SoundCloud
Free tier: 3 hours of uploadsThe usual home for demos. Private links you can send, comments on the timeline.
Watch out: Free accounts can't replace a track's audio — re-upload for a new take.
Open SoundCloudWhere to put your demos
Free places a solo singer-songwriter can share original songs — somewhere public for listeners, and somewhere private for co-writers and competitions. Nothing here costs anything to start, and none of it is connected to this app: they're just the links.
Getting one demo out, in five moves
- 1Record the best take you have — a phone in a quiet room is plenty for a demo.
- 2Print your lyric sheet from this song, so anyone listening can read along.
- 3Put your artwork on it: the cover you uploaded here works as the track picture.
- 4Upload to one free home (SoundCloud or YouTube), and keep the original file in iCloud or Drive.
- 5Send the private link — to a co-writer, a competition, or a venue you'd like to play.
YouTube
Free, unlimitedA phone video of you playing it, or a still picture over the audio. Unlisted links work well.
Watch out: Cover songs can be claimed; your own songs are fine.
Open YouTubeBandcamp
Free to upload; a cut only when you sellSelling or giving away a single or an EP, with your artwork and lyrics.
Watch out: Best once a song is finished and mixed.
Open BandcampAudiomack
Free, unlimitedUnlimited uploads with no storage cap, plus simple play counts.
Watch out: A smaller listening audience than SoundCloud.
Open AudiomackiCloud Drive
Free 5 GB with an Apple IDSending a private demo to a co-writer, producer or competition without publishing it.
Watch out: A shared file is a link, not a page — it won't gather listeners.
Open iCloud DriveGoogle Drive
Free 15 GBThe same private sharing, plus a folder of takes and lyric sheets in one place.
Watch out: Set sharing to 'anyone with the link' or the other person can't open it.
Open Google DriveDropbox Basic
Free 2 GBWhat most studios and publishers still ask for. Links never expire.
Watch out: 2 GB fills quickly with high-quality WAVs.
Open Dropbox BasicRouteNote
Free distribution (they keep 15%)Getting a finished song onto Spotify, Apple Music and the rest at no upfront cost.
Watch out: Needs finished artwork (3000×3000) and mastered audio.
Open RouteNoteReverbNation
Free artist profileA tidy artist page with songs, photos and gig listings.
Watch out: Plenty of paid upsells — the free profile is enough to start.
Open ReverbNationInstagram / TikTok
FreeA 30-second chorus filmed on your phone finds listeners faster than a full demo.
Watch out: Audio gets compressed — keep the good recording somewhere else too.
Open Instagram / TikTokKeep your own master copy somewhere you control — a folder in iCloud or Drive with the audio, the lyric sheet and the artwork means you can send a song anywhere, any time.
