udio fans gave Suno the edge for complete, structured songs, while praising Udio for texture and more natural-sounding vocal variety.
The download catch
This is the part most “best AI music” lists miss. Suno’s help page says Pro includes 20 download credits a month and Premier 60. Free users who joined before September 3, 2026 get up to 7 trial downloads; newer free users may occasionally get some. Trial downloads can’t be used commercially. You can still play and share songs inside Suno.
On X, Kol Tregaskes called the change bad but “nothing like Udio where all downloads were blocked,” and another post linked Udio’s block to its settlement with Universal Music. Udio’s own pricing page doesn’t mention downloads, so check before you pay. A r/SunoAI thread on the new limits has plenty of unhappy subscribers.
Who should pay
If you make songs for fun and share links, the free plan is fine. If you want MP3s for a video, a party or your phone, Suno Pro is the cheapest way to get regular downloads. If you need voiceovers or sound effects rather than songs, look at ElevenLabs instead.
Quick questions
Is Suno free?
Yes, with 50 credits a day on its free model. Free songs can’t be used commercially, and new free users don’t get regular downloads.
Can I download songs from Suno for free?
Mostly no. Since September 3, 2026, downloads come with paid plans: 20 a month on Pro and 60 on Premier. Older free accounts got up to 7 trial downloads.
Suno or Udio?
Suno for finished songs with vocals and the clearest download rules. Udio is better for tinkering, but posts on X report its downloads are blocked.
Tools in this take
Suno
Music & Voice · Free plan · from ~$10/monthDescribe a song and get a full track, vocals included.
Udio
Music & Voice · Free planDescribe a song or remix one. Better for playing with ideas than for finished tracks.
ElevenLabs
Music & Voice · Free plan · from ~$6/monthTurns text into very realistic speech. It can also copy a voice (with permission) and translate videos into other languages.
Sources
- Suno pricing
- Suno Help: how do downloads work?
- Udio pricing
- r/udiomusic: Suno vs Udio
- r/SunoAI: Suno’s new download limitations
- X: @koltregaskes on Suno download limits
- X: @AI_EmeraldApple on Suno and Udio downloads
Published October 15, 2026. This is ShipRadar’s editorial opinion. Claims are paraphrased from the sources above; we don’t invent quotes, ratings or numbers.