SmartSound
SmartSound LLC sells customizable, royalty-free music and sound effects to video creators through its patented Sonicfire Pro desktop software, direct e-commerce storefront, and OEM licensing into Adobe, Avid, and other leading video editing platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersWinnetka, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What SmartSound does
SmartSound LLC is a privately held California company founded in 1995 that sells customizable, royalty-free music and sound effects to video creators. Its flagship product is Sonicfire Pro, a desktop application built around patented adaptive music technology that automatically adjusts track length, instrument mix, mood, and timing to fit video timelines with precision to one-tenth of a second, using a proprietary .sds file format and Multi-Layer tracks with up to nine independently controllable instrument stems.
The company monetizes through a mix of one-time purchases and subscriptions: single tracks ($33 sale / $49.95 regular), albums ($99 / $149), the Sonicfire Pro software ($99.50–$348.50), credit packs, NLE plugins ($14.50–$24.50), and a cloud-based Quicktracks annual subscription. A Custom/Widest License is offered for distribution beyond standard scope. SmartSound also licenses its Quicktracks Embedded SDK to video editing platforms — Adobe, Avid, Corel, CyberLink, Serif, Roxio, and Sonic Solutions — embedding its music access into third-party editing applications.
SmartSound serves primarily individual video content creators, professional videographers, and corporate marketing teams, with enterprise validation from logos including Volkswagen, Apple, Walt Disney, Netflix, Starbucks, and CNN displayed on its site. The catalog exceeds 300 albums with at least two new releases per month, products are sold in over 30 countries, and the company reports tens of thousands of users. Distribution is product-led, anchored on a direct e-commerce storefront with self-serve checkout, supplemented by OEM embedded channels and Google/Facebook remarketing; no active funding rounds, M&A activity, or recent leadership changes are disclosed.
SmartSound firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SmartSound
- Legal name
- SmartSound LLC
- Website
- https://smartsound.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SmartSound LLC sells customizable, royalty-free music and sound effects to video creators through its patented Sonicfire Pro desktop software, direct e-commerce storefront, and OEM licensing into Adobe, Avid, and other leading video editing platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SmartSound industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Royalty-Free Music Software
- NAICS
- Sound Recording Industries (5122), Record Production and Distribution (51225), Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creator Music/SFX Asset Libraries & Licensing Platforms (MPACABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Creator Tools & Production (Overlays, Alerts, Encoding, Editing, Audio) (MPAFAEAC), Game Music Licensing & Interactive/Adaptive Music Providers (MPAIALAI)
Keywords
Where SmartSound is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Winnetka
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
SmartSound business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Single Track Licenses: One-time purchase of individual music tracks. Each track comes with multiple variations and is fully customizable in length. Includes Extended License for broad usage rights.
- Album Packs: Credit-based purchasing for album collections at discounted rates. Customers buy credits redeemable for albums in the online store or Sonicfire Pro software.
- Single Track Packs: Credit bundles for individual tracks at discounted per-track pricing. Redeemable in online store or Sonicfire Pro.
- Sonicfire Pro Software: One-time perpetual license for desktop software with 10 included music tracks. Additional plugins available for specific NLE applications (Premiere Pro, After Effects, Vegas Pro, Pinnacle Studio).
- Quicktracks Annual Subscription: Cloud-based subscription using Quicktracks technology. Provides ongoing access to music library with subscription model. License similar to Extended License with some differences.
- Custom/Widest License: Bespoke licensing on a per-project basis for distribution and usage beyond Extended License coverage. Contact sales for custom quotes.
