★★★★★Trustpilot · November 2026
Reviewer said an orchestral track ran 58 seconds instead of 3 minutes with weak harmony.
We tested AIVA for 7 days in October 2026 with the same 10 music prompts across genres that every tool in our AI music generators test got. Six of the 10 tracks were usable on the first try, and 7 of 10 after more work. AIVA scored 2 out of 5 overall and ranked last of the six tools we tested.
Sound quality was the main problem. Three blind judges gave its tracks 2.0 out of 5, and we found audio problems in 46 of 100 checks. Our brief included lyrics, and AIVA is built for instrumentals, so keep that in mind. Its licence also passed only 2 of our 4 rights checks, even though its Pro plan can give you the copyright.
AIVA suits composers and filmmakers who want orchestral or cinematic instrumentals and MIDI files to work on. For a small business that needs everyday music for videos, other tools did better.
How we scored it
AIVA scored 2 out of 5 on all five parts, so the parts were even. Each was held back by a different result.
Output quality2.0
Control and editing2.0
Speed2.0
Rights and licensing2.0
Value for money2.0
Overall score: 2 / 5, the average of the five parts, rounded to the nearest half point.
- Output quality (2/5): Our three blind judges gave its tracks an average of 2.0 out of 5, and we heard audio problems in 46 of 100 checks.
- Control and editing (2/5): It has an editor and MIDI export, but only 6 of 10 tracks were usable on the first try and 7 of 10 in the end.
- Speed (2/5): Each usable track took us 16.9 minutes on average, and three prompts never gave us a usable track at all.
- Rights and licensing (2/5): It passed only 2 of our 4 rights checks, because AIVA keeps the copyright on Free and Standard and Pro ownership has size limits.
- Value for money (2/5): Paid plans are sold only billed yearly, from 11 EUR a month, and payments are not refunded.
Best of 2026
See the ranking →
The best AI music generators
Before you pick AIVA, see how all 6 tools ranked in the same test.
AIVA in plain terms
AIVA is an AI music composer. You choose a preset style, key and length, or upload a piece of music as an influence, and it composes an instrumental track. It's strongest at orchestral, cinematic and classical styles, and you can edit the result and export it as MP3 or MIDI, with WAV files and stems on Pro. It runs in a web browser.
It's made by Aiva Technologies SARL, founded by Pierre Barreau, Denis Shtefan and Vincent Barreau, and backed by Kima Ventures and the EU's Horizon 2020 programme. AIVA doesn't make songs with sung vocals the way Suno does.
What sets it apart is a clear licence ladder. On the Free and Standard plans AIVA keeps the copyright in your tracks. On Pro, the copyright passes to you, as long as you're an individual or a small business that meets its limits.
What happens after you sign up
AIVA works more like a composing tool than a prompt box, and it comes down to four steps.
1. Pick a style or influence. Choose a preset style, key and length, or upload a piece of music as an influence.
2. Generate. AIVA composes an instrumental track to match your choices.
3. Edit. Tweak the composition in AIVA's editor until it fits what you need.
4. Download. Export MP3 or MIDI on every plan, and WAV files and stems on Pro.
What you get
AIVA's features are aimed at people who want to work with the music afterwards, not just play it.
Style-based generation
Generate tracks from preset styles or from music you upload as an influence, on every plan.
Composition editor
Change the composition after it's generated, rather than starting again from scratch.
MIDI export
Download orchestrated and reduced MIDI files on every plan, so a composer can keep working in music software.
WAV and stems
Pro adds high-quality WAV files and stems, the separate instrument tracks.
Copyright on Pro
On Pro, you own the copyright in your tracks, and you keep it for compositions you owned even after you cancel.
Who gets the most out of AIVA
AIVA is a specialist tool. It fits people who want instrumental, orchestral music they can edit and own, and it fits poorly almost everywhere else.
