Loopcloud vs Splice – Which Is Better? [An Honest Review]

The main difference is that Loopcloud comes with plugins, and is more of a mini DAW, where you can try out samples, change the pitch, add effects, and listen to them in context with your current production.

Splice is more community based, and has more samples from famous music producers.

They don’t have the effects or ability to change pitch, but have a wider selection of better sounds, and you can also download presets + rent to own plugins monthly.

Are Splice & Loopcloud Royalty Free?

You can use the samples to create sounds that are entirely different from the original, and use them as layering for sound design.

However, we are not legal experts, and you should consult a music lawyer if you are thinking of releasing a sample pack with other sounds from copyrighted packs in them.

For music creation, and selling beats – using royalty free samples is completely fine and you won’t run into any troubles doing so.

You’re not directly using a sample from copyrighted, released music, like you would with Tracklib. And, all the samples released on these platforms have to be royalty free to get accepted to the platform.

Are Splice & Loopcloud Any Better Than Sample Packs?

The benefit of Splice and Loopcloud is that you can also end your subscription anytime you like, and will still have access to the samples you bought.

This means you can purchase a month, go and grab hundreds of samples, use them for months at a time, and when you need new inspiration, pay for another month to grab some more sounds.

However, the amount of sounds on Loopcloud and Splice can be overwhelming.

Browsing through can take a long time, and the sounds you download don’t always match the vibe you’re going for. Sample packs are curated so that all the sounds are good for that genre or sound good together.

This is a minor drawback of cloud based services, and this is why we recommend using a mix of paid packs and cloud based sample services.

Can You Use Splice Without Paying?

This is the same for Loopcloud, but with Loopcloud you need a subscription to use the cloud backup for your project files.

If you want to try Splice out (or Loopcloud), you can use the 30 day free trials both services have.

This way you can test the sounds, use them in songs, and see if you like the quality of them. After this 30 day period, you will still be able to use the sounds you purchased during your free trial.

Splice vs Loopcloud (Quick Verdict)

Loopcloud vs Splice – the quick verdict:

Loopcloud is more beneficial to you if you like having better control over your samples, and prefer record label based sounds from the likes of Defected etc.

The main thing that makes Loopcloud stand out from Splice is that it allows you to test samples in the context of your song before getting them.

You can change the pitch, add effects like reverb, distortion etc. and you can stack multiple loops together, mixing the channels, allowing you to throw together ideas really quickly.

Loopcloud also comes with a suite of plugins for bass, drums and other functions we’ll explain further on.

Splice is better if you prefer sounds from big music producers like DECAP, The Kount, Karra etc. In our opinion Splice has the edge on sounds overall, but Loopcloud fairs better at things like funk, jazz, electronic music and vocals.

One thing that makes Splice stand out from Loopcloud is the ability to purchase presets for a number of different synths, including Serum, and rent to own plugins – paying monthly on 0% interest to own a plugin outright.

Splice also tends to be more community based, offering collaboration options and access to community driven templates for finished projects. This means you can find other people’s creations, download the original file and see how they composed, designed sounds, mixed and mastered a track.

Like Loopcloud it also gives you unlimited cloud storage which backs up your projects automatically (but you don’t need a subscription for this, I personally used it for free for 5 years), which is really useful.

Which is better really depends on what you need. We preferred Loopcloud on the whole. Read on to find out why!

Loopcloud

Loopcloud is one of the best, if not the best cloud sample libraries available. And my personal experience with it has been as close to an absolute dream that using a sample library can be.

But we all know the real dream is finding a ‘massage parlour’ open at 4am while ye off yer t*ts.

It’s a cloud based version of Loopmasters, and is a game changer.

If you’ve been producing for a while, you’ll have heard of Loopmasters. They’ve been around since 2008, and ever since then, they have consistently offered the best deals & most expansive library of sample packs.

With Loopcloud, you get access to that entire library of over 3.5 million unique sounds to choose from & a plethora of genres and styles.

