Free music search and MP3 downloader
MP3 Juice is a music downloader that allows you to search for music, listen to it in the app, and download songs for free so you can listen to tracks offline. You can access millions of your favorite songs by searching by their title or their artists and albums. This free Android app will search through sources such as YouTube and SoundCloud to find the music you are looking for.
Where can I download MP3 songs for free?
To download the MP3 Juice app, Android 4.0.3 and above is required. Users will need to download and install an APK file to their Android device, rather than search in the Google Play store.
MP3 Juice's premise is coupled with a very simple—and somewhat amateurish—interface that consists of a search box and a source manager. Users type in their search query, choose the sources they would like to search on, and then click the search button. Alternatively, you can also paste in a video URL and click the search button to convert a video's audio into an MP3 file.
Music can be sourced through YouTube, SoundCloud, VK, Yandex, 4shared, PromoDJ, and Archive, giving access to millions of songs and artists. Once search results have been returned, users can listen to the song directly in the app, most commonly by streaming the video directly from the source website.
Alternatively, you can choose to download a song directly to your phone, save it to cloud-based storage (either Dropbox or Google Drive), or share it via Facebook.
The application also features an MP3 cutter that users can use to remove soundless sections from MP3 files. We tried out this feature and found that the resulting cut MP3 file simply became unplayable after we downloaded it.
Annoying pop-ups and download fails
Using MP3 Juice was sometimes a frustrating experience. We found many times that downloads didn't work. When this happens, the app doesn't tell you that the download has failed.
Instead, the app takes you to random news stories or ads—many of which push a user subscription. Some users might mistake this as part of the MP3 download process and unwittingly sign up for something they don't want. We felt this was a bit dishonest and didn't like how difficult it was to quit these pages and return to the search engine page.
The app features other functions such as online radio and music (available under the drop-down menu on the left-hand side of the screen) but we found they simply didn't work. Links to entertainment news and Amazon—also accessible under the men— felt disconnected from the aim of the app.
The app didn't feel secure to us, with its intrusive ad pop-ups and attempts to get us to download other apps. It certainly didn't feel safe to connect our cloud storage and Facebook profiles so we didn't test that functionality.
Is MP3 Juice legal?
Of course, the biggest problem with MP3 Juice is the question of whether downloading music using the app is legal or not. Unfortunately, it's a legal gray area with differing laws applying in different jurisdictions and situations. Converting music from YouTube or other similar video platforms, for example, is against US copyright law.
In addition, YouTube considers downloading the audio from its hosted video a breach of its Terms of Service, while SoundCloud offers its users advice on how to avoid unauthorized downloads and "stream-rips" of their content.
On the other hand, much of the content available through the Archive is covered by Creative Commons licenses. However, many of these licenses do not expressly permit downloading an MP3 file for personal use. Ultimately, it's for a user to decide whether they feel comfortable using an app that has a questionably legal—and moral—standing.
We do recommend that you think about trying legitimate alternatives to MP3 Juice first. You can play music from YouTube without violating the streaming site’s terms of use via the YouTube Music service.
What happens if you get caught downloading music illegally?
If you get caught illegally downloading music, you could face a range of consequences. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) might start by sending you warning notifications about the activity.
If you continue, they could place restrictions on your internet usage or even go as far as terminating your service altogether. Copyright holders, such as record labels and artists, have the right to sue you for copyright infringement.
These lawsuits can lead to substantial fines, potentially thousands of dollars for each song you've downloaded illegally. In the most severe cases, you might even face criminal charges, which could result in additional fines and even jail time.
The severity of the consequences you face depends on several factors. Downloading a couple of songs for your own listening is less likely to get you in serious trouble compared to large-scale downloading and distribution of copyrighted music. Additionally, the laws and their enforcement vary across different countries and even states. If you were deliberately distributing the music for profit, the penalties will likely be harsher.
The best way to protect yourself from legal trouble is to stick to legal music sources like Apple Music or Spotify. There are numerous affordable music streaming services available, where you can listen to huge libraries of music without breaking the law. You can also support the artists directly by purchasing their music through official online stores or physical retailers.
If you're on a budget, explore websites that offer free music downloads legally, often featuring royalty-free or Creative Commons licensed tracks.
Our take
MP3 Juice makes a wide range of songs easy to search for, play, and download as MP3 files. The built-in player is simple but works fairly well—although downloading the songs is not without its issues. The app's very basic and amateurish-looking interface, coupled with annoying ad pop-ups, doesn't inspire confidence in its security.
Should you download it?
Using MP3 Juice to convert video into audio in order to download it as an MP3 file poses unclear legal and moral issues related to copyright and intellectual property. If you're concerned about the issues this creates for the music industry, you're better off avoiding this app.