A good fit for
- Film, game and video makers who need cinematic instrumentals
- Composers who want MIDI files to edit
- Individuals and very small businesses who want to own their tracks
- Buyers who value clear ownership terms
Not a good fit for
- Anyone who wants songs with vocals
- Larger companies, who must contact AIVA for terms
- Anyone who might need a refund
- Free-plan users who can't credit AIVA
AIVA vs Suno, Mubert and Soundraw
Every other tool in our test scored higher than AIVA or tied it. Suno came first with 4 out of 5 and starts at $8 a month, but it writes songs with vocals. For background music, Mubert and Soundraw both scored 2.5 out of 5 and let you download and use their music. Our best AI music list explains how all six compared.
AIVA's case is different. It's closer to a composing tool than a music library, and its Pro plan is one of the few ways to get the copyright in AI-made music. If that's what you need, its lower test scores matter less.
| Option | Price | How it compares |
|---|---|---|
| AIVA | 11 EUR a month, billed yearly | Composes instrumental, orchestral and cinematic music, with copyright passing to you on Pro. |
| Suno | $8 a month | Writes full songs with vocals and lyrics from a prompt. |
| Mubert | $14 a month | Makes royalty-free background music and streaming-safe soundtracks. |
| Soundraw | $5.99 a month | Generates editable royalty-free background music trained on its own producers' work. |
Our 7-day AIVA test
We tested AIVA from October 17 to October 23, 2026, 7 days in all. Every tool in this group got the same brief for the same made-up online store: 10 music prompts across different genres, with lyrics. We used a plan without watermarks, so each tool was judged on its best output. The full set-up is in how we test.
For each prompt we noted whether the first track was usable, then kept working until we had one we would accept. Six of the 10 first tries were usable. After more attempts we had 7 usable tracks out of 10, so three prompts never gave us something we'd use.
Three judges then scored the tracks from 1 to 5 without knowing which tool made them. AIVA averaged 2.0 out of 5. We also listened for glitches and odd sounds, and found problems in 46 of 100 checks, nearly one in every two places we checked.
Each usable track took 16.9 minutes on average. Last, we checked the licence against four questions a business would ask, and AIVA passed 2 of the 4.
Keep in mind that AIVA is built for instrumental, orchestral music, and our brief covered many genres with lyrics. A composer who only needs cinematic instrumentals may get more from it than our results suggest. But for a small online store's everyday music needs, it was the weakest tool we tested.
| What we measured | Result | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Tracks usable on the first try | First-try usable 6/10 tracks | Four in ten prompts needed more work, and three never gave a usable track at all. |
| Blind quality score from three judges | 2.0/5; three blind judges | Judges who didn't know which tool made each track rated AIVA low, so the music may not hold up in your content. |
| Audio problems | Pronunciation/audio defects 46/100 checks | We heard a problem in almost half our checks, so listen through every track before you use it. |
| Time per usable track and commercial-use rights | 16.9 min; rights 2/4 | Each track took about a quarter of an hour, and the licence passed only half our rights checks, so check your plan's terms. |
AIVA struggled with our brief. Its blind quality score was low, audio problems turned up in almost half our checks, and three of our 10 prompts never gave a usable track. Its licence has a real strength in Pro's copyright transfer, but the limits on the cheaper plans kept its rights result to 2 of 4. For general business music, it came last.
Tested October 17, 2026 to October 23, 2026.
The good and the bad from our test
A clear route to owning your music
On Pro, the copyright in your tracks passes to you, and you keep it for compositions you owned even after you cancel. Few AI music tools offer that.
Files you can keep working on
Every plan exports MIDI as well as MP3, and Pro adds WAV and stems. A composer can take a track into music software and finish it properly.
Free plan without a card
The Free plan gives you 3 downloads a month, up to 3 minutes each, so you can try AIVA's style before paying.
Low sound quality in our test
Our blind judges gave AIVA 2.0 out of 5, and we found audio problems in 46 of 100 checks. Its output quality score of 2 was the lowest in our lineup.
Fewer usable tracks
Only 7 of our 10 prompts gave a usable track, even after more attempts. That's time and downloads spent on music you can't use.