- Sound Effects Packs: High-quality BOOM Library sound effects and production elements sold as add-on packs. Designed to work with Hit Files feature in Sonicfire Pro.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Royalty Free Single Track |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Royalty Free Album |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Sonicfire Pro Starter Pack |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Sonicfire Pro (Software Only) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Sonicfire Pro Upgrade |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Track Packs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Track Credits |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Album Credits Packs |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Plug-ins (Adobe Premiere Pro) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Plug-ins (Pinnacle Studio) |
| Subscription | Annual | Quicktracks Annual Subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
SmartSound product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SmartSound develops and sells royalty-free, fully customizable music and sound effects for video creators, powered by its patented adaptive music technology. The flagship Sonicfire Pro desktop software lets users automatically adjust any music track to exact video length, mix instrument layers, and generate arrangement variations. The company also delivers its technology via the Quicktracks Embedded SDK to OEM partners and sells a cloud-based music customization portal directly to consumers and enterprises.
Product overview
SmartSound is a platform-plus-products offering for visual media creators, combining cloud-based music customization with desktop software. The core product is Sonicfire Pro 6, an award-winning desktop application that provides patented music customization technology allowing users to adjust track length, instrument mix, and arrangement. This technology is also offered to OEM partners (Adobe, Avid, Corel, CyberLink, Pinnacle, Serif) through the Quicktracks Embedded SDK for integration into their video editing applications. The company maintains an extensive royalty-free music and sound effects library available through subscription (Quicktracks Annual) or one-time purchase (Extended/Widest License), with over 300 album releases and new content added monthly. Music is provided in specialized formats (Strata Multi-Layer, Audio Palette, Edge, Producer, Film Score, Home Movie Music series) designed to work with the patented system. Sound effects are sourced from BOOM Library. Pricing includes individual tracks ($49.95), albums ($149.00), software (Sonicfire Pro $99.50-$199.00), and bundled packs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sonicfire Pro Flagship desktop software for professional videographers and multimedia creators. Provides patented music customization technology including Custom Length, Timing Control, Mood Mapping, Alternate Arrangements, Cut-Video-To-Music, and Hit Files features. Sold as one-time perpetual license for Windows and macOS.
- Quicktracks Embedded SDK Technology SDK that gives licensed partners the ability to offer automated soundtracks from inside their application, providing a seamless look-and-feel while delivering the SmartSound feature set to end users. Licensed to Adobe, Avid, Corel, CyberLink, Serif, Roxio, and Sonic Solutions.
- Royalty Free Music Library Over 300 albums of royalty-free music and sound effects all designed to work with the patented SmartSound process, with 2 or more new discs released every month. Available as individual tracks or album packs via one-time license purchase.
- Quicktracks Annual Subscription Cloud-based annual subscription using Quicktracks technology providing ongoing access to the music library with subscription model. License similar to Extended License with some differences. Contact sales for pricing.
- Sound Effects Packs (BOOM Library) High-quality BOOM Library sound effects and production elements offering a vast array of highlights for any visual event. Files are specifically designed to work with the Hit Files feature in Sonicfire Pro 6. Sold as add-on packs.
- Sonicfire Pro Starter Pack Bundle including Award-Winning Software (Sonicfire Pro), Core Ultimate Album, 10 Singles Packs, and 19 Multi-Take Sound Effects. Everything needed to start creating immediately.
Quantifiable outcome
- Saves hours of manual music editing per project through automatic Custom Length feature
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SmartSound
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SmartSound technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
AI capability1 record
Feature7 records
SmartSound partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- AdobecoreAdobe has licensed SmartSound technology for integration into their video editing products. Adobe sells add-on SmartSound music to Premiere Pro and After Effects users through plugin integration. This is one of the most significant OEM partnerships given Adobe's market dominance in creative software.
- AvidcoreAvid licensed SmartSound Quicktracks Embedded technology for OEM integration into their video editing solutions. Avid sells add-on SmartSound music to their customer base to increase product value and generate additional revenue.
- Corel (Ulead)majorCorel (including Ulead products) licensed SmartSound technology for integration into their video editing software. Partners sell add-on Smartsound music to customers.
- CyberLinkmajorCyberLink licensed SmartSound Quicktracks Embedded technology for OEM integration into their PowerDirector and other video products. Sells add-on SmartSound music to their customers.
