How to Cancel Artlist in 2026 (The Better Music License — But Do You Need It?)

Updated February 2026 • 4 min read

Artlist charges $9.99/month for Music, $16.60/month for Music + SFX, or up to $29.99/month for the full creative suite (music, SFX, footage, templates). The good news: Artlist has perpetual licensing — downloads stay legal forever. But do you still need it?

How to Cancel Artlist

Log into artlist.io
Click your profile → Account Settings
Go to Subscription
Click "Cancel Subscription"
They'll offer retention discounts (often 30-50% off)
Confirm cancellation

✅ Great news: Unlike Epidemic Sound, Artlist's license is perpetual. Every song you downloaded while subscribed remains fully licensed for use in any project — forever. No copyright claims after cancellation. This is why Artlist is the better deal for creators.

What "Perpetual License" Actually Means

Songs downloaded while subscribed: Licensed forever, in any project, on any platform
New downloads after cancellation: Not available — you can't download new songs
Existing YouTube videos: Stay fully monetized — no Content ID claims
Commercial use: Yes — ads, client work, everything, perpetually
Transfer to new projects: Yes — reuse any downloaded song in future work

Before Canceling: Build Your Library

Since downloads stay licensed forever, do a "download sprint" before canceling:

Download 50-100 versatile tracks in different moods/genres
Get sound effects you use regularly (whooshes, transitions, risers)
Grab footage clips if you have the creative suite (B-roll, aerials, nature)
Organize by mood/energy so you can find them later
This library will serve you for years without paying another dollar

Free Alternatives

YouTube Audio Library (free) — Pre-cleared, large catalog, no claims
Streambeats by Harris Heller (free) — Made for content creators, no copyright issues
Pixabay Music (free) — CC0 license, growing library
AI music (Suno, Udio) — Generate custom tracks in any genre. Quality is surprisingly good in 2026
Uppbeat (free tier) — 3 downloads/month, YouTube-cleared

Artlist vs AI Music: The Future

AI music generators like Suno and Udio are making stock music libraries less necessary. You can generate a custom track in any style, length, and mood in 30 seconds — for free. The quality in 2026 is genuinely comparable to stock library tracks. For background music in YouTube videos, AI-generated tracks are often indistinguishable from human-produced ones. This is the biggest reason to cancel: the product category is being disrupted.

Bottom line: Artlist is the most creator-friendly music subscription (perpetual licensing is genuinely fair). Download a large library before canceling, and your tracks stay licensed forever. Between your Artlist library, YouTube Audio Library, and AI music generators, you won't need to resubscribe.

Find More Subscriptions to Cancel →

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Quick Cancel Guide: Artlist

Direct cancel link + step-by-step instructions

How to Cancel Artlist in 2026 (The Better Music License — But Do You Need It?)