I’m hip & cool and everything (if I do say so myself), but I admit to being completely clueless when it comes to downloading ringtones.
I mean I know HOW to do it (you just upload a file to your cell phone). But I never really knew how to find decent sites that could be trusted for downloading ringtones to your cellphone.
Recently, a friend on Twitter (@DustyReagan) did a quick poll, and he found the following 2 sites to be best in terms of safety and reliability.
I, myself, have downloaded ringtones from both of these sites, and I can indeed verify that they are trustworthy ringtone sites.
About Free Ringtones
I’m sure you know what I’m talking about…
Anytime I’ve clicked on a site for “free ringtones” I was always bombarded with pop-up screens, flashing icons, and loud messages.
Nearby would be a link for the “free ringtones”.
Something just seemed cheesy about those sites, and I could never bring myself to go any farther and actually click for the ringtone — despite how badly I wanted to try some new ringtones!
I was convinced that clicking that link for free ringtones would simply result in more pop-ups, and a whole host of questionable web practices, including the likelihood of downloading spyware and maybe even viruses.
I’m just too cautious these days. I’m a conservative clicker, and I don’t take any chances.
That’s why I was thrilled to find these 2 sites that are on the up & up when it comes to providing free ringtones and other apps for your cellphone.
Where To Get Free Ringtones
#1 Audiko - UPDATE: See Tim’s comment below!
This one is the easiest. My of the ringtones I’ve downloaded came from this site. It’s a one-click operation, you simply click and save. And, for the iPhone (which I have), you can save directly into your iTunes — it happens automatically, in one step. I love that! You also have the option of downloading the mp3 file itself, or following special instructions for downloading a ringtone to an older cellphone. It’s very quick, and I encountered no pop-ups or intrusive ads.
#2 Mosh - UPDATE: No longer works!
This one is the most sophisticated, and as a result, it is the least user-friendly. But only mildly so. For example, the only way I could find to download their ringtones was to save the .acc file to your desktop and then upload that to your phone (or iTunes account) as a separate step. That’s okay, just not as quick & easy. Again, there were no intrusive ads or pop-ups.
UPDATE: New Places To Download Ringtones For FREE
It’s been more than 4 years since I posted the above information, and those 2 sites don’t work like they did before.
Following are some *NEW* places to download free ringtones that are recommended by people I trust.
TIP: Personally, I wouldn’t enter my credit card for something that’s supposed to be free. If any of these happen to change their policies and require a credit card, I would not download from them.
A few others that seem legit, though I haven’t tried them:
This slideshow instructs you how to make free iPhone ringtones. CNet also shows you how to make your own free ringtones.
Lynnette Walczak
I like to help people find unique ways to do things in order to save time & money -- so I frequently write about "outside the box" ideas that most wouldn't think of. As a lifelong dog owner, I often share my best tips for living with and training dogs. I worked in Higher Ed several years until switching gears to pursue things I was more passionate about. I've worked at a vet, in a photo lab, and at a zoo -- to name a few. I enjoy the outdoors via bicycle, motorcycle, Jeep, or RV. You can always find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun websites).
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