Yearly billing and no refunds
Paid plans are shown only billed yearly, from 11 EUR a month, and AIVA's help centre says amounts already paid are not refunded.
Pros
- Copyright passes to you on Pro
- MIDI export on every plan
- WAV and stems on Pro
- Free plan with no card needed
- Strongest at orchestral and cinematic styles
Cons
- Came last of six in our test
- Blind quality score of 2.0 out of 5
- Audio problems in 46 of 100 checks
- Paid plans shown only billed yearly
- Payments are not refunded
How much AIVA costs
AIVA has a free plan and two paid plans, priced in euros and excluding VAT. Its pricing page shows only yearly billing: Standard costs 11 EUR a month, billed yearly, and Pro costs 33 EUR a month, billed yearly. AIVA says that's 26% off Standard's monthly price and 33% off Pro's, but it doesn't show the monthly prices, so we can't quote them.
The choice comes down to rights. Standard is enough if you only want to monetise on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Instagram and don't need to own the music. If you want the copyright, you need Pro. Prices were checked on November 2, 2026.
Standard
11 EUR
a month, billed yearly
- 15 downloads a month, tracks up to 5 minutes
- Monetise on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Instagram
- AIVA keeps the copyright
Pro
33 EUR
a month, billed yearly
- 300 downloads a month, tracks up to 5 minutes 30 seconds
- You own the copyright
- WAV and all formats
There is a free plan, called Free Forever, and you don't need a card. It allows 3 downloads a month, tracks up to 3 minutes, MP3 and MIDI files, and non-commercial use only. AIVA keeps the copyright and you must credit AIVA. There's no free trial of the paid plans.
AIVA's help centre says amounts already paid for monthly or yearly plans are not refunded. Students and schools can ask for a discount, and larger organisations can ask about an Enterprise option.
To cancel, you downgrade from the billing page. Your plan runs until it expires and then drops to Free. If you cancel Pro, you keep the copyright on compositions you already owned.
Prices checked November 2, 2026. Prices can change, so check before you buy.
Can you safely use AIVA music for your business?
It depends on your plan. On Free and Standard, AIVA owns the copyright. Free is non-commercial and requires credit to AIVA, and Standard only allows monetisation on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Instagram. The licence that applies is the one you held when you downloaded the track, so upgrading later doesn't change old downloads.
Pro gives you the copyright, but AIVA's help article says this applies to individuals and businesses with under $300,000 in revenue and fewer than 3 employees. That article was last updated in 2021, so check the current terms before you rely on it. Larger companies need to contact AIVA.
AIVA's privacy policy says order information is kept until you ask for it to be deleted, and EU residents have rights to access, correct and delete their data. We didn't find any lawsuits or incidents involving the company.
Check the licence shown in the download view for every track before you publish it.
What AIVA users say
There's very little user feedback to go on. On Trustpilot, checked November 2, 2026, AIVA has 2.6 out of 5 from just 4 reviews, labelled Poor, with 3 in the last 12 months. All the reviews we read gave 1 star, so it's too small a sample to say much.
Those reviews complain about tracks that were too short or didn't hang together, music that ignored a reference theme, refunds that weren't issued and a confusing interface. The praise we found comes from roundups rather than users, and centres on AIVA's orchestral and cinematic sound.
What users praise
- No positive Trustpilot reviews
What users complain about
- Tracks too short or incoherent
- Output ignoring a reference theme
- Refunds not issued
- Confusing interface
Recent user reviews, in short
Summarised in our own words, not quoted. Reviewer names are left out.
★★★★★Trustpilot · February 2026
Reviewer bought the top plan (EUR 49) for a client film score, said the tool ignored a reference theme and no refund came after several emails.
★★★★★Trustpilot · December 2025
Reviewer called the interface poorly designed and illogical.
★★★★★Trustpilot · July 2025
Reviewer cancelled within minutes without using songs and said the refund was still pending after 10 days.
