SoundCloud Go is the paid side of SoundCloud. It removes ads, lets you save tracks for offline listening, and (on the higher tier) opens up the full catalog and DJ software streaming. There are two paid plans plus the free account, they cost different amounts, and they are genuinely not the same product. Pick the wrong one and you pay for a tier that still hides half the music you want. This page lays out exactly what each plan includes, what it costs, and who should actually buy which.
What is SoundCloud Go?
“SoundCloud Go” is the umbrella name for SoundCloud’s subscriptions. In practice it splits into two paid tiers, SoundCloud Go and SoundCloud Go+, sitting above the free ad-supported account. People often say “SoundCloud Go” when they mean the premium experience in general, but the two tiers are priced and specced very differently, and that difference trips up a lot of new subscribers.
The short version: the cheaper tier removes ads and adds offline listening on your phone, but keeps a limited catalog and is built around mobile. The pricier tier, Go+, is the real premium plan. It unlocks the complete catalog, adds high-quality audio, works offline on both mobile and desktop, and is the only tier that streams into DJ apps like Serato. If you want a plain-English breakdown of every line-item difference, the SoundCloud Go vs Go+ comparison goes deeper than this overview does.
SoundCloud Go plans and prices
Here are the three ways to listen, with US prices for subscribing on the web. Prices can change and vary by country and by where you subscribe.
- SoundCloud Free costs nothing. It is the default account, supported by ads, with a limited catalog and no offline listening. Fine for casual browsing and discovering artists.
- SoundCloud Go runs $4.99 per month with a 7-day free trial. You get ad-free and offline listening on mobile, but a limited catalog. It is the cheapest paid option and the one most listeners end up disappointed by, because it does not unlock the full library.
- SoundCloud Go+ runs $10.99 per month with a 30-day free trial. This is the full premium tier: the complete catalog (SoundCloud states over 135 million tracks in full), ad-free playback, offline on mobile and desktop, high-quality audio up to 256 kbps AAC, and DJ app integrations. Go+ is also sold annually, and paying for a year up front works out cheaper per month than paying monthly.
Two things change the math. First, SoundCloud raised Go+ pricing in April 2026, applied to existing subscribers on their next billing date. SoundCloud did not publish exact new figures, and reporting estimated roughly a $1 to $2 increase, so treat $10.99 as the recent standard monthly price and confirm the current number at soundcloud.com/go before you sign up. Second, where you subscribe matters: buying through the Apple App Store costs about 30% more than the web, and Google Play can also be priced higher. Always start the subscription on the web to pay the lowest price. For the full pricing picture including annual and regional notes, see the SoundCloud Go price breakdown.
What each tier actually gets you
The free tier
The free account is a real product, not a locked demo. You can stream, follow artists, build playlists, and find the independent uploads SoundCloud is known for. What you give up is ads between tracks, a catalog that is capped for licensing reasons, and any offline playback. If you mostly listen on wifi and do not mind ads, free covers a lot of ground. Just know its limits before you assume you need to pay. We break down what free can and cannot do, and the trial options around it, on the SoundCloud Go free guide.
SoundCloud Go ($4.99)
Go’s pitch is simple: no ads, and download tracks to your phone for offline listening. That is worth something if you commute underground or ration mobile data. The catch is the limited catalog. Go does not give you the full library, so you can still hit tracks you cannot play. It is also mobile-focused, so desktop offline is not part of the deal. For a lot of people, Go sits in an awkward spot, more than free but missing the thing they actually wanted, which is everything.
SoundCloud Go+ ($10.99)
Go+ is the tier that removes the asterisks. The complete catalog, ad-free, offline on both mobile and desktop, and audio up to 256 kbps AAC. It is the version that behaves like a full streaming service. It is also the only tier DJs can use, because streaming SoundCloud tracks into Serato and other DJ software requires Go+. If you are paying for SoundCloud at all and you want the whole library or you DJ, Go+ is the one to get. The extra six dollars a month over Go buys the features most subscribers assumed they were paying for in the first place.
Go+ for students
If you are enrolled at a degree-granting college, Go+ for Students is about $5.49 per month, roughly half the standard Go+ price, with the same 30-day trial. You verify enrollment through SheerID, the discount lasts 12 months, and you can renew it each year for up to four years by re-verifying. It is only available directly through SoundCloud, not the app stores. Full eligibility rules and the step-by-step signup are on the SoundCloud Go student discount page. For students who want the full catalog, this is the best-value way to get it.
The real benefits of SoundCloud Go
The benefits of SoundCloud Go+ are the same benefits any premium streaming tier offers, plus a few that are specific to SoundCloud.
