# Freesound — card for AI agents

Collaborative database of CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC sounds with a REST API.

Category: Sound effects · maker Music Technology Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra · checked 2026-10-10

## Price
- Price: Free
- Free tier: Free API key; commercial use of the API is negotiated case by case with UPF.

## License
Per sound: CC0 / CC BY / CC BY-NC (legacy Sampling+) — https://freesound.org/help/faq/

- commercial: **conditions** (Commercial use with conditions)
  > you can't earn any money with the piece of work you create!
  (https://freesound.org/help/faq/)
- attribution: **varies** (Credit depends on the item)
  > you should always mention the original creators of the sounds when you use them.
  (https://freesound.org/help/faq/)
- in app: **conditions** (Ship inside your app with conditions)
- youtube: **conditions** (Monetized YouTube with conditions)
- content id: **No allowlist. Songs registered in Content ID that used the same sounds can trigger claims; dispute by showing the Freesound upload is older.**

## Rules to follow
- Use only CC0 or CC BY sounds in monetized work; under BY-NC you cannot earn money.
- Credit sound name, author, Freesound link and license for CC BY sounds.
- Agree commercial API use with UPF before going live.

## How an agent gets files
- REST API v2: https://freesound.org/apiv2/ (apply for a credential at freesound.org/apiv2/apply). Previews download with the API key; original files need OAuth2. Python client: MTG/freesound-python. (sign-in: api-key)
- Formats: wav, aif, flac, ogg, mp3
- Not allowed: Rate limits: 60 requests/min and 2,000/day; originals, uploads etc. 30/min and 500/day.
- Not allowed: Commercial API use is negotiated case by case with UPF.
- Not allowed: Under BY-NC you cannot earn money from the work you create.
- Not allowed: AI model training is allowed only non-commercially; uploaders can opt out of generative AI training.

## How to connect
- Public API
- API docs: https://freesound.org/docs/api/ (API key needed)
- API limits: 60 req/min and 2,000/day; downloads 30/min and 500/day; original-quality downloads need OAuth2.
- Repository: https://github.com/MTG/freesound-python
- Website: https://freesound.org

## Numbers (AgentGid data)
- Gid Score: 0.0
- GitHub stars: 157

## Lines to paste into your prompt or AGENTS.md

```
- Freesound (Sound effects). Collaborative database of CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC sounds with a REST API. Price: free; commercial use with conditions; credit depends on the item; ship inside your app with conditions.
  Connect: API docs https://freesound.org/docs/api/ (API key needed). Limits: 60 req/min and 2,000/day; downloads 30/min and 500/day; original-quality downloads need OAuth2.
  Get files: REST API v2: https://freesound.org/apiv2/ (apply for a credential at freesound.org/apiv2/apply). Previews download with the API key; original files need OAuth2. Python client: MTG/freesound-python (wav, aif, flac, ogg, mp3).
  Not allowed: Rate limits: 60 requests/min and 2,000/day; originals, uploads etc. 30/min and 500/day.
  Not allowed: Commercial API use is negotiated case by case with UPF.
  Not allowed: Under BY-NC you cannot earn money from the work you create.
  Not allowed: AI model training is allowed only non-commercially; uploaders can opt out of generative AI training.
  Rule: Use only CC0 or CC BY sounds in monetized work; under BY-NC you cannot earn money.
  Rule: Credit sound name, author, Freesound link and license for CC BY sounds.
  Rule: Agree commercial API use with UPF before going live.
  License: https://freesound.org/help/faq/ (checked 2026-10-10; details: https://agentgid.com/assets/freesound/)
```

Not verified: A monetized automated channel probably counts as commercial API use; no PyPI name for the Python client.

## Links
- AgentGid page: https://agentgid.com/assets/freesound/
- Is it free for commercial use? https://agentgid.com/assets/freesound/commercial-use/
- Source: https://freesound.org/docs/api/
- Source: https://freesound.org/docs/api/overview.html
- Source: https://freesound.org/help/faq/
- Source: https://freesound.org/help/tos_api/
- Source: https://github.com/MTG/freesound-python

---
AgentGid's catalog is curated: every entry was checked against the maker's official pages (registry, repository, license and pricing pages) on the date shown; a license value shows the quote it stands on wherever AgentGid has one. Usage numbers come from AgentGid's own scan of public repositories set up for AI coding agents. Claims by makers are reported, not tested by AgentGid.