A free download gate for SoundCloud tracks
A free download is one of the oldest moves in electronic music: give fans a track, and ask for something small in return. The something small is usually a follow. A download gate is the page that sits between your SoundCloud track and the file, and asks for that follow first.
MuseGate gives you that page for free. You upload the track, choose which follows to ask for, and share one link — in your SoundCloud description, your bio or your Stories.
Why artists gate free downloads
Every free download is a fan who liked the track enough to want it on their drive or USB stick. That is the best moment to ask them to follow you, because the next time you release, they will actually see it.
- Followers on SoundCloud, Spotify and Instagram, instead of a download that leaves no trace.
- Bootlegs, edits and remixes you can't sell can still grow your audience.
- One link that works everywhere: SoundCloud's "Buy" link, link in bio, DMs and QR codes at gigs.
How to set up a SoundCloud download gate
- Create a free MuseGate account and pick your username.
- Click New gate, add the cover art and the audio file (MP3, WAV, FLAC or AIFF, up to 50 MB).
- Turn on the steps you want: follow on SoundCloud, Instagram, Spotify or TikTok, or subscribe on YouTube. Type your @username or paste your profile link.
- Publish, then copy the gate link.
- On SoundCloud, open the track's settings, go to the purchase link ("Buy link") field, paste the gate link and set the button title to "Free Download".
What fans see
Fans land on a page with your cover art, a player and one button per step. Each step opens your profile so they can follow, and once the steps are done the download button unlocks. No account and no email needed on their side, which keeps more of them going all the way to the download.
The page takes its colors from your cover art, and you can switch to your own palette or a blurred-cover background in a click.
Tips that get more follows
- Ask for two or three steps, not five. Each extra step loses a few fans.
- Put the platform you care most about first — usually SoundCloud or Spotify.
- Say "free download" in the track title or description; it is what people search for.
- Share the Story image from the share menu on release day, and again a week later.
- Check Analytics: if many fans open the gate but few finish, remove a step.
Free and Pro
The Free plan includes your artist page and 5 live gates with every follow step. Pro ($5/month) raises that to 100 gates and adds custom links like musegate.app/profile/you/track-name, an extra custom step (a pre-save or your merch), full analytics and no MuseGate branding.
Questions
Is a SoundCloud download gate free?
Yes. MuseGate's Free plan lets you run 5 download gates at the same time, with follow steps for SoundCloud, Instagram, Spotify, YouTube and TikTok.
Do fans need an account to download?
No. Fans tap the steps, follow you, and download. They don't sign up or leave an email.
Which audio formats can I upload?
MP3, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, AAC, OGG and M4A, up to 50 MB per track. Fans get the file you uploaded.
Can I use the same gate on Instagram and YouTube?
Yes. Every gate has one link you can post anywhere, plus a QR code and a ready-made Story image.