Master Your Song for Spotify — Free AI Mastering to -14 LUFS

Spotify normalizes every track to -14 LUFS. Master louder and they'll turn it down. Master quieter and it'll sound soft next to everything else. Engineer Guy hits the target automatically — free.

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Spotify Loudness Built In

The AI automatically targets -14 LUFS integrated loudness — the exact spec Spotify uses for normalization. No manual loudness metering needed.

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All Platform Targets

Also hits -16 LUFS for Apple Music, -13 LUFS for YouTube, and -14 LUFS for Amazon Music — one master that works everywhere.

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Dynamic Range Preserved

Hitting -14 LUFS doesn't mean squashing your track. The AI uses transparent limiting that maintains punch and dynamics.

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Free to Try

Master your first track completely free — full quality WAV output, no credit card, no watermarks.

What Is -14 LUFS and Why Does It Matter for Spotify?

LUFS stands for Loudness Units Full Scale — it's the measurement standard that streaming platforms use to normalize audio. Spotify, by default, plays back every track at the same perceived loudness level: approximately -14 LUFS integrated. If your track is louder than that, Spotify turns it down. If it's quieter, it gets turned up.

This is actually good news for producers: the loudness wars are irrelevant on streaming platforms. Cramming your master to -8 LUFS doesn't make it louder — it just means Spotify turns it down to -14 LUFS and now you have an over-compressed, dynamically flat-sounding track competing with everything else that's playing at the same volume. The smart move is to master to the target and let your dynamics do the work.

What Happens If You Don't Master to -14 LUFS?

If your track is too loud (e.g., -7 LUFS): Spotify normalizes it down, and you're left with a crushed, distorted-sounding master that was over-limited for no reason. The listener hears a loud-sounding mix in any context where normalization is disabled, but on Spotify it competes at the same level as everything else — just with worse dynamics.

If your track is too quiet (e.g., -20 LUFS): Spotify normalizes it up, which can make low-level noise more audible and may increase the perceived noise floor. The track will sound thinner than intended.

At -14 LUFS: Your track plays at exactly the right level, with all the dynamics you put into it intact. The transients hit the way you intended, the quiet passages breathe, and the loud sections hit with impact.

Other Streaming Platforms and Their Targets

Spotify: -14 LUFS integrated (default normalization on). Apple Music: -16 LUFS. YouTube: -14 LUFS (content, -13 for music). Amazon Music: -14 LUFS. Tidal: -14 LUFