Amper Music

Amper Music is a solid choice if you are already deep in the Shutterstock ecosystem—say, a video editor who regularly downloads stock footage and needs matching background music fast. The AI handles mood and tempo well, and generating a track takes seconds. But if you need granular control over individual instruments or arrangement structure, you will hit a wall quickly. Unlike dedicated tools like Soundraw or AIVA, Amper does not let you edit specific notes or change instrument layers independently. The pricing is also a sticking point: there is no stand-alone music-only subscription; you must buy into Shutterstock's broader plans, which start at a premium. For casual creators producing short social media clips, the integration with Shutterstock is convenient. But for professional composers or filmmakers requiring custom scores, it is too limiting. In practice, we would use it only when speed and simplicity trump musical flexibility—and even then, we would compare the output to cheaper alternatives. The acquisition by Shutterstock in 2021 means development is likely aligned with the parent company's roadmap, so don't expect major feature overhauls. Overall, a decent but narrowly focused tool.