--- title: "Is there an app to identify songs?" url: https://isthereathing.com/an-app-to-identify-songs/ answer: "yes" summary: "Yes. Shazam, SoundHound, Google's Search a song and YouTube Music's Sound Search all name music playing around you from your phone's microphone. Shazam is free on the UK App Store; Google's and YouTube Music's help pages state no price." category: "Identify things" published: 2026-10-10 updated: 2026-10-10 author: "Jack Stovell" publisher: "Adapt Progress Evolve Limited" language: en-GB --- # Is there an app to identify songs? **Answer: yes.** Yes. Shazam, SoundHound, Google's Search a song and YouTube Music's Sound Search all name music playing around you from your phone's microphone. Shazam is free on the UK App Store; Google's and YouTube Music's help pages state no price. (Source: [Apple Support: Shazam and Music Recognition](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/118570)) Yes. Shazam, SoundHound, Google's Search a song and YouTube Music's Sound Search all name music playing around you using your phone's microphone. You hold your phone up, the app listens, and a name comes back. Shazam is listed as Free on the UK App Store, while Google's and YouTube Music's help pages state no price. ## The shortlist ### Shazam Apple's song identification app, and the Music Recognition feature built into Apple devices, for discovering music playing around you. - Link: https://www.shazam.com/ - Free tier: yes. The App Store lists Shazam as Free with no in-app purchases mentioned, and shazam.com calls it a free app. - Paid from: Free (checked 2026-10-09; price as shown on the UK App Store listing) - Best at: Naming a song in seconds, including music playing inside TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat, with offline recognition and a library of past finds. - The catch: Apple's support page says full-song listening needs Apple Music or another supported streaming service. Apple's page for the app and shazam.com describe Android use only in passing. - Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, Android - Source: [Apple Support: Shazam and Music Recognition](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/118570) ### Google Search a song A feature of the Google app on Android: tap the mic, choose Search a song, then play a song or hum, whistle or sing the melody. - Link: https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/7554088 - Free tier: not verified. Not verified: the help page states no price. - Paid from: not checked (not verified: Google's help page states no price) - Best at: Naming a song with no extra app on an Android phone, also reachable through Circle to Search, Quick Settings and the Gemini mobile app. - The catch: The help page we read gives steps for Android only. Automatic lock screen identification (Now Playing) is listed for Pixel 2 and newer. - Platforms: Android (Google app) - Source: [Google Search Help: find a song (Android)](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/7554088) ### YouTube Music Sound Search Sound Search in the YouTube Music app uses the microphone to recognise music playing nearby, or a song you sing or hum. - Link: https://music.youtube.com - Free tier: not verified. Not verified: the help page says nothing about price. - Paid from: not checked (not verified: the help page states no price) - Best at: Finding a song and then playing it or saving it to your library, if you already use YouTube Music. - The catch: You must be signed in to the YouTube Music app and have the microphone enabled. The help page does not list supported platforms or say whether it needs a paid plan. - Platforms: YouTube Music mobile app - Source: [YouTube Music Help: Sound Search](https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/13401025?hl=en-GB) ### SoundHound A music identification app that names music playing around you, with voice control, a player with lyrics, and Apple Music and Spotify integration. - Link: https://music.soundhound.com/soundhound - Free tier: yes. Free with in-app purchases on the UK App Store; SoundHound's site mentions streaming any song free. - Paid from: £6.99 Ad Removal (in-app purchase, UK App Store) (checked 2026-10-09; the only in-app purchase listed is Ad Removal) - Best at: Asking by voice with 'Hey SoundHound', and getting lyrics and a player in the same app as the identification. - The catch: It shows advertising; removing ads is an in-app purchase on the UK App Store. The App Store lists iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision, and SoundHound's site also names Android. - Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision, Android - Source: [SoundHound on the UK App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/soundhound-music-discovery/id355554941) ## How they compare ### If you use an iPhone, iPad or Mac Shazam is the closest fit. Apple says Music Recognition is built into iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, and can be added to Control Centre for quick access. The Shazam app is listed as Free on the UK App Store, with no in-app purchases mentioned, and shazam.com calls it a free app. The App Store listing says it identifies songs playing around you or within apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat, so music in a video feed is covered. The App Store lists Apple as the developer, and the app keeps a library of your past finds. It also has an offline mode. Apple says it creates a digital fingerprint, matches it against the Shazam database, and tries to identify the song the next time your phone is online. The trade-off is that offline you do not get an answer straight away. ### If you have an Android phone and want no extra app