Features

Loopcloud comes with a tonne of features that really help you choose, edit and turn your samples into fully fledged tracks quickly.

One of my favourite things about it is the sample editor.

Sample Editor

Rather than bore you with some cr*p about how the sample editor is great, here’s what you can do with it:

• Preview up to 8 tracks.
  • Load 8 of any sample into the different track slots to start stacking & hearing how stuff sounds together, before using up your plan’s credits.
• Change BPM & pitch
  • Using this, you can change the speed & pitch of any sample inside the sample editor. This can be done with preview sounds that you haven’t yet used credits on.
• Split, cut & add FX
  • Inside the sample editor, you’re also able to cut, move & add FX like delays, reverbs to preview sounds before spending credits. This helps massively with creativity and workflow & helps you get the most out of your plan type.
• Add rhythmic patterns
  • On top of all the above, you can add percussion presets, arpeggios & different kinds of patterns all within the Loopcloud editor.

The sample editor is a creative tool that boosts workflow and productivity, gives you the ability to see how sounds would work in context with your track & preview them extensively before using up credits.

Everything you do in the sample editor can play through into your DAW, in real-time. Giving you the ability to hear everything in context with your god-awful ‘type’ trap beats.

Loopcloud Plugins

When you get a subscription to Loopcloud, it comes with 3 extra plugins you can use inside your music software to not only spark creativity, but move forward faster with your music productions.

The three plugins you get with Loopcloud are:

1. Loopcloud Play. A sampler instrument that gives you a wide array of instruments to choose from and the ability to expand that library.

2. Loopcloud Drum. A drum VST sampler, that comes with pre-processed, mixed drum patterns & one shots.

3. Loopcloud. A VST sampler instrument, that allows you to play whatever you have open in the standalone Loopcloud program.

Cloud Storage

With Loopcloud, you also get cloud storage. This means you can store all of your samples and music projects in the cloud, to access them for later use, and transfer them between devices.

(Make sure you collect all and save all your projects, and you’ll be able to open them on different devices without losing the location of the samples).

This feature comes in handy when switching computers, or going to a studio session, because you can access all your files if you have the internet, & don’t have to carry an external drive around with you.

You can also set Loopcloud to automatically back-up and save your project files, which is a blessing in disguise, especially when your trusty HDD could fail at any point.

With different plans you get different amounts of storage, but their lowest $7.99/month gives you 5GB.

More than enough to back-up your most important project files at the time.

Quality Sounds

Access to over 3.5 million unique sounds. And, that number grows each day, with new samples being added over time. They are expertly mixed & ready to sound amazing inside your digital workstation.

You can also get wet and dry versions of most to suit your needs.

That’s what she s- oh forget it.

Loopcloud has some of the widest selection of samples available to any cloud service & one of the things I personally love about Loopcloud is the amount of incredible vocal acapellas available. I’m not talking annoying, over processed electronic pop sh*te (even though you can find that), I’m talking beautiful Gospel, Soul, RnB & so much more.

I’ve often found vocal sample packs to be cheesy and have meaningless lyrics or cringe worthy one shot words. You’ll know what I mean if you’ve ever sifted through vocals. There are just some that make you feel a bit ill.

With Loopcloud I have yet to be disappointed.

Interface & Search

One of the major drawbacks of Loopcloud is the interface and search function. It’s not as simple to use as Splice, and sometimes searching for samples can become slightly annoying.

The filtering is also difficult to find (located at the right hand side) and has left me frustrated when searching for samples. This is easily avoided by watching a walkthrough or tutorial before using it though.

But if you’re impatient like – let’s be honest… 99% of the millennial generation, then you’re gonna have to grow some balls and watch an 8 minute video from the comfort of your own home.

Pricing

Loopcloud has 3 different pricing options, with the lowest being $7.99/month (£5.99) for 100 credits.

