AudioJungle vs Pond5 (2026): Which Is Better for Stock Music Composers?

I've been selling music on both AudioJungle and Pond5 since 2015. In that time I've earned over $12,000 on Pond5 alone, had tracks rejected by AudioJungle that went on to earn hundreds on other platforms, and made every mistake a beginner stock music composer can make.

So when people ask me what the main differences between AudioJungle and Pond5 are — and which one they should start with — I have a pretty clear answer. But let me walk you through the full comparison first.

For a broader look at making money from stock music, read our complete guide to making money licensing stock music.

AudioJungle vs Pond5: Quick Comparison

The Main Differences Between AudioJungle and Pond5

1. Royalties and Earnings

Pond5 pays composers 50% of each sale on a non-exclusive basis. You set your own price — typically $20–$150 for a standard license. On a $60 sale, you keep $30.

AudioJungle pays ~36% for non-exclusive authors. If you go exclusive, the rate scales with your total sales — starting at ~37% and climbing toward 70%+ as you accumulate sales history. But that exclusive rate requires giving AudioJungle sole distribution rights to that track permanently.

For most beginners, Pond5's 50% non-exclusive beats AudioJungle's 36% — especially since you're not locked in. As your catalog grows and you understand the market better, the exclusivity decision becomes more nuanced.

2. Curation and Acceptance Rates

This is the biggest practical difference between the two platforms.

AudioJungle is highly selective. They're looking for a specific style of polished, production-ready music — primarily corporate and commercial. I've had tracks rejected by AudioJungle that went on to sell dozens of times on Pond5. Their review team focuses on a narrow definition of "market-ready." New authors are also limited to uploading just 2 tracks per month until they establish a track record.

Pond5 takes a marketplace approach. As long as your track meets basic quality standards and doesn't infringe on copyright, it gets approved. Pond5's philosophy is to let buyers decide what's good — which means more of your catalog gets listed, and you get real market data faster.

For beginners, getting rejected repeatedly on AudioJungle is demoralizing and time-consuming. Pond5 lets you get tracks up quickly and start learning what actually sells.

3. Upload Process

AudioJungle's upload process is genuinely painful. For each track (and each edit of that track), you need to: create a watermarked preview MP3 manually, create a zip file containing your WAV and MP3, and fill in extensive metadata. If your track has 4–5 edits (full version, 60-second, 30-second, etc.), you're looking at 20–30 minutes of admin work per track — before knowing whether it will even be accepted.

Pond5's upload is straightforward. Upload your files, fill in metadata, submit. The platform handles preview generation automatically. You can go from finished track to listed in under 10 minutes.

This time difference is significant when you're trying to build a catalog. The opportunity cost of AudioJungle's upload process is real — that's time you could spend writing another track.

4. Buyer Volume and Marketplace Size

AudioJungle is part of Envato Market — the largest stock media marketplace in the world. It has more buyers than any other dedicated stock music platform. If your track gets accepted and ranks well in search, the volume of potential buyers is unmatched.

Pond5 has a very large and active buyer base as well, particularly for video, film, and broadcast media. Since Shutterstock acquired Pond5 in 2022, Pond5 content has gained additional distribution exposure. Both platforms have enough buyer activity that a good track will find sales.

5. Music Style and Genre

AudioJungle gravitates heavily toward corporate, upbeat, and production-polished music. If you write ambient music, singer-songwriter material, experimental tracks, or anything genre-bending, your acceptance rate will be low.

Pond5 accepts a wider range of styles. Their search results show genuine diversity in genre, mood, and production style. This makes Pond5 the better platform for composers who don't write stereotypical "stock music."

Which Platform Should Beginners Start With?

Start with Pond5.

Higher royalty rate, faster approval, simpler upload process, and no limits on how many tracks you can submit. For your first 6–12 months, Pond5 gives you the most data, the most feedback, and the least frustration.

Once you have 30–50 tracks on Pond5 and understand what's selling, start uploading your best, most polished corporate tracks to AudioJungle. By that point you'll have a better sense of what their reviewers accept and you'll waste less time on rejections.

Don't try to master both simultaneously at the start. Each platform has its own upload workflow, metadata system, and optimization strategy. Learn one properly before splitting your attention.

What About Other Platforms?

AudioJungle and Pond5 are the two best starting points, but they're not the only options. Audiosparx is worth adding to your non-exclusive mix once you have a solid catalog. For established composers, platforms like Musicbed and Artlist offer higher per-placement fees in exchange for exclusivity.

For a full breakdown of where to submit your music, see our guide to music libraries accepting submissions.

FAQ: AudioJungle vs Pond5

What are the main differences between AudioJungle and Pond5?
The key differences are: Pond5 pays 50% royalties vs AudioJungle's ~36% for non-exclusive; Pond5 has a much simpler upload process; AudioJungle has stricter curation and rejects more tracks; AudioJungle has the larger buyer marketplace; and AudioJungle limits new authors to 2 uploads per month.

Which pays more — AudioJungle or Pond5?
Pond5 pays a higher royalty rate for non-exclusive authors (50% vs ~36%). AudioJungle's exclusive rate can be higher long-term, but requires giving up distribution rights permanently.

Is AudioJungle harder to get into than Pond5?
Yes, significantly. AudioJungle rejects a high percentage of submissions and new authors can only upload 2 tracks per month. Pond5 accepts most professionally produced tracks without genre restrictions.

Can I sell on both AudioJungle and Pond5 at the same time?
Yes, as long as you use non-exclusive licensing on AudioJungle. If you go exclusive on AudioJungle, those tracks cannot be listed on any other platform.

Which is better for beginners?
Pond5. Higher royalties, simpler uploads, faster approvals, and no upload limits make it the better learning environment for new stock music composers.

Does Pond5 still pay 50% after the Shutterstock acquisition?
Yes. Pond5's royalty structure for composers has remained at 50% non-exclusive following the 2022 Shutterstock acquisition.