Behind the brand: The story of Soundtrap’s subscription-driven rise in the creator economy

After more than a decade in market and a rare buy-back from Spotify, Soundtrap’s founders are proving that accessibility, subscriptions, and the right partnerships can power lasting creative growth.

The backstory

In 2012, a small team in Stockholm set out to solve a deceptively simple problem: why is making music so hard?

The result was Soundtrap, a browser-based digital studio that makes it possible to record, edit, and collaborate on audio projects from anywhere. Founded by musicians with a software background, the company pioneered what many now call the “Google Docs for music.”

Today, Soundtrap is a fixture for both independent creators and classrooms around the world. The company’s success has come not only from innovation in music technology, but also from the decision to build its business around subscriptions — and from the long-term partnership that has powered them since the start.

Building the “Google Docs for music”

“When we started, every music tool looked like an airplane cockpit,” says co-founder and CEO Per Emanuelsson. “They were built by audio engineers for other engineers, not for creators. We wanted to make the creative process accessible to anyone, regardless of technical skill.”

From the start, accessibility and collaboration were the guiding principles. The team chose to build entirely in the browser, a risky bet in 2013 when downloadable software still dominated. But the move paid off, creating a studio that travels with its users across devices and environments.

“If inspiration hits, you shouldn’t be limited by your hardware,” Emanuelsson says. “You can start on a phone, continue on a laptop, and finish on a desktop. That freedom became core to our identity.”

From creators to classrooms

Soundtrap’s focus on simplicity and collaboration quickly resonated with educators. Without any formal outreach, teachers began adopting the platform in classrooms across the U.S.

“Teachers started using Soundtrap because it was collaborative, safe, and worked on Chromebooks,” Emanuelsson explains. “They told us what they needed to scale: closed environments, integrations with learning management systems, and district-level rostering. That feedback shaped what became Soundtrap for Education.”

The education version, launched soon after, provided a walled-garden setup with built-in privacy controls, seat-based licensing, and integration with systems like Google Classroom and Office 365. It soon became one of the most widely adopted music and podcasting tools in K–12 classrooms.

Why subscriptions were the obvious choice

From day one, Soundtrap operated on a subscription model. The decision, Emanuelsson says, wasn’t just about revenue predictability — it was about aligning incentives with users.

“Subscriptions let us deliver continuous value,” he explains. “We release new features, loops, and instruments every month. It creates a rhythm where customers see us improving constantly and know they’re getting more over time.”

But managing a global subscription business comes with complexity: currencies, tax compliance, billing logic, trials, renewals, and dunning strategies all vary by market. Rather than build these systems in-house, Soundtrap partnered with Recurly in 2014, not long after its first beta launch.

“We picked Recurly early, and we’ve stayed with them ever since,” Emanuelsson says. “It was a no-brainer. Building a billing and payments system ourselves would take massive resources away from what we actually do best — building for creators.”

Scaling with data, optimization, and support

Over the past decade, Soundtrap’s relationship with Recurly has matured from simple billing to a data-driven partnership focused on optimization and growth.

Emanuelsson’s team uses Recurly’s analytics and dashboards regularly, combining insights with their internal data mart to make strategic decisions about pricing, trials, and retention. “We’re constantly A/B testing and refining,” he says. “Everything from dunning cadences to retry logic has been optimized based on performance data.”

That kind of experimentation has tangible results. For Soundtrap, small improvements in payment success rates translate directly to recovered revenue and lower churn across their subscriber base.

“Granular control matters when you’re operating globally,” Emanuelsson notes. “Our business runs across multiple currencies, so having a system that can handle payments in USD, GBP, SEK, AUD, and others with ease is critical. Recurly makes that invisible to the user, which is exactly how it should be.”

Localization is another layer of value. While Soundtrap focuses on product and content localization, Recurly ensures the checkout and payment experience feel native in every market — complete with local tax logic and currency display. The team is also in the process of integrating with Avalara for real-time tax compliance, adding another layer of automation and accuracy.

Partnership beyond payments

Emanuelsson credits Recurly’s hands-on approach as a key reason the relationship has lasted more than a decade.

“What we really appreciate is how proactive the team has been,” he says. “When we run into something that sits between systems — like an integration with Braintree — Recurly jumps in to collaborate directly instead of leaving us to mediate. That saves time and builds trust.”

He points to the partnership with Recurly’s customer success team as particularly impactful. “They’ve helped us understand industry benchmarks, anonymized data trends, and best practices. That knowledge-sharing is invaluable when you’re making decisions about pricing or renewal strategy.”

Spotify, independence, and the power of focus

Soundtrap’s journey has been anything but typical. The company was acquired by Spotify in 2017, becoming part of the streaming platform’s creator ecosystem. In 2023, the founders bought it back — a rare reversal that marked the beginning of a new chapter focused on autonomy and growth.

“The Spotify years taught us scale,” Emanuelsson says. “But independence lets us move faster and stay close to our users. The buy-back re-centered us on our mission to empower creativity for everyone.”

He sees partnerships like Recurly as part of that independence. “Running a subscription business at global scale takes deep expertise. Having a partner that specializes in this frees us to innovate on the product side. It’s about focus. We want our engineering team building new features, not managing billing logic.”

Where the growth continues

Today, about two-thirds of Soundtrap’s business comes from the U.S., with growing traction in the Nordics, UK, Australia, and Canada. Eight product teams ship updates weekly, continually improving the experience for both creators and educators.

“We’re doubling down where we already have traction,” Emanuelsson says. “The next phase is about deepening value for creators and schools — making collaboration faster, safer, and even more fun.”

He hints at several new features rolling out in the next six months. “I can’t say too much yet, but they’re all designed around one goal: helping people create together, wherever they are.”

Why Soundtrap still feels like a startup

Despite global reach and a mature product, Soundtrap retains its founder-led spirit. “Our best relationships are the ones where both sides grow together,” Emanuelsson says. “Whether it’s a partner, a teacher, or a musician, if they succeed, we succeed. That mindset hasn’t changed since day one.”

That same principle extends to Recurly. “It’s not just a vendor relationship,” he adds. “It’s a partnership where our goals align. If we grow, they grow. That shared incentive keeps both sides invested.”