Free Sound Effects API

Search and stream free sound effects for apps, games, videos, websites, and AI agents. No API key is required.

This public API is powered by Lots of Sounds, a developer-first sound effects API for royalty-free audio.

Try the free API

Search by a clear keyword:

curl -G "https://api.lotsofsounds.com/api/v1/sounds/sample" \
  --data-urlencode "q=notification" \
  --data-urlencode "limit=6"

Search by tags:

curl -G "https://api.lotsofsounds.com/api/v1/sounds/sample" \
  --data-urlencode "tags=door,creak" \
  --data-urlencode "limit=6"

The endpoint returns sound names, descriptions, tags, durations, IDs, and stream paths. It returns up to 12 results.

Stream a free sound

Use the stream_url from a search result:

curl "https://api.lotsofsounds.com/api/v1/sounds/sample/SOUND_ID/stream"

The response contains a temporary audio URL that you can play or preview.

JavaScript

const query = new URLSearchParams({ q: "notification", limit: "6" });
const response = await fetch(
  `https://api.lotsofsounds.com/api/v1/sounds/sample?${query}`,
);
const { data } = await response.json();

console.log(data);

Run the complete example:

node examples/javascript.mjs "notification"

Python

import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://api.lotsofsounds.com/api/v1/sounds/sample",
    params={"q": "notification", "limit": 6},
    timeout=20,
)
response.raise_for_status()
print(response.json()["data"])

Run the dependency-free example:

python3 examples/python.py "notification"

AI agent skill

This repository includes an installable find-free-sound-effects skill. It helps an AI coding agent search the free endpoint, compare results, and get a stream URL.

Example request:

Find a short, calm notification sound for an AI assistant.

Free API and full API

The free endpoint is useful for prototypes, previews, examples, and AI-agent tests. It needs no account or API key.

Use the full Lots of Sounds API when you need:

• More results and pagination
• Category and duration filters
• Full sound metadata
• Download URLs
• Production API limits
• The Lots of Sounds MCP server

View the full sound library or compare API plans.

Common questions

Is this a free sound effects API?

Yes. The sample search and stream endpoints need no API key. The full Lots of Sounds API has paid plans for advanced search and download features.

Can an AI agent use this API?

Yes. The API returns structured JSON. An agent can choose useful search keywords, inspect the results, and request a temporary stream URL.

Can I use it for game and app sound effects?

Yes. Search for UI clicks, notifications, impacts, doors, ambience, weather, transitions, and other sound effects. Review the Lots of Sounds license information before you publish audio.

Does this repository contain audio files?

No. It contains examples and an agent skill. Audio is served by the Lots of Sounds API, so the repository stays small.

License

The code in this repository uses the MIT License. Audio returned by the API has separate Lots of Sounds license terms.