In This Article
Search “free music downloader” and most of what comes back is stream rippers, apps that grab the audio out of a YouTube video or a streaming app. They feel convenient, and they are a bad deal: the files are not really yours, the apps get pulled from the Play Store, and many lean on aggressive ads and broad permissions. The good news is that there is a small group of genuinely free, fully legal apps that let you save real music for offline listening, because the companies behind them actually licensed it. Here are the five worth installing, and how to tell the legit ones from the traps.
Disclosure: we may earn a commission from some links here. It never changes which apps we recommend, and every app on this list stays inside the legal line.
Why a licensed app beats a stream ripper
A ripped file is never really yours, and the app handing it to you is usually living on borrowed time. Stream rippers break the terms of YouTube and the streaming services, so Google regularly pulls them from the Play Store, and the major record labels have taken legal action against stream-ripping services. TorrentFreak reported that the biggest of them, YouTube-MP3, settled with the RIAA and shut down, and rights holders later won an $82 million judgment against two more rippers. When one of these apps dies, your sideloaded copy often stops playing too. A licensed app works differently: the company has paid for the rights to the music it lets you save, so the download is legitimate and the app has a reason to stay on the store. You trade a little catalog size and a few ads for music that will still play next year.
What actually counts as legal: downloading music is only legal when you have the right to the file. That means a licensed app’s own catalog, tracks released under a Creative Commons license or in the public domain, music you uploaded yourself, or offline saves inside a service you pay for. Apps that pull audio from YouTube or a streaming service break that platform’s terms, and the labels never licensed that copy.
The legal music apps at a glance
| If you want this | Use this app | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| A big mainstream catalog, free | TREBEL | Downloads play inside the app only |
| Afrobeats and global hits | Boomplay | Best free perks are region dependent |
| New and underground artists | Audiomack | Not every track is downloadable |
| Permanent MP3 files you can keep | Freegal | Needs a library card, weekly cap |
| Artist-owned, high-quality audio | Audius | Smaller, indie-focused library |
1. TREBEL
TREBEL is the rare free music app that downloads real, label-licensed songs. Its catalog includes tracks from Universal, Warner, Sony, and The Orchard, and you save them by watching a short ad rather than paying a subscription. With more than 50 million installs, it is one of the most established names here.
The trade-off is sensible. Downloads live inside the TREBEL player rather than as loose files in your storage, which is how the app keeps the labels happy. You still get on-demand playback, unlimited skips, and full offline listening with no monthly bill, which is exactly what most people want.
Highlights
⭐️ Best for: anyone who wants mainstream songs offline without paying
⚠️ The catch: downloads play only inside the TREBEL app, not as loose files
💰 Pricing: free, ad-supported, with an optional ad-free upgrade
Key features
- Licensed catalog: songs cleared through major label deals, so each download is legitimate.
- Earn to download: watch a brief ad to unlock a track instead of paying.
- Full offline mode: on-demand playback and unlimited skips with no connection.
- Well established: more than 50 million installs behind it.
2. Boomplay
Boomplay started as Africa’s answer to Spotify and grew into a global service with a licensed catalog of well over 100 million songs. It is the strongest pick here for Afrobeats, amapiano, and hip-hop, and its streams now count toward the Billboard charts. The free tier is generous: you can stream and download tracks offline, and the app doubles as a local player for music already on your phone.
The one thing to know is that download allowances and perks vary by country, so what you get on the free plan depends a little on where you are. Even so, for global and African music it is the deepest free catalog on this list.
Highlights
⭐️ Best for: fans of Afrobeats and global pop who want a deep catalog
⚠️ The catch: free download limits and perks differ by region
💰 Pricing: free with ads, optional paid plans for more downloads
Key features
- Huge licensed library: more than 100 million tracks, strong on African and global music.
- Offline downloads: save songs and playlists on the free tier within plan limits.
- Built-in local player: plays MP3, AAC, M4A, and WAV files already on your device.
- Chart-recognized: streams count toward the Billboard charts.
3. Audiomack
Audiomack is where you go for new and independent music: hip-hop, Afrobeats, electronic, reggae, and a steady stream of artist mixtapes. Artists and labels upload their own tracks and decide which ones listeners can save, so downloading a track marked as downloadable is fully legitimate.
That artist-controlled model is also the catch. Not every song is downloadable, and like TREBEL, saved tracks stay inside the app rather than exporting as files. A local-files feature lets you play your own MP3s alongside Audiomack’s catalog in one library, which is a nice touch.
Highlights
⭐️ Best for: discovering new and underground artists before they break
⚠️ The catch: only artist-enabled tracks can be downloaded
💰 Pricing: free with ads; Audiomack+ removes ads for a monthly fee
Key features
- Artist uploads: tracks come straight from creators who set their own download permissions.