Google's Search a song is a feature of the Google app. Open the app, tap the mic, choose Search a song, then play the music or hum, whistle or sing the melody. It is also reachable from Circle to Search, Quick Settings and the Gemini mobile app. The help page we read gives steps for Android only, and it states no price, so the cost is not verified. Automatic lock screen identification (Now Playing) is listed for Pixel 2 and newer. On other Android phones, Search a song is the tap-to-listen route. ### If you already use YouTube Music Sound Search is in the YouTube Music app. It uses the microphone to recognise music playing nearby, or a song you sing or hum. If a match is found you can play the song or save it to your library, and if there is no match you can try again. You must be signed in to the app and have the microphone enabled before it will listen. The help page does not list supported platforms or say whether it needs a paid plan, so neither is verified. The practical consequence is that you should open the app and try it once before you rely on it to name a song. ### If you want to ask by voice and get lyrics SoundHound is built around voice commands ("Hey SoundHound"). It includes a player with lyrics in the same app as the identification, and it supports Apple Music and Spotify integration. It shows advertising. The UK App Store lists iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision, and SoundHound's own site also names Android. ### When paying makes sense SoundHound is free with in-app purchases on the UK App Store, and the only purchase listed is Ad Removal at £6.99. That is worth paying only if the adverts bother you. It is the only purchase listed. SoundHound's site also mentions streaming any song free. ## What to watch for Identifying a song and playing it in full are separate things. Apple says Shazam plays a preview of an identified song, and whole songs need an Apple Music subscription or another supported streaming service, so full playback may cost extra even though the app is free. SoundHound's UK App Store listing carries a 16+ age rating and mentions advertising, so expect adverts unless you buy Ad Removal. Google's and YouTube Music's help pages state no price, and the YouTube Music page lists no platforms. Check the app on your own phone before relying on either, because we did not test them and cannot say how well they work on your handset. ## How we checked On 2026-10-09 we read Apple's support page on Shazam and Music Recognition, the UK App Store listings for Shazam and SoundHound, shazam.com, SoundHound's own site, Google's Search help page for finding a song on Android and the YouTube Music help page for Sound Search. Google's and YouTube Music's pages state no price, so those are marked not verified. We did not run any of them hands-on and do not rank them on accuracy. ## If none of these fit If the song is not playing and you only have the tune in your head, humming is a different job, covered on our page about naming a song by humming. If you want the chords once you know the song, see our page on identifying chords. ## Also typed as - is there an app to identify songs - is there an app to identify songs for free - is there an app to identify songs playing - is there an app to identify a song - is there an app that identifies songs - is there an app that can identify songs - is there an app that identifies music - is there a song identifier app ## Related questions - [Is there an app that can name a song by humming?](https://isthereathing.com/an-app-that-can-name-a-song-by-humming/) - [Is there an app that can identify chords?](https://isthereathing.com/an-app-that-can-identify-chords/) - [Is there a website that can remove vocals from a song?](https://isthereathing.com/a-website-that-can-remove-vocals-from-a-song/) ## Sources - [Apple Support: Shazam and Music Recognition](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/118570) (checked 2026-10-09) - [Shazam on the UK App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/shazam-find-music-concerts/id284993459) (checked 2026-10-09) - [Google Search Help: find a song (Android)](https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/7554088) (checked 2026-10-09) - [YouTube Music Help: Sound Search](https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/13401025?hl=en-GB) (checked 2026-10-09) - [SoundHound on the UK App Store](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/soundhound-music-discovery/id355554941) (checked 2026-10-09) - [SoundHound music site](https://music.soundhound.com/soundhound) (checked 2026-10-09) - [Shazam homepage](https://www.shazam.com/) (checked 2026-10-09) ## Questions people ask ### Is there a free app to identify songs? Yes. The UK App Store lists Shazam as Free with no in-app purchases mentioned, and SoundHound is free with in-app purchases. Google's and YouTube Music's help pages state no price. ### Is there an app to identify songs on Android? Yes. Google's help page says to open the Google app, tap the mic and choose Search a song. Shazam's site says it is available on iOS and Android, and SoundHound's site names Android too. ### Can an app identify a song without internet? Shazam can, in a way. Apple says that offline it creates a digital fingerprint to match against the Shazam database, and tries to identify the song the next time you are connected. ### Can I identify a song playing in a TikTok or Instagram video? Shazam's App Store listing says it identifies songs playing around you or within apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat. ### Does SoundHound cost anything? It is free with in-app purchases on the UK App Store. The only purchase listed is Ad Removal at £6.99.