- BOOM LibrarymajorSmartSound distributes BOOM Library professional sound effects and production elements as add-on packs through their website. These sound effects are specifically designed to work with the Hit Files feature in Sonicfire Pro 6.
- GoogleminorGoogle Analytics for website analytics and Google Ads for remarketing advertising campaigns to previous site visitors.
- Facebook (Meta)minorFacebook advertising platform used for retargeting campaigns to previous site visitors across Facebook and Instagram.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SmartSound competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pond5: Marketplace for royalty-free stock music, sound effects, and video. Comparable on per-track licensing economics and breadth of catalog, with a larger marketplace footprint than SmartSound's curated approach.
- PremiumBeat: Royalty-free music library owned by Shutterstock, offering single-track and subscription licensing for video and film professionals. Comparable catalog model to SmartSound's single-track and album sales.
- Artlist: Royalty-free music and SFX licensing platform serving video creators, filmmakers, and brands with a subscription model. Highly comparable to SmartSound on customer base and YouTube-friendly licensing, with a stronger brand and broader catalog.
- Soundstripe: Subscription music and sound effects service for video creators with direct NLE integrations (Premiere Pro, Final Cut, DaVinci Resolve). Closely mirrors SmartSound's combination of cleared music library and editing-software integrations.
- Audio Network: Production music library licensing original tracks for film, TV, advertising, and digital media. Comparable on enterprise/B2B licensing depth and curated catalog approach for professional productions.
- Storyblocks: Unlimited-download stock media subscription covering video, audio, and images. Comparable to SmartSound on the audio-for-video subscription side, though SmartSound's adaptive customization differentiates it on fit-to-picture.
- Musicbed: Premium royalty-free music licensing platform focused on filmmakers, brands, and agencies. Comparable to SmartSound's Producer and Film Score Series in positioning toward higher-end video productions.
- Epidemic Sound: Subscription-based royalty-free music platform for video creators and brands. Directly comparable to SmartSound in target audience (YouTubers, agencies, enterprises) and offering (licensed music cleared for social media), but competes via a pure subscription model rather than perpetual licenses.
Broad incumbents
- Splice: Music creation platform with a large royalty-free sample and loop library. Comparable in music technology/asset distribution for creators, but targets music producers rather than video editors directly.
- Shutterstock: Broad stock media marketplace including music (via PremiumBeat) and footage. Comparable as an incumbent distribution channel for stock music, though SmartSound's adaptive customization is not replicated at Shutterstock's scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SmartSound social profiles
Digital presenceSmartSound financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SmartSound leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
SmartSound funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SmartSound M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SmartSound
What does SmartSound do?
SmartSound develops and sells royalty-free, fully customizable music and sound effects for video creators, powered by its patented adaptive music technology. The flagship Sonicfire Pro desktop software lets users automatically adjust any music track to exact video length, mix instrument layers, and generate arrangement variations. The company also delivers its technology via the Quicktracks Embedded SDK to OEM partners and sells a cloud-based music customization portal directly to consumers and enterprises.
Is SmartSound a public or private company?
SmartSound is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was SmartSound founded?
SmartSound was founded in 1995. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SmartSound based?
SmartSound is headquartered in Winnetka, United States, in the North America region.
How does SmartSound make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Single Track Licenses are the primary driver. The others are album Packs, single Track Packs, sonicfire Pro Software, quicktracks Annual Subscription, custom/Widest License and sound Effects Packs.
Who are SmartSound's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pond5, PremiumBeat, Artlist, Soundstripe, Audio Network, Storyblocks, Musicbed and Epidemic Sound. Broad incumbents are Splice and Shutterstock.
Does SmartSound have an API?
No public API is recorded for SmartSound.
What industry is SmartSound in?
SmartSound's product category is Royalty-Free Music Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACABAM, Creator Music/SFX Asset Libraries & Licensing Platforms, with a secondary code of MPAFAEAC, Creator Tools & Production (Overlays, Alerts, Encoding, Editing, Audio). Its NAICS code is 5122 and its SIC code is 7372.