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Every stem splitter has to decide what a "unit" of work is. There are two common answers, and the difference between them grows with every stem you ask for.
TL;DR
- Per-stem pricing: LALAL.AI documents its deduction as "total file length × number of stem separation types". Selecting 5 stem types on a 4-minute song uses 20 minutes of your allowance.
- Per-minute pricing: AudioPod charges each output group once for the song's length. Vocals, drums, bass, guitar and piano from a 4-minute song cost 2,640 credits together, about $0.35 at pay-as-you-go rates.
- The free tiers are shaped differently. LALAL.AI gives 10 free minutes. Its pricing chart lists result downloads as a paid-plan feature. AudioPod has two free lanes. With no account you get one song a day, up to 5 minutes, split into 6 stems you can listen to on the YouTube stem splitter. With a free account you get 1,000 credits a month, about 1.5 minutes of stem splitting you can download. Where AudioPod clearly wins is the price per song and credits that never expire. Worked numbers below.
The two models
Per stem. LALAL.AI's pricing page describes its deduction as "total file length × number of stem separation types". The more stem types you select, the more of your minutes a song uses.
Per minute, per group. AudioPod prices stem splitting by output group, each charged once for the source duration. The core group (vocals, drums, bass, guitar, piano and everything else) is 660 credits per minute, whichever of those stems you take. Specialist groups add their own price:
| Group | Credits per minute of audio |
|---|---|
| Core stems (vocals, drums, bass, guitar, piano, other) | 660 |
| Lead + backing vocals (one or both) | 990 |
| Male + female vocals (one or both) | 990 |
| Each specialist instrument (violin, saxophone, cello, trumpet, …) | 1,320 |
Different groups add together. Credits are reserved when the job starts, and any group that does not deliver every requested output is refunded.
A worked example: 5 stem types, 4 minutes
Pricing checked September 2026. LALAL.AI figures come from lalal.ai/pricing. The example counts only what LALAL.AI's pages document: 5 stem types it lists by name (Vocals, Drums, Bass, Piano, Electric Guitar). The leftover "other" part is not counted as a sixth type.
| AudioPod | LALAL.AI | |
|---|---|---|
| How the job is charged | Core group once, for 4 minutes | 4 minutes × 5 stem types |
| This job | 2,640 credits | 20 minutes |
| Pay-as-you-go equivalent | about $0.35 ($1 = 7,500 credits) | — |
| Monthly allowance | Creator ($20/mo, 200,000 credits): about 75 such songs | Pro ($15/mo): 250 fast-queue minutes, about 12 such songs. Lite ($7.50/mo): 90 fast-queue minutes, about 4 |
| Free tier | 1 song a day with no account (up to 5 min, 6 stems to listen to) + 1,000 credits a month on a free account (~1.5 min downloadable), no card | 10 minutes (pricing chart lists result downloads on paid plans) |
Where per-stem pricing is the better deal
Being fair to the other model matters here, because for some people it is genuinely cheaper:
- LALAL.AI's paid plans include an unlimited "relaxed" queue. The minute count applies to the fast queue. If you split a lot and don't mind waiting, a flat monthly plan can beat any per-minute meter.
- LALAL.AI gives more free minutes: 10, against about 1.5 a month from AudioPod's 1,000 free credits. Its pricing chart lists result downloads as a paid-plan feature. On AudioPod, a free account can download its stems, and the no-account demo (one song a day, up to 5 minutes) is for listening.
- If you only ever need one or two stem types, the multiplier barely bites.
- LALAL.AI ships features we don't yet: echo and reverb removal, FLAC and AIFF output, and a VST plugin on its Pro plan.
Where per-minute pricing wins
- Multitracks. Every core stem costs the same as one, so there is no financial reason to take a shallower split than the job needs.
- Instruments beyond the band. AudioPod's Creator plan opens a 45-instrument catalog, with strings, brass and woodwinds, plus drum-kit decomposition into kick, snare and hi-hat. 45 is the size of the menu. A job returns only the parts you pick, not 45 files.
- Credits that don't expire. Pay-as-you-go credits stay in your account until you use them, and the same credits pay for transcription, voices, music and audio-to-MIDI.
And Moises?
Moises is built for practice rather than production. It has chord and key detection, pitch and speed control, a metronome and excellent mobile apps. Its full pricing sits behind a login. At the time of writing it is reported at about $3.99/month (Premium) and about $9.99/month (Pro), with a free plan of roughly 5 tracks a month. If you want to learn a song on your instrument from your phone, Moises is the better tool. If you want stems to produce, remix or sample with, see the AudioPod vs Moises comparison.
How to check the cost before you split
- Work out which groups your selection touches: core, a vocal pair, or specific instruments.
- Multiply each group's rate by the song's length in minutes, and add them together.
- Open the Stem Splitter. It shows the full total before anything runs.
For the longer version, read the guide lesson Per-minute vs per-stem pricing, explained, or compare directly: AudioPod vs LALAL.AI.
FAQ
Does a 6-stem split cost more than a 2-stem split on AudioPod? No. The core stems are one group at 660 credits per minute, charged once for the length of the song.
How does LALAL.AI count minutes? Its pricing page says minutes are deducted as file length × number of stem separation types (checked September 2026).
Is AudioPod free? It's free to try, in two ways. With no account, the YouTube stem splitter splits one song a day (up to 5 minutes) into 6 stems you can listen to. With a free account (no card), Basic adds 1,000 credits a month, about 1.5 minutes of stem splitting you can download. A full 4-minute song costs 2,640 credits, which is about $0.35 at pay-as-you-go rates, or roughly 75 songs a month on Creator.
Do AudioPod credits expire? Pay-as-you-go credits never expire.