SoundCloud

About SoundCloud

The SoundCloud API provides endpoints for authentication, track upload and playback, social features (follow and like), and search, with a base URL at api.soundcloud.com and a separate authentication URL at secure.soundcloud.com. It uses OAuth 2.1 with PKCE, supporting both an Authorization Code flow for applications that act on a user's behalf (uploading, accessing private content) and a Client Credentials flow for applications accessing only public resources such as search, playback, and URL resolution. Access tokens expire after approximately one hour and are renewed using single-use refresh tokens.

Uploads accept source formats including AIFF, WAVE, FLAC, OGG, MP2, MP3, AAC, AMR, and WMA, with a limit of up to 4 GB per file and 24 hours of audio per track; uploaded audio is transcoded into streaming formats such as AAC. Client Credentials tokens are rate-limited to 50 tokens per 12 hours per application and 30 tokens per hour per IP address, and all clients are treated as confidential, requiring a client secret to obtain a token.

Using the API requires a registered application: a SoundCloud account with Artist Pro is needed to register an app and obtain a client_id and client_secret. The documentation is intended for developers building applications that integrate SoundCloud upload, playback, social, and search functionality, including guidance for AI coding assistants via OpenAPI-first prompt templates.

Key features

• Track upload and playback via API with transcoding into high-quality streaming formats like AAC
• OAuth 2.1 with PKCE authentication, including Authorization Code and Client Credentials flows
• Social features including follow and like endpoints
• Search and pagination endpoints for browsing content
• SoundCloud URL resolution and oEmbed support
• Widget API and embeddable support buttons/logos

Frequently asked questions