Loopcloud vs Sample Focus: Is There a Better Way to Find Sounds?

Loopcloud offers producers a massive, subscription-based library with deep DAW integration for real-time sound shaping, while Sample Focus provides a huge collection of free, downloadable sounds for quick inspiration. But which one actually slots into a real-world workflow?

In this breakdown, we’ll compare them head-to-head on features, library quality, and pricing. Our goal is to help you decide which platform best serves your production style and helps you finish more music.

We'll also touch on a third path: an ecosystem built for flow state. Output's tools like Arcade and the AI-powered Co-Producer focus less on just finding sounds and more on helping you build them directly into your tracks.

A Quick Overview on Loopcloud and Sample Focus

What is Loopcloud?

Loopcloud offers a massive, subscription-based library of samples that plugs directly into your DAW. Its standout function is the ability to audition and manipulate sounds in sync with your track before you even download them. The platform also organizes your personal sample collection with auto-tagging, helping to tame hard drive chaos.

What is Sample Focus?

Sample Focus offers a library of free audio samples, organized by genre and tags for quick discovery. Its main draw is its straightforward, community-based model where users contribute sounds. You find a sound, you download it—no frills.

Features of Loopcloud and Sample Focus

Loopcloud Features

Loopcloud is built around a few core functions designed to speed up the sample-hunting process.

• It provides access to a library of over 4 million sounds, with thousands of new samples added each week.
• A dedicated plugin syncs with your DAW, letting you audition loops and one-shots in time and in key with your project.
• It includes tools to tweak pitch, add effects, and chop up samples before committing them to a track.
• The platform automatically tags and organizes not just its own library, but also all the samples you already have on your hard drive.
• Annual subscribers receive a suite of third-party plugins from companies like iZotope, Native Instruments, and UJAM.

Sample Focus Features

Sample Focus takes a more straightforward, community-powered approach.

• Its library is built on user-contributed sounds, with each sample credited back to its creator.
• The platform provides free access to its audio library, requiring only an account for downloads.
• Sounds are organized through a deep tagging system, alongside genre categories and curated collections for browsing.
• Each sample includes essential metadata like tempo, key, and duration to help find the right fit.
• The workflow is manual: find a sound, download the MP3, and drag it into your DAW. No plugins are required.

Why Choose One Over The Other?

• You might lean toward Loopcloud if your process hinges on tight DAW integration. Its plugin lets you audition and tweak sounds in sync with your project before downloading, which contrasts with the manual find-and-import workflow of Sample Focus.

• Conversely, you might explore Sample Focus if you prioritize speed and zero cost over deep integration. It offers a simple, browser-based way to find and download free sounds without adding another plugin or subscription to your setup, unlike Loopcloud's ecosystem.

Output: A Better Alternative to Loopcloud And Sample Focus

While Loopcloud and Sample Focus are solid for finding sounds, they often leave the creative heavy lifting to you. We built Output on a different premise: what if your tools didn't just give you ingredients, but helped you cook? It’s about an ecosystem designed to keep you in a flow state, turning a spark of an idea into a finished track with less friction.

What is Output?

We build a suite of instruments, effects, and AI-powered tools designed to be partners in your creative process.

• Play a constantly growing library of sounds with Arcade, a sample-based instrument that lets you perform and tweak loops and kits on the fly using a 15-pad interface.

• Break through writer’s block with Co-Producer, an AI tool that listens to your project and suggests perfectly matched sounds from our library, either from your text prompts or your track’s audio.

• Shape and mangle any audio source with our suite of FX plugins, from the granular textures of Portal and the multi-stage distortion of Thermal to the rhythmic engine of Movement.

• Go beyond samples with iconic Kontakt instruments like the vocal engine Exhale, which offer deep sound-shaping capabilities for specific sonic palettes.

So, while Loopcloud offers tight DAW integration for auditioning and Sample Focus provides a quick, free resource, neither is built around generating ideas *with* you. It’s less about digging through folders for the "right" sound and more about discovering it as you write.

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Pricing of Loopcloud vs Sample Focus

Loopcloud Pricing

Loopcloud operates on a subscription model with three tiers: Artist, Studio, and Professional. The main difference between them is the number of "points" you get for downloading sounds and the amount of cloud storage for your own sample library. Here’s how the monthly pricing breaks down:

• Artist: $7.99/month for 100 points and 5 GB of storage.
• Studio: $11.99/month for 300 points and 50 GB of storage.
• Professional: $21.99/month for 600 points and 250 GB of storage.

They also offer annual plans that lower the overall cost. If you’re on the fence, there’s a 14-day free trial for the monthly plans that lets you test the waters with 100 points to spend. You can cancel anytime and keep whatever you’ve downloaded.

Sample Focus Pricing

Sample Focus keeps its pricing straightforward—because it’s mostly free. The platform operates on a credit system. You get three download credits every Monday to grab what you need. If you run out, you can earn more by contributing your own samples or referring other producers to the platform.

It’s a simple give-and-take model built for quick downloads. While paid subscriptions exist for those who need a larger supply of sounds, the main draw is the free tier. Plus, every sound on the site is royalty-free for commercial use, so you can use them in your projects without any strings attached.

Output Pricing

We built our pricing around one simple idea: get everything you need without the headache. Our all-in-one subscription, Output One, bundles our entire suite of plugins—Arcade, Co-Producer, and our core FX—for a single monthly price. It’s the most straightforward way to get our whole ecosystem working for you.

If you only need a specific tool, you can also subscribe to them individually:

• Output One: $14.99/month for the complete suite, including Arcade, Co-Producer, Portal, Thermal, and Movement.
• Arcade: $12.99/month for our sample-based instrument and its massive library.
• Co-Producer: $9.99/month for the AI-powered sample finder.

If you want to take our tools for a spin, you can try Arcade completely free for 7 days. It’s a full-featured trial, so you can see how it fits into your workflow before committing.

For producers who prefer to own their tools outright, our FX plugins like Portal and Kontakt instruments like Exhale are also available as one-time purchases.

Loopcloud, Sample Focus, or Output: Which is The Best Sample Library for You?

Ultimately, the right tool depends on your workflow. Loopcloud nails deep DAW integration, and Sample Focus is perfect for quick, free downloads. But if you want to spend less time searching and more time making music, our ecosystem is built to help you generate ideas, not just find them. Try our tools for free and see how they fit into your process.

Happy creating!