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A Comprehensive Overview of Sonify (2026)

Sonify is a data sonification company that turns datasets into sound and music through TwoTone, its free open-source web app. Explore features, alternatives, and beginner guides for data-driven audio in 2026.

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Last reviewed: March 2026 · By NemoVideo Editorial Team

A Comprehensive Overview of Sonify (2026)

A Comprehensive Overview of Sonify (2026)

Sonify is a data sonification company founded in 2019, originally based in New York City and now headquartered in Vermont. The company specializes in converting data into sound and music, combining data sonification, sound design, interaction design, spatial audio, VR/AR, AI, and voice technologies to build audio-first solutions for human-computer interaction.

Sonify's flagship product is TwoTone (twotone.io), a free and open-source web app built with support from the Google News Initiative. TwoTone lets anyone turn spreadsheet data into music without writing code or having any musical training. Simply upload a CSV or Excel file, and the app automatically generates an audio track mapped to your data columns.

All data uploaded to TwoTone is processed entirely in the browser -- there are no server-side operations or storage. This makes it a privacy-friendly choice for sensitive datasets. The app supports export to MP3, WAV, and live MIDI output across 16 channels.

Beyond TwoTone, Sonify provides professional consulting services including training, production, and R&D for organizations looking to integrate sonification into their products, journalism, research, or accessibility initiatives. The company offers discounts for educational institutions, researchers, and students.

Best Sonify Alternatives

If you need different approaches to data sonification or audio-driven content creation, here are the top alternatives to Sonify and TwoTone in 2026:

H
Highcharts Sonification Studio

A web app co-created by Georgia Tech and Highcharts, designed to make data sonification accessible to a wide range of users. It focuses on accessibility and integrates with the Highcharts charting library for combined visual and auditory data exploration.

A
Astronify

An open-source Python package designed to sonify data series by mapping one axis to time and another to pitch. Originally built for astronomical data, Astronify works with any time-series dataset and is ideal for developers comfortable with Python.

P
Pure Data

A free, open-source visual programming environment for audio processing. While not built specifically for data sonification, Pure Data offers powerful flexibility for creating custom sonification pipelines and real-time audio manipulation.

Pricing of Sonify

Sonify's main product, TwoTone, is completely free and open source. The company also provides professional consulting services for custom sonification projects, which are priced on a per-project basis. Here is how Sonify compares to alternatives:

ToolPriceKey Features
Sonify (TwoTone)Free (open source)No-code data sonification, MP3/WAV/MIDI export, browser-based
Sonify ConsultingCustom pricingTraining, R&D, custom sonification production, educational discounts
NemoVideoFree / PremiumAI-powered video editing, agentic workflow, SmartAudio, smart captions

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Does Sonify Have a Free Version?

Yes -- Sonify's TwoTone is entirely free and open source. There is no paid tier, no usage limits, and no account required. You can access TwoTone at twotone.io and start converting data into music immediately. The app runs 100% in your web browser, so there is nothing to download or install.

Because TwoTone processes all data client-side in the browser, there are no server costs involved, which is why the tool can remain completely free. The source code is available on GitHub under the Sonify Data organization, so developers can also fork and customize it for their own projects.

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How to Use Sonify for Beginners

Getting started with Sonify's TwoTone requires no account, no download, and no musical or programming knowledge. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Open TwoTone and Upload Data

Go to twotone.io in any modern web browser. Click the upload button and select a CSV or Excel spreadsheet containing the data you want to sonify. TwoTone accepts most tabular data formats with numeric columns.

Step 2: Customize Your Sonification

TwoTone automatically creates an audio track from one column of your data, mapping values to musical pitch. You can change the instrument (piano, strings, synth, etc.), select a different data column, adjust the pitch range, and modify the tempo. Add multiple tracks to layer different data columns as separate instruments.

Step 3: Export Your Composition

Once you are happy with how your data sounds, export the composition as an MP3 or WAV file with your choice of bit rate. For professional use, TwoTone also supports live MIDI output across 16 channels, letting you route data-driven notes into any DAW or synthesizer.

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Best Data Sonification Tools in 2026

The data sonification landscape in 2026 offers a growing range of tools for researchers, journalists, educators, and creators. Here are standout platforms to consider:

  • Sonify (TwoTone) -- Free, open-source, no-code web app for turning spreadsheets into music. Best for beginners and non-technical users who want quick results
  • Highcharts Sonification Studio -- Accessible web app with tight integration into the Highcharts ecosystem. Ideal for combining visual charts with auditory data exploration
  • Astronify -- Open-source Python package for sonifying time-series data. Best for developers and researchers working in Python environments
  • Pure Data -- Free visual programming language for audio. Offers maximum flexibility for custom sonification but has a steeper learning curve
  • NemoVideo -- AI-powered agentic video editing with SmartAudio, perfect for turning data narratives into professional video presentations

Does Sonify Have an API?

Sonify's TwoTone is fully open source on GitHub (github.com/sonifydata/twotone), so developers can fork the codebase and integrate its sonification engine into their own applications. While Sonify does not offer a traditional REST API, the open-source nature of TwoTone makes it highly customizable for developer workflows.

For programmatic data sonification, several complementary tools are available: the R package "sonify" transforms univariate data into continuous sound with time-varying frequency, and Python libraries like Astronify provide similar capabilities for time-series data. Sonify also integrates with common data analysis environments through connections for Python, R, Excel, and several BI platforms, making it possible to embed sonification into existing data pipelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Sonify's main product, TwoTone, is completely free and open source. It runs entirely in your web browser at twotone.io with no account or download required. Sonify also offers professional consulting services for custom data sonification projects, which are priced separately.
Top alternatives for data sonification include the Highcharts Sonification Studio (web-based, accessibility-focused), Astronify (Python package for time-series data), Pure Data (free open-source audio programming), and Max/MSP (visual programming for audio). For turning data stories into video content, NemoVideo offers AI-powered editing with SmartAudio capabilities.
Go to twotone.io in your browser -- no account needed. Upload a CSV or Excel file, and TwoTone automatically generates an audio track from your data. You can then change instruments, add more data columns as separate tracks, adjust pitch range and tempo, and export as MP3, WAV, or MIDI.
TwoTone is open source on GitHub (github.com/sonifydata/twotone) and can be forked and customized. For programmatic data sonification, the R package "sonify" and various Python libraries (like Astronify) are available. Sonify also integrates with data analysis environments including Python, R, and Excel.
Data sonification is the process of turning data into sound, allowing you to hear patterns in your data rather than just seeing them. Sonify's TwoTone app maps data values to musical notes, where pitch corresponds to data values, enabling users to discover patterns through auditory perception.
No, TwoTone is designed to provide a seamless introduction to data-driven music without any coding required. It runs entirely in the browser as a free, open-source web app, so you don't need to download anything or have programming experience.
Yes, TwoTone allows you to export projects to MP3 or Waveform (PCM) audio formats with various bit rate options (64-320 kbps). It also supports live MIDI output, enabling you to send note information to synthesizers or professional music applications.
Yes, Sonify has been praised for its accessibility benefits. It allows visually impaired users to engage with scientific data through sound, and data scientists have found it revolutionary for pattern recognition. Sound-based data exploration also enables multitasking without needing to look at a screen.
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