Beets is a free, open-source command-line tool that organizes music libraries and fixes metadata using MusicBrainz, with a plugin system for extra features.
Category
Media & Audio/Video Tools
Pricing
Free (open source), from Free
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
WindowsOpen SourceSelf-HostedMac
Overview
Beets is a free, open-source command-line application for organizing and cleaning up digital music libraries. It matches tracks against the MusicBrainz database to automatically correct metadata like artist, album, and track titles, and can rename and reorganize files accordingly.
The project describes itself as built for 'obsessive music geeks' who want precise, scriptable control over their music collection rather than a simple media player.
Key Features
Beets' core function is automatic metadata correction using MusicBrainz (with plugin support for Discogs and Beatport), plus duplicate and missing-track detection.
An extensible plugin system adds features such as album art fetching, lyrics retrieval, genre tagging, audio format conversion, and an optional web interface for browsing and playing music in a browser.
Pricing
Beets is entirely free and open source, distributed via Python's pip package manager. There are no paid tiers, subscriptions, or commercial editions.
Key Features
Automatic metadata correction — Matches tracks against MusicBrainz to fix artist, album, and track metadata automatically.
Plugin architecture — Extend functionality with plugins for album art, lyrics, genre tagging, and more.
Duplicate & missing-track detection — Identify duplicate files and gaps in albums within a library.
Format conversion/transcoding — Convert audio files between formats using dedicated plugins.
Optional web interface — Browse and play music through a browser-based interface via a plugin.
Cross-platform CLI — Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows via Python's pip installer.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Completely free and open source
Highly accurate metadata correction via MusicBrainz
Extensible plugin ecosystem for added functionality
Cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows)
Cons
Command-line interface has a learning curve for non-technical users
No official graphical application (web UI requires a separate plugin)
Requires Python and manual setup rather than a one-click installer
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beets free?
Yes, Beets is completely free and open-source software with no paid tiers.
How do I install Beets?
Beets is installed via Python's pip package manager using the command `pip install beets`.
Does Beets have a graphical interface?
Beets is primarily a command-line tool, but an optional plugin provides a web-based interface for browsing and playing music.
What metadata sources does Beets use?
Beets primarily uses the MusicBrainz database, with plugin support for additional sources like Discogs and Beatport.