What is MuseHub? The music software store explained
MuseHub is a free app and web store for music software: apps, plugins, sample libraries, loops and sound effects, courses and bundles from independent developers, installed and kept up to date in one place. It is made by Muse Group — the company behind Audacity and MuseScore Studio — and it is the only place to get MuseSounds, the sample libraries that give MuseScore Studio realistic playback.
This explainer covers what is in the catalog, how getting a tool through MuseHub differs from downloading it elsewhere, what is free and what is paid, who the developers are, and the questions people ask before installing it.
Start with MuseHub
What you can get on MuseHub
The catalog is organized by the kind of tool:
- Apps — Audacity and MuseScore Studio, both free, alongside independent apps such as ACE Studio, MOOZ and Music Transcription Studio.
- Plugins — effects and instruments in VST3, AU and AAX formats from developers like Baby Audio, LANDR, Solid State Logic, Soundly and Auburn Sounds, plus Muse Group’s own free MuseFX collection.
- MuseSounds — sample libraries built for MuseScore Studio playback: a free core orchestra, choir, keys, harp and guitars from Muse Group, and paid libraries from Vienna Symphonic Library, Spitfire Audio, Orchestral Tools, Cinesamples and Audio Imperia.
- Loops & audio — royalty-free loops, one-shots and sound effects, bought individually rather than as packs.
- Courses — video courses such as Audacity Explained and MuseScore Studio Explained.
- Bundles and AI tools — collections at a lower combined price, and a section for AI-assisted apps and plugins.
There is also MuseSounds Pro, a subscription that adds a growing set of premium MuseSounds libraries on top of the free collection.
How it differs from downloading tools one by one
Getting music software the usual way means a different website, installer and update mechanism for every tool. MuseHub replaces that with one app that handles the mechanics:
- One-click install. MuseHub installs apps and plugins for you — VST3, AU and AAX plugins go straight into the right folders with no installer to run — and can open the app when it is done.
- Automatic updates. When a developer publishes an update, MuseHub delivers and installs it, so every tool stays current without you checking each developer’s site.
- One account. Purchases and licenses are tied to your MuseHub account, so reinstalling on a new computer means signing in and clicking Get again.
- Localized pricing and one checkout. Prices are shown in your currency for your region, and every purchase — plugins, libraries, single loops — goes through the same checkout.
You can browse the catalog on the web at musehub.com; installing happens through the app.
What is free and what is paid
A large share of the catalog is free, and free means free — no trials or watermarks. Audacity, MuseScore Studio, the MuseFX plugin collection and the core MuseSounds libraries all cost nothing, and many partner plugins have free versions. Paid products show their price on the card; some offer trials, and free products can be supported with a tip to the developer. Our best free VST plugins and best free instruments roundups start from the free shelf.
Who makes the tools
MuseHub itself is by Muse Group. The products on it are made by their developers — the partner name is shown on every product page and card — who publish, price and update their own work. Anyone building audio software can apply to distribute on MuseHub; Distribute on MuseHub explains how, and our guide for developers compares it with the other ways of selling a plugin.
Where MuseHub fits with Audacity and MuseScore Studio
Both apps are free and open source, and both can be downloaded from their own sites. MuseHub adds the pieces around them: plugins and AI tools for Audacity that install with a click, and — for MuseScore Studio — MuseSounds, which exist nowhere else. If you write music in a score, MuseHub is how the score gets its sound; how to use MuseSounds in MuseScore Studio walks through it. If you edit audio, how to use effects in Audacity does the same for plugins.
FAQ
Next steps
Start with the free shelf: the best free VST plugins, the best free audio editors and MuseSounds in MuseScore Studio. Then browse by category — plugins, apps, MuseSounds — or download MuseHub free and explore in the app.
