What is the Spotify loudness penalty? ▾
The Spotify loudness penalty refers to the automatic volume reduction Spotify applies to tracks that exceed -14 LUFS integrated loudness. If your track is mastered too loud — say at -8 LUFS or -10 LUFS — Spotify will reduce its playback volume by several decibels to normalize it to their standard. This means your track will sound quieter than you intended, losing the impact you worked to achieve. The fix is simple: master your track to -14 LUFS before uploading to your distributor. LUFS Mastering does this automatically in seconds.
What is LUFS and why does Spotify use -14 LUFS? ▾
LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale) is the standard measurement for perceived loudness in audio. Spotify normalizes all tracks to -14 LUFS integrated loudness to ensure a consistent listening experience across different songs and genres. If your track is louder than -14 LUFS, Spotify will turn it down. If it's quieter, it will sound weak. Mastering to -14 LUFS ensures your music sounds exactly as intended on the platform.
Why does my song sound quiet on Spotify? ▾
If your track is quieter than -14 LUFS, Spotify won't boost it to compensate — it only turns tracks down, never up. This means your song will sound noticeably quieter than other tracks in playlists. The fix is to master your track to -14 LUFS before uploading to your distributor. LUFS Mastering does this automatically in seconds.
How do I master AI-generated music for Spotify? ▾
AI music tools like Suno, Udio and Stable Audio generate tracks at inconsistent loudness levels — often too quiet or with clipping peaks. To master AI music for Spotify: 1) Export your AI track as WAV or MP3, 2) Upload it to LUFS Mastering, 3) Click Master. Your track will be automatically normalized to -14 LUFS with True Peak limiting, ready for distribution on Spotify, YouTube Music and all major platforms.
What is True Peak and why does it matter? ▾
True Peak measures the actual peak level of your audio signal after digital-to-analog conversion — which can be higher than the sample peak shown in most editors. Streaming platforms require True Peak to stay below -1 dBTP to prevent distortion during playback. LUFS Mastering automatically applies a True Peak limiter to ensure your track never exceeds -1 dBTP.
How much does LUFS Mastering cost? ▾
LUFS Mastering has three options: Free, Credits and Pro.
The Free plan is always free — no credit card required. Includes unlimited Loudness meter and up to 2 masterings/day and 10/month, WAV 16-bit export.
Credits are pay-as-you-go with no subscription. 1 credit = 1 mastering with all Pro features included. Packages: Starter 10cr/$1.49 · Basic 30cr/$2.99. Credits never expire.
The Pro plan costs $4.99/month or $49.99/year (save 17%) — unlimited masterings and all Pro features. Best value for regular users.
Do credits expire? ▾
It depends on the type.
The free monthly masters (2/day · 10/month) reset every month and do not accumulate — any unused masters at the end of the month are lost and a fresh 10 are added for the new month.
Paid credits (Starter and Basic packs) never expire. Once purchased, they stay in your account indefinitely until you use them — no deadline, no pressure.
What's the difference between the Free and Pro plans? ▾
The main differences are mastering limits and export options.
The
Free plan allows 2 masterings per day and 10 per month, with WAV 16-bit export only. The Loudness meter is always free and unlimited on the Free plan.
The
Pro plan removes all limits — unlimited masterings, WAV 24-bit and 32-bit float export, track metadata embedding (title, artist, album, ISRC), batch processing of multiple files at once, and PDF mastering reports.
The
Credits option lets you pay as you go with no subscription — 1 credit = 1 mastering with all Pro features included. Credits never expire.
For a complete side-by-side breakdown of every feature, see the
full comparison table at the bottom of this page.
Which plan is right for me? ▾
It depends on how often you master tracks.
Free plan — ideal if you master occasionally and 2 tracks per day is enough. Also perfect for anyone who just wants to check their loudness before distributing, with no cost and no limits on the Loudness meter.
Credits — ideal if you master in bursts. You release an EP with 8 tracks, or generate a batch of AI music and need to master them all at once, then don't touch it for weeks. You pay only for what you use, with no monthly commitment. All Pro features are included per credit.
Pro plan — ideal if you master regularly, produce music with AI tools that generate high volumes of tracks, or work as a producer delivering mastered files to clients. Unlimited masters for a flat monthly fee — the more you use it, the better the value.
Not sure? Start with the Free plan. If you hit the daily limit, buy a credit pack or upgrade to Pro — no data is lost and your settings carry over.
The main differences are mastering limits and export options. The Free plan allows 2 masterings per day and 10 per month, with WAV 16-bit export only. The Pro plan removes all limits — unlimited masterings, WAV 24-bit and 32-bit float export, track metadata embedding (title, artist, album, ISRC), batch processing of multiple files at once, and PDF mastering reports.
The Loudness meter is always free on both plans — you can analyze as many tracks as you want at no cost.
For a complete side-by-side breakdown of every feature, see the
full comparison table at the bottom of this page.
Can I distribute the mastered file from LUFS Mastering to streaming platforms? ▾
Yes — the WAV file exported by LUFS Mastering is ready for distribution. It meets the technical requirements of all major streaming distributors. Simply upload the mastered WAV to your preferred distributor and they will deliver it to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and other platforms.
Compatible with all major distributors including DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby, RouteNote, LANDR Distribution, Amuse, Distrokid, ONErpm and others. The exported WAV 16-bit 44.1kHz is the standard delivery format accepted industry-wide.
What's the difference between LUFS and dB? ▾
dB (decibels) measures the instantaneous level of an audio signal — the peaks. LUFS measures perceived loudness over time, taking into account how human hearing works. A track can have a high peak dB but still sound quiet if the average energy is low. Streaming platforms use LUFS (not dB) for normalization because it better reflects how loud something actually sounds to your ears.
What is the Loudness meter and is it really free? ▾
The Loudness meter is a built-in real-time analyzer that measures your track's integrated LUFS, short-term LUFS, True Peak (dBTP) and LRA (Loudness Range) as soon as you upload your file — powered by the BS.1770-4 algorithm, the same standard used by professional broadcast engineers and streaming platforms.
Yes, it is completely free with no limits. You can upload and analyze as many tracks as you want, as many times as you want, at no cost — no account required. The meter shows you exactly how your track will behave on Spotify before you master it: whether it's too loud (and will be reduced by Spotify), too quiet (and will sound weak in playlists), or already within the standard. It also displays a "Spotify behavior preview" — telling you precisely how many dB Spotify will reduce your track, so you know exactly what to fix before distribution.
Does audio processing happen on my computer or in the cloud? ▾
Everything runs locally in your browser. Your audio file never leaves your device — there are no uploads to any server. LUFS Mastering uses the Web Audio API built into modern browsers to process your track in real time on your own hardware. This means your music stays completely private.
What audio formats are supported? ▾
LUFS Mastering accepts WAV, MP3, FLAC, OGG and AAC files. The mastered output is exported as WAV 16-bit 44.1kHz — the standard delivery format accepted by all major music distributors including DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby and Amuse.
Can I register my mastered track with YouTube Content ID? ▾
LUFS Mastering prepares your audio to meet the technical loudness standards for distribution — but Content ID eligibility is an entirely separate matter that has nothing to do with mastering or audio quality.
Whether your track can be registered with YouTube Content ID depends on factors like the originality of the music, ownership of all elements used, the policies of the platform, and the rules of your chosen distributor. Some distributors offer Content ID registration as part of their service (such as DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby and others), and each has their own eligibility criteria.
LUFS Mastering takes care of optimizing your audio for distribution to the loudness standard required by streaming platforms, especially Spotify. For Content ID eligibility, we recommend checking directly with your distributor.