Reference Loudness Comparator
Measure your audio's integrated LUFS and see how it compares against streaming targets.
Drop your audio file here
or click to browse a file
Measurement only — no rendering, no conversion.
About this loudness comparator
Streaming platforms normalise every track to a target loudness — Spotify aims for -14 LUFS, Apple Music for -16, podcast standard is -16 mono / -19 stereo. If your master is hotter than the target, the platform turns it down on playback. If it's quieter, the platform may raise it (sometimes adding distortion in the process).
This tool measures broadcast-grade loudness — no rendering, no conversion. It tells you the integrated loudness, true peak, and loudness range, then shows how each streaming platform will treat your file.
How to check audio loudness
- 01
Drop in your master
WAV, FLAC, MP3, or any other common audio format.
- 02
Wait for the measurement
The tool analyses the entire file. Takes a few seconds for a typical song.
- 03
Read the comparison table
See your loudness vs Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music / podcast targets, with a verdict for each.
Why use this comparator
- Measures integrated LUFS, true peak, and loudness range
- Shows your loudness vs Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, podcast targets
- Verdict per platform: at target / will be turned down / will be raised
- Free, private, no install
- No watermark, no signup, no rendering — measurement only
- Pairs with the loudness master tools to actually hit the target
Loudness FAQ
What's LUFS?
Loudness Units relative to Full Scale — an ear-weighted, time-integrated loudness measurement defined by the broadcast loudness standard. Streaming services use it to normalise tracks at playback time.
What's true peak?
The actual peak amplitude in the analog signal after digital-to-analog conversion. Different from sample peak — true peak can exceed sample peak by ~3 dB, which is why mastering targets are -1 dBTP rather than 0 dBFS.
Why is my LUFS reading different from another tool?
We use the broadcast loudness measurement standard. Other tools may use slightly different gating or windowing. Differences of ±0.5 LUFS between tools are normal.
Is my file kept private?
Yes. We don't analyse or index your file beyond returning the loudness numbers.
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