- Free offline saves: download downloadable songs and albums with no subscription.
- Local file player: add your own audio files to the My Library tab.
- Discovery first: strong for new hip-hop, Afrobeats, and electronic music.
4. Freegal Music
Freegal Music is the best-kept secret in free music. It is a service your local public library pays for, so all you need to sign in is your library card and PIN. No subscription, no ads, no catch, and it is the strongest legal-download story here.
Freegal hands you permanent, DRM-free MP3 files that are genuinely yours: you can move them to a computer or any player, and they do not vanish if you stop using the app. The library deal covers a real mainstream catalog of more than 15 million songs. The trade-off is a weekly download cap, typically five tracks, that resets every week, and your library has to subscribe in the first place.
Highlights
⭐️ Best for: library members who want real, keepable MP3 files of mainstream songs
⚠️ The catch: a weekly download limit, and your library must offer Freegal
💰 Pricing: completely free with a library card, no ads
Key features
- Library funded: your public library licenses the music, so every download is legal.
- DRM-free MP3s: downloaded tracks are permanent and play on any device.
- Mainstream catalog: more than 15 million songs across many genres.
- Truly free: no subscription and no ads, just a library card.
5. Audius Music
Audius is an artist-owned streaming platform where musicians publish their work directly to listeners. Artists upload their own tracks, so streaming and saving them for offline play stays inside the rules, and the app streams in high-quality 320kbps audio for free.
The library is smaller and skews toward electronic, hip-hop, and independent producers, so this is a discovery app rather than a place to find every song you know. If you like backing artists directly and want clean, ad-light listening, it earns its spot.
Highlights
⭐️ Best for: listeners who want to back independent artists directly
⚠️ The catch: a smaller catalog focused on indie and electronic music
💰 Pricing: free, with no subscription required
Key features
- Direct from artists: creators publish their own tracks to the platform.
- High-quality audio: streams at 320kbps at no cost.
- Offline listening: save tracks to play without a connection.
- Indie focus: strong for electronic, hip-hop, and emerging producers.
Common mistakes to avoid
| Mistake | Why it matters | Better move |
|---|---|---|
| Installing a YouTube-to-MP3 app | Breaks YouTube’s terms; the app gets pulled and your files can stop working | Use a licensed app that owns the music it lets you save |
| Sideloading a downloader from a random site | Off-store APKs skip Play Store review and can carry malware | Stick to apps listed on the Play Store |
| Granting every permission it asks for | A music app rarely needs contacts, SMS, or location access | Deny permissions that have nothing to do with playback |
| Assuming a download is yours to share | In-app downloads and many licenses are personal-use only | Check the license before reusing a track in a video |
What about Spotify and YouTube Music?
Offline listening inside a streaming service you already use is completely legal. The catch is the word free. Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Amazon Music all let you download songs for offline play, but only on a paid plan; their free tiers stream with ads and do not include downloads. That is a fair deal if you were going to pay anyway, it is just not a free one. SoundCloud sits in between: many independent artists enable a direct download button on their own tracks, and when an artist turns that on, the download is legitimate. If offline music inside a big-name service is what you are after, our guide to listening to music offline on Android compares those paid options in detail.
The verdict
Start with TREBEL. It is the closest a free, legal app gets to a mainstream music library you can take offline. Pick Boomplay instead if your playlists lean toward Afrobeats and global pop, and add Audiomack when you want to hear new artists first. If you want files you truly own, Freegal gives you permanent, DRM-free MP3s through your library card, and Audius streams straight from independent artists. Whichever you choose, the rule is the same: stick to apps that licensed the music, and leave the stream rippers alone.
Common questions
- Is it legal to download music for free?
Yes, when the app owns or licenses what you save. Every app here does. It is illegal when you rip audio from YouTube or a streaming service, because the platform’s terms and the labels’ rights do not allow it. - Which app gives me files I actually own?
Freegal. Through your library card it hands you permanent, DRM-free MP3s you can move to any device. The other apps keep downloads inside their own player. - Are YouTube-to-MP3 apps safe?
No. They break YouTube’s terms, get pulled from the Play Store, and often carry aggressive ads or malware. Use a licensed app instead. - Can I download from Spotify or YouTube Music for free?
Not for free. Both allow offline downloads only on a paid plan. The free tiers stream with ads and do not include downloads.
How we picked
We only include apps that are legal, free to use, and available on the Google Play Store. For each one we confirmed how it licenses its music, checked that the free tier really lets you download or save offline, and verified the app is still maintained. We deliberately excluded every stream ripper and YouTube-to-MP3 tool, because those break platform terms and put your device at risk. We re-check this list and update it as apps change or leave the store.
