Youlean Loudness Meter vs Loudmeter: an honest comparison.
Youlean Loudness Meter is a popular loudness plug-in with a free version. Loudmeter is a free online analyzer with apps for Mac and iPhone. They agree on the numbers and differ on where they run. Here is how they compare, and when to use which.
BY OKAN ÇAM · UPDATED
THE SHORT VERSION
- Youlean Loudness Meter is a plug-in (VST2, VST3, AU, AAX) and desktop app for Windows and macOS, with a free version and a paid PRO version.
- Loudmeter is a free online analyzer, plus LOUDMETER: Menu Bar for Mac ($9.99) and a free iPhone and iPad app.
- Both measure loudness to ITU-R BS.1770, so on the same file they should read the same integrated LUFS.
- Pick Youlean for a meter inside your DAW session, on Windows, or for 5.1.
- Pick Loudmeter to check a finished file in the browser with nothing to install, to meter everything your Mac plays, or to hear your master at each streaming service's level.
Youlean vs Loudmeter at a glance
| Youlean Loudness Meter | Loudmeter | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs as | Plug-in (VST2, VST3, AU, AAX) and desktop app | Online analyzer, Mac menu bar app, iPhone and iPad app |
| Systems | Windows, macOS; LITE app for iOS | Any modern browser, macOS 14.4+, iOS 17+ |
| Price | Free, with a paid PRO version | Online free, Mac $9.99 once, iPhone and iPad free |
| Standard | ITU-R BS.1770-4 | ITU-R BS.1770-5, EBU R128 |
| Readings | LUFS, true peak, LRA, PLR, DR | LUFS, true peak, LRA, PSR, PLR, correlation |
| Live metering | Inside your DAW, on any track or bus | Mac menu bar: everything your Mac plays |
| File check | Drag and drop in PRO | Online analyzer, and in both apps |
| Streaming targets | Streaming presets in PRO | Presets in the Mac app; the online analyzer plays your file at each service's level |
| Reports | PDF, PNG or SVG export in PRO | PNG reports in the Mac app |
Youlean's details come from youlean.co, checked in September 2026. Prices and features change, so check their site before you buy. Youlean and Youlean Loudness Meter are trademarks of their owner, and Loudmeter is not affiliated with them.
Will they show the same LUFS?
They should. Both follow ITU-R BS.1770 for K-weighting, gating and integrated loudness, and revisions 4 and 5 measure stereo the same way. The same file gives the same integrated LUFS to rounding. True peak can differ by a few hundredths of a dB, because oversampling filters differ, and that's normal.
If they don't match, check the setup: the whole file or a selection, integrated or short-term, and whether one meter heard only one channel. Why two loudness meters show different LUFS covers the usual causes.
Checking a file online
Youlean also has online tools: a live sound meter for your microphone, and a file loudness meter. Both process audio in the browser. As of September 2026, Youlean's file meter shows integrated loudness for free, and loudness range and true peak need a paid plan.
Loudmeter's online analyzer shows every reading for free: integrated, short-term and momentary LUFS, true peak with each over marked on the waveform, LRA, PSR, PLR and stereo correlation. It can also play the file at the level Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and other services will play it. The file stays in your browser.
When Youlean Loudness Meter is the better fit
- You want the meter inside your session, on the master bus or any track, in a DAW that loads VST, AU or AAX plug-ins.
- You work on Windows. Loudmeter's apps are for Mac, iPhone and iPad; on Windows you only get the online analyzer.
- You deliver in 5.1, or need presets for broadcast standards such as ATSC A/85, OP-59 or ARIB TR-B32.
- You want a free plug-in with a loudness graph right in the DAW.
When Loudmeter is the better fit
- You want to check a finished file with nothing to install. Drop it into the online analyzer: every reading is free and nothing is uploaded.
- You want to hear your master the way Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others will play it, switching between them while it plays.
- You want to see exactly where true peak goes over: the waveform marks each over with its time.
- You want to meter everything your Mac plays, not only the DAW: a reference in Spotify, a client's mix in the browser. LOUDMETER: Menu Bar sits in the menu bar with no plug-in to insert.
- You want a second screen: the free iPhone and iPad app mirrors the Mac's live meters over your local Wi-Fi.
Using both
They don't exclude each other. A common setup is a plug-in on the master bus while mixing, and a file check on the bounce before release, because the bounce is what the platforms measure. Whichever meter you use, measure the exact file you upload. For the other kinds of meters, see choosing a loudness meter.
FAQ
Is Youlean Loudness Meter free?
Yes, there is a free version with LUFS, true peak, LRA, PLR and DR readouts and film, TV and gaming presets. Streaming presets, drag-and-drop file analysis and export are in the paid PRO version.
Is there an online version of Youlean Loudness Meter?
Youlean has online tools: a live sound meter and a file loudness meter. As of September 2026, the file meter shows integrated loudness for free, and loudness range and true peak need a paid plan.
Is Loudmeter a plug-in?
No. Loudmeter is an online analyzer and apps for Mac, iPhone and iPad. The Mac app meters the audio your Mac plays, so it works next to any DAW without a plug-in.
Do Youlean and Loudmeter measure LUFS the same way?
Yes. Both follow ITU-R BS.1770, so the same file should read the same integrated LUFS to rounding. True peak differences of a few hundredths of a dB are normal.
Which is better for checking a master before release?
Either works if you measure the bounced file. Loudmeter's online analyzer does it in the browser with nothing to install, and lets you hear the file at each streaming service's level.
Keep reading
What Is LUFS?
What LUFS measures, how it differs from dB and RMS, and the LUFS numbers that matter for streaming.
Spotify LUFS
What −14 LUFS means, the Loud, Normal and Quiet settings, and how loud to master for Spotify.
Apple Music LUFS
Sound Check, the −16 LUFS level, AAC and lossless, and what they mean for your master.
YouTube LUFS
YouTube turns loud videos down and never turns quiet ones up. How to read content loudness.
SoundCloud LUFS
No normalization, so louder is louder. Why true peak matters more on SoundCloud than anywhere.
True Peak vs Sample Peak
Why a master that peaks at 0 dBFS can still clip, and why −1 dBTP is the number everyone quotes.
What Is LRA?
Loudness range, how it's calculated, typical values, and what it can't tell you.
PLR and PSR
Peak-to-loudness and peak-to-short-term ratio: how hard is your master limited?
Loudness Penalty
How much Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others turn your master down, with a calculator.
Why Meters Show Different LUFS
Same file, different numbers? The four setup mistakes behind almost every mismatch.
Loudness Targets for Every Platform
Streaming, podcast, broadcast and game targets in one table, with what each number means.
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