INDEPENDENT MUSIC DISCOVERY

A free Samplette alternative.Built by people
who dig.

We’re developers and musicians who got fed up with Samplette’s ads and push toward paid features. We just wanted to dig. So we built Sift: a free place to find recordings, save the good moments, and get back to the music.

Start diggingFree to use.
No account needed.

A NOTE TO OURSELVES

Less friction.
More finding.

CURIOUS EARS WELCOMEDISCOVER ↗ SAVE ↗ REPEATBUILT FOR THE LONG WAY HOME

FROM ONE DIGGER TO ANOTHER

We’re developers.
We’re musicians.
We wanted our flow back.

For us, Samplette had started to feel like ads and upsells were taking over the music. We were fed up. We wanted to put on a record, follow a hunch, save the good bit, and keep moving.

So we built Sift around how we actually listen. A place for unexpected finds, a queue you can shape, and notes that remember what your ears noticed.

The story behind Sift

THE GOOD PARTS, WITHIN REACH

Find it. Mark it.
Come back to it.

01 / DISCOVER

Follow your ears.

Explore a maintained selection of recordings. Filter by genre, style, release year, market, or curator channel, then make room for a surprise.

02 / REMEMBER

Keep the exact moment.

Save a recording, mark a timestamp, and leave a note. Organize finds with tags and collections so the idea is there when you need it.

03 / KEEP

Take your library with you.

Your finds live in this browser. Export a JSON backup or a readable CSV, and bring your own YouTube links into the mix.

SIFT & SAMPLETTE

What changes
when you switch?

Here’s where Sift fits. Different catalogs, different workflows. Choose the one that keeps you listening.

Scroll across to compare both tools →

Sift compared with Samplette’s published plans, checked November 1, 2026
In your session	Sift THAT’S US	Samplette
Getting started	Free, no account needed	Free tier; Pro from US$9.99/month
Ads around the music	No Sift display ads; YouTube ads may still play	Samplette ads removed with Pro; YouTube ads remain
Notes	Free notes and source-linked timestamps	Notes listed under Pro
Organizing finds	Free local collections and tags	Favorites on Free; playlists on Pro
Listening history	Local history in this browser	Pro: 1,000 recently discovered tracks
Taking things with you	JSON backups and readable CSV	Pro: temporary YouTube playlist exports, up to 50 videos

Samplette details checked November 1, 2026 against its published pricing and feature list. Regional prices and taxes may vary; plans can change. Sift is independent and is not affiliated with Samplette.

KNOW THE TRADEOFF

Sift’s catalog is its own selection. Your library stays on this device, with manual exports for backup. There’s no automatic cloud sync, direct Samplette import, or BPM/key filtering today. YouTube availability and ads still apply.

BEFORE YOU DROP IN

A few good questions.

Is Sift a free Samplette alternative?

Yes. Sift’s current discovery, queue, saved recordings, timestamp notes, collections, and library exports are free to use. You can start without an account.

Can I import my Samplette library?

Sift does not currently import Samplette exports directly. You can add individual YouTube links with Add link. Sift’s JSON importer accepts Sift library backups, not another service’s export format.

Does Sift have the same catalog and filters?

No. Sift has its own maintained selection, plus the YouTube links you add. Filters depend on available metadata. Sift does not currently offer BPM or musical key filters, and it does not search all of YouTube.

Are my saves synced across devices?

Saves and notes currently stay in this browser on this device. Signing in does not enable automatic sync. Export a JSON backup to keep a copy or import your library on another device.

Does Sift provide sample downloads or licenses?

No. Sift is a discovery and annotation tool. Recordings play through YouTube; Sift does not extract or download audio, and does not grant sample licenses. Exports contain your library data and source references, not audio.

FROM THE NOTEBOOK