Ad-free listening is the obvious one. Offline downloads matter if you travel or want to save data, though it is worth understanding what “download” means here. Saving a track for offline inside the app is not the same as owning an MP3. Offline files are encrypted, only play inside the SoundCloud app, and disappear if your subscription lapses. If you want files you actually keep, that is a separate workflow, which we cover in how to download SoundCloud Go songs.
The SoundCloud-specific benefit is the catalog itself. Alongside major-label music, SoundCloud carries huge amounts of independent uploads, remixes, DJ sets, and early tracks from artists you will not find on other platforms. Go+ unlocks all of it. For DJs, the payoff is streaming that library straight into Serato DJ Pro or Lite, with tracks analyzed for BPM, key, and waveform. That integration alone is why some DJs keep a Go+ subscription regardless of how they listen day to day.
The honest downsides
SoundCloud Go’s biggest weakness is Go itself. Across the r/soundcloud community, the recurring complaint is that the cheap $4.99 tier feels like a trap: you pay to remove ads but still run into tracks the limited catalog will not play, so people either downgrade back to free or bite the bullet and pay for Go+. The consistent advice from actual subscribers is that if you are going to pay, pay for Go+, because Go’s limited library undercuts the whole point.
Go+ has real downsides too. The audio tops out at 256 kbps AAC, which is good but not the lossless tier some rivals now offer. The DJ integration comes with strings: you need a constant internet connection (no offline SoundCloud in Serato), you cannot record sets that include SoundCloud-streamed tracks, and your Likes and crates do not carry over. And the April 2026 price bump means Go+ is no longer the clear budget pick it once was. If you decide it is not for you, canceling is straightforward but depends on where you signed up, which our guide to canceling SoundCloud Go walks through. After you cancel, you keep premium features until the billing cycle ends, then revert to free.
SoundCloud Go vs Spotify and Apple Music
At a similar price point, the question is why pick SoundCloud over the obvious names. The honest answer is: for most people’s core library, the big services are interchangeable, and Spotify or Apple Music will feel more polished. SoundCloud wins on the stuff that is only on SoundCloud, the remixes, bootlegs, DJ mixes, and independent artists who never uploaded elsewhere. If your listening lives in that world, or you DJ, Go+ earns its place. If it does not, a mainstream service may serve you better. We compare features, catalog, and price head to head in SoundCloud vs Spotify.
How to subscribe
Starting a plan takes a couple of minutes on the web. Sign in, open your subscriptions, pick Go or Go+, and add a payment method to begin the trial. You need a valid payment method to start, and the trial auto-renews into a paid plan unless you cancel before it ends. Trials are generally for new subscribers only, so if you have subscribed before you likely will not get another free run. For the exact menu path, trial-length details, and tips on avoiding the app-store surcharge, see how to subscribe to SoundCloud Go.
Which SoundCloud Go plan should you pick?
If you want the full catalog, DJ integration, desktop offline, or the best audio, get Go+. It is the only tier that behaves like a complete premium service. If you are a student, get Go+ for Students and pay about half. Only consider plain Go if $4.99 is a hard ceiling and you have confirmed the specific music you listen to is available on it, otherwise you are paying to lose the ads while keeping the limits. And if you mostly browse on wifi and tolerate ads, the free tier is a legitimate place to stay.
FAQ
What is SoundCloud Go?
SoundCloud Go is SoundCloud’s premium subscription, sold as two tiers. Go ($4.99/month) removes ads and adds mobile offline listening but keeps a limited catalog. Go+ ($10.99/month) unlocks the full catalog, high-quality audio, desktop offline, and DJ app streaming. Both sit above the free ad-supported account. Prices can change and vary by country.
Is SoundCloud Go worth it?
Go+ is worth it if you want SoundCloud’s full library or you DJ, since it is the only tier that unlocks everything. The cheaper Go tier is harder to recommend, because its limited catalog means you can still hit tracks you cannot play. Most subscribers say if you pay, pay for Go+.
What is the difference between Go and Go+?
Price and access. Go is $4.99, mobile-focused, and keeps a limited catalog. Go+ is $10.99, unlocks the complete catalog, adds up to 256 kbps AAC audio, offline on mobile and desktop, and DJ software integration. Go+ is the full premium tier; Go is a stripped-down, ad-free step above free.
Is there a free version of SoundCloud?
Yes. The free account is the default: streaming, playlists, and following artists, supported by ads, with a limited catalog and no offline listening. Go and Go+ also offer free trials (7 days for Go, 30 days for Go+) that require a payment method and auto-renew unless you cancel first.