The few complaints fit what we found. Our judges rated the sound low and three prompts never gave a usable track, and the refund problems users describe match AIVA's own no-refund rule.
Ratings checked November 2, 2026.
AIVA alternatives worth a look
AIVA came last in our six-tool test. Here's how the others compared, best score first.
Suno
Suno came first with 4 out of 5, ahead of AIVA on every part. Pick it if you want full songs with vocals made quickly.
Mubert
Mubert ranked second with 2.5 out of 5 and an output quality score of 3 against AIVA's 2. It suits streamers and video creators who need long, licence-safe background music.
Soundraw
Soundraw scored 2.5 out of 5, ahead of AIVA on every part. It suits video creators who want editable background music with simple licensing.
Udio
Udio scored 2.5 out of 5, but it keeps songs on its own platform, so it's for experimenting rather than music you can use.
Boomy
Boomy tied AIVA on 2 out of 5 overall, with slightly better output quality and value. It suits hobbyists who want a quick track and a simple release path.
2/5
Should you use AIVA?
We don't recommend AIVA for most small businesses. Our blind judges gave it 2.0 out of 5, we found audio problems in 46 of 100 checks, only 7 of 10 prompts gave a usable track, and its licence passed 2 of our 4 rights checks. That's why it scored 2 out of 5 and came last of the six tools we tested.
To be fair, our brief included lyrics and AIVA is built for instrumentals. If you're a composer or filmmaker who wants orchestral music, MIDI files and the copyright, its Pro plan offers something rare. Try the free plan first, and remember paid plans are billed yearly with no refunds.
AIVA suits composers who want orchestral instrumentals and the copyright; small businesses after everyday music should look elsewhere.
Still deciding?
Compare AI music generators →
See how AIVA compares
Every tool in our AI music generators test got the same jobs. Our ranking puts the results side by side.
Disagree with our review?
Make your case
If you use AIVA, or work there, and think we got something wrong, email us. Tell us what you saw and attach screenshots if you have them. We'll take another look and update the review if it changes our findings.
review.now.team@gmail.com
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Frequently asked questions
How much does AIVA cost?
AIVA has a free plan and two paid plans, priced in euros excluding VAT. Standard costs 11 EUR a month and Pro costs 33 EUR a month, both billed yearly. The pricing page doesn't show monthly prices. Payments are not refunded, so try the free plan first. We checked prices on November 2, 2026.
How did you test AIVA?
We gave AIVA the same brief as every music tool: 10 prompts across different genres, with lyrics, for a made-up online store. We counted usable tracks on the first try, had three judges score them blind, listened for audio problems, timed each usable track and checked the licence against four rights questions a business would ask.
Is AIVA free?
Yes. The Free Forever plan needs no card and gives you 3 downloads a month, with tracks up to 3 minutes, as MP3 or MIDI files. It's for non-commercial use only, AIVA keeps the copyright and you must credit AIVA. For monetised content you need Standard or Pro.
Do I own the music AIVA makes?
Only on the Pro plan, at 33 EUR a month billed yearly. On Free and Standard, AIVA keeps the copyright. AIVA's help article says Pro ownership applies to individuals and businesses under $300,000 in revenue with fewer than 3 employees, and if you cancel Pro, you keep the copyright on tracks you already owned.
Can I monetise AIVA tracks on YouTube?
Yes, from the Standard plan up. Standard allows monetisation on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Instagram only, while AIVA keeps the copyright. Pro allows any use for individuals and small businesses, and the copyright is yours. The Free plan is non-commercial, so you can't monetise its tracks.
Can AIVA make songs with vocals?
Not as far as we could find. AIVA presents itself as an instrumental composer, strongest at orchestral, cinematic and classical styles. If you want songs with sung vocals and lyrics, Suno is the better choice: it came first in our test with 4 out of 5, against AIVA's 2.
Written by
Liam Foster
If there's a strange new AI tool making its way around the internet, I've probably already bookmarked it. My favorite part is figuring out what these platforms can actually do.