Here are the pricing options: 

• Free – $0/month. 5 free credits to spend on samples everyday.
• Artist – $7.99/month. 100 credits, 5GB cloud storage, 2 machine activation, 1GB free welcome pack & 10 new, free sounds a day.
• Studio – $13.99/month. 300 credits, 50GB of cloud storage, 2 machine activation, 1GB free welcome pack & 25 new, free sounds a day.
• Professional – $21.99/month. 600 credits, 250GB cloud storage, 4 machines activations, 1GB free welcome pack, 50 free sounds a day.

Splice

Splice is an absolutely fantastic tool for music producers looking to find the right sample for their tracks. It seems to be more community based & has some exceptional producer’s packs in the sample library.

And, it’s not just sounds you get access to with Splice…

You can also get presets for synths, so you can sound exactly the same as everyone else!

(seriously thought it is kinda cool)

Alongside rent to own plugins & back-up all of your projects to Splice. Personally I ditched Splice samples, but I still use their rent to own service & use it to back up all my tracks.

Features

Splice comes with a plethora of features that will help you choose the right sounds for your music productions.

I’m gonna list the best ones here.

Established Artist Packs

One of the benefits of having Splice, was the incredible range of artist sample packs rather than company sample packs.

Using Splice, you can get access to big name sounds with the likes of DECAP, Esta, KSHMR & a whole lot more submitting their sample packs to Splice.

This is something that is missing from Loopcloud & is a great feature to have when selecting sounds for your music. Although every sound is quality audited by both, it’s nice to have the option to load sounds of some of your favourite producers.

Splice is like having the copycat death streak on MW2.

Preset Libraries

Another great thing about Splice is the access to presets for varying synths (all of the ones on RTO plans on Splice).

This is where the established artist packs really come alive, because, not only can you load your favourite producer’s drums, but you can also open their synth patches and tweak them to your liking – giving you access to the very sounds your favourite producers spent hours crafting.

Why even bother learning sound design when you can sound like everyone else eh ;)?

In all honesty though, it is a really cool feature to have.

Community & Cloud Storage

Splice also includes an online ‘studio’ where you can back up your projects, share stems & share them with artists to collaborate.

There’s something really cool about the community based aspect of Splice, and you can do stuff like create releases of your tracks to share with the community so they can sample, remix it or do whatever (under the creative commons license) 

By being a member of Splice, you can download other music producer’s projects to work on your own or just to see how they made it & learn from it.

Splice also does remix competitions you can take part in & get some exposure for winning.

You can download tracks like this.

Unfortunately though, like with most great things, there are people that ruin them.

A lot of them are just samples, so you can’t see a full dissection of what the producer is doing.

And a lot of the submissions are links to a shop where you can buy Ableton templates ?

Plugins

One of the best things about Splice is the ability to ‘rent to own’ expensive plugins.

It’s not part of the cloud based subscription service, but is worth mentioning because of the sheer value for money. For instance, you can grab Serum (usually $189.99) for $9.99/month. This breaks it down into easy payments & doesn’t add interest to your purchase.

Also, if you can’t pay a month, you can freeze your membership and pick up where you left off with payments.

Which is great when you’re a poor ass student eating plain oats for every meal.

RTO plans can be found on plugins like:

• Arturia 
• Serum
• Izotope
• Output
• PreSonus
• Accusonus 
• & more

Check the full list of rent to own plugins on the Splice website.

Interface & Search

The interface of Splice is clean, easy-to-use and allows you to find samples with ease. Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find it on Splice. 

You can sort by genre, key, BPM as well as being able to search for exactly what you need. So, if you need a vocal that’s Aminor and 137BPM, you can filter it that way.

My only gripe with the Splice interface is that it doesn’t let you preview the sounds in the same way a Loopcloud.

It’s like buying clothes without trying them on – you know they probably won’t fit & you’ll return them, but for some f*cking reason you buy them anyway.

I’ve wasted countless credits on pointless samples that, if I’d have been able to preview properly, wouldn’t have wasted credits on.

At this point it’s close to addiction.

P-p-p-please mannn. I’m itching for more credits maaan.

Pricing

Splice has 3 different pricing plans to choose from and a range of RTO options on plugins.

With the RTO plans, you also get access to the community and back-up features of Splice, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Here are the pricing options:

• 100 Credits – $7.99/month. 100 credits per month, community access, back-up projects, download, share & collaborate.
• 300 Credits – $13.99/month. 300 credits per month, community access, back-up projects, download, share & collaborate.
• 600 Credits – $21.99/month. 600 credits, community access, back-up projects, download, share & collaborate.
• 1000 Credits – $29.99/month. 1000 credits, community access, back-up projects, download, share & collaborate.

Loopcloud vs Splice: Which Is Better?

Whichever one you get, you’ll be happy with.

Both services come with cloud storage (but you can use Splice’s for free), and they’ll set you back the same amount monthly – with both basic plans offering 100 credits/month for use.

Samples tend to be cheaper on Loopcloud to purchase than Splice, but Splice has the option to buy presets for synths – which is pretty cool if you own something like Serum.

Loopcloud stands out from Splice purely because it comes with a suite of plugins that you can use, and the testing functionality before spending credits, and personally we prefer the way Loopcloud is run.

If there was a mix between the sounds of Splice and the usability of Loopcloud, the world would be a better place.

If you like the idea of having no creative limits on your sample editing and trying before you buy, then go with Loopcloud.

If you like the idea of being able to use your favourite producer’s sounds – go with Splice.

They both have benefits and drawbacks.

Choose the best for you based on what you have read above, & how you make music. I personally changed from Splice to Loopcloud for samples, & still use Splice for their rent to own plugin plans.

That way I get the best of both worlds:

The community aspect from Splice + the incredible plugins, and free cloud storage that automatically backs up all my projects. And on top of that, the editing ability, & sound library of Loopcloud.

They both have 30 day trials, so give them a spin and see for yourself!

Would you like to test drive the Loopcloud or the Splice sir?

What Makes Cloud Based Sample Libraries So Good?

Cloud based services, like Loopcloud & Splice, solve the sample hoarder’s problem and clear up disk space for the important things like your ever expanding folder of Putin memes. They allow you to browse an incredible array of samples, and to pick and choose only the best. And, 99.9% of the time, Loopcloud and Splice are going to have exactly what you want.

Just imagine you’re in a field picking strawberries. You’re not gonna pick up all the rotten ones – you’re going to handpick the juiciest & most tasty.

So why have you got a cupboard full of rotten strawberries clogging up your house space?

For a small price, you could have access to literally thousands if not millions of samples – there’s a reason cloud based sample services are so popular.

Loopcloud and Splice both start at $7.99/month (£5.99/month).

What’s The Difference Between Loopcloud and Splice?

One of the main differences between Loopcloud and Splice is how they work.

Loopcloud has an incredible, built-in sample editor and comes with plugins that help you become more creative inside your DAW.

(more on that above)

Splice is more community driven, giving you access to your favourite producers sounds & a place to download other people’s project files/collaborate.

The pricing is much the same, and the service they offer is very similar.

In my opinion, Loopcloud is better for samples + creativity. 

Splice is better used for ‘rent to own’ plugins and the community aspect.

Summary

To recap, here’s our quick verdict:

Loopcloud is an extensive sampler editor & has a lot of effects + plugins that can help you be more creative. You can try samples out before you buy (in context with your track) & there are a tonne of amazing sounds available. Splice is more community based, & has a lot packs from popular music producers including DECAP. Both come with an incredible library of sounds & have 30 day free trials, so you can try them out for free!

Cloud based sample services are the future. 

Long gone are the days of downloading huge packs & only using about 10% of the sounds in your tracks. 

Loopcloud & Splice are here to improve workflow & keep you focussed on what’s important – the music making.

And, whatever you choose, having access to millions of samples will give you endless creative possibilities that will improve your music.