Daydream vs ElevenLabs Music
Daydream Studio is a browser-based studio for hybrid music production: session players follow your part, chords and groove while it plays, you change any part as it goes, and every part comes out as its own stem. Daydream Songs makes a finished instrumental track from a description, with the mix and every stem. ElevenLabs Music makes songs with lyrics and vocals in many languages, edits sections of a song, and is also an API. It shares one pool of credits with ElevenLabs’ voice and sound-effect tools.
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Which is better, Daydream or ElevenLabs Music?
It depends on whether you need vocals. ElevenLabs Music sings, in many languages, and Daydream makes instrumentals only. To make the track yourself, Daydream Studio puts session players in your browser who follow your part, with every part as its own stem and, on a Mac, your own VST3 and AU plugins. For instrumentals you can download freely, Daydream costs less and limits less: Songs is $4 a month with unlimited downloads, where ElevenLabs Starter is $6 a month with downloads capped at 30 minutes a month and, under its Music Terms, no release to streaming services.
The plans, side by side
Prices in US dollars, as of 20 October 2026.
| Feature | Daydream Free | ElevenLabs Free |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $0 |
| What you can make | 10 a month, 2 versions each | 10,000 credits a month, shared with every ElevenLabs product |
| Downloads | 3 a month, MP3 or stems | Not permitted |
| Commercial use | Yes | No, personal use only, with attribution |
| Sung vocals and lyrics | No, instrumental only | Yes |
| Feature | Daydream Songs | ElevenLabs Starter |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4 a month | $6 a month ($5 billed yearly) |
| Downloads | Unlimited, mixes and stems | 30 minutes a month |
| Stems | Yes | 2 or 4 stems |
| Commercial use | Yes | Yes, for individuals, but no release to streaming services |
| Sung vocals and lyrics | No, instrumental only | Yes |
| Feature | Daydream Pro | ElevenLabs Creator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10 a month ($4.99 the first month) | $22 a month ($11 the first month) |
| Downloads | Unlimited, mixes, stems and WAV | 250 minutes a month |
| WAV | Yes, of the mix | No, lossless WAV starts on Pro |
| Stems | Yes | 2 or 4 stems |
| Commercial use | Yes | All online and offline commercial use except film, TV, radio and studio games, for individuals, per the Music Terms |
| Studio | About 6.5 hours a month | Edit a section of a song; no players that follow you |
| Sung vocals and lyrics | No, instrumental only | Yes |
| Feature | Daydream Max | ElevenLabs Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $30 a month ($12.99 the first month) | $99 a month ($82.50 billed yearly) |
| Downloads | Unlimited, mixes, stems and WAV | 500 minutes a month |
| WAV | Yes, of the mix | Yes, lossless WAV or 192 kbps MP3 |
| Stems | Yes | Up to 6 stems |
| Commercial use | Yes | All online and offline commercial use except film, TV, radio and studio games, for individuals, per the Music Terms |
| Sung vocals and lyrics | No, instrumental only | Yes |
Use ElevenLabs Music if
- You want sung vocals and lyrics, in your own language. Daydream makes instrumentals only.
- You want to rewrite one section of a song, or match a reference track through the API.
- You’re building an app and want music from an API.
- You already use ElevenLabs for voice or sound effects: music draws on the same credits.
Use Daydream if
- You want to make the track yourself. Studio is a DAW in your browser: record or hum a part, book session players who follow your part, chords and groove while it plays, change any of them as it goes, then arrange, mix and export. Studio comes with Free, Pro and Max.
- You want your own sounds in it. On a Mac, Studio runs your own VST3 and AU instruments and effects on any lane, in the browser, through a small helper called Studio Bridge.
- You need royalty-free background music for a video, a game, a stream or a podcast. Songs makes an instrumental track from a description, cleared for commercial use on every plan, and $4 a month gets you 500 tracks with unlimited downloads of mixes and stems.
- You want to release what you make to streaming services from the cheapest paid plan. Everything you make on Daydream is cleared for commercial use, Free included.
- You want to own what you make, copyright and all. Daydream’s terms assign it to you on every plan, Free included, take no cut and ask for no credit.
- You want it to sound like you. On Pro and Max you train a Style on your own tracks and put it on any player.
Questions
- Does ElevenLabs Music limit downloads?
- Yes, in minutes a month, per Exhibit A of its Music Terms as of 20 October 2026: Free none, Starter 30, Creator 250, Pro 500. Daydream’s Songs, Pro and Max plans have unlimited downloads, and Daydream Free has 3 a month.
- Can I put ElevenLabs music on Spotify?
- Not from Free or Starter: the Music Terms list streaming distribution as prohibited on both. Creator and above permit it. On Daydream, every plan, Free included, is cleared for commercial use, release included.
- Can I use ElevenLabs music in a film or a game?
- Not on a self-serve plan. The Music Terms permit online and offline commercial use except film, TV, radio and studio games; those need ElevenLabs’ Enterprise Music plan. Daydream’s terms let you use what you make on any platform, for any lawful purpose.
- Does Daydream make vocals like ElevenLabs?
- No. Daydream makes instrumental music. In Studio you can hum or record your own part, your voice included, and session players play along with it.
ElevenLabs Music’s plans and limits are from ElevenLabs Music, ElevenLabs pricing, ElevenLabs Music Terms and ElevenLabs terms of use, checked 20 October 2026. ElevenLabs Music changes its plans; check there before you buy. Daydream’s are on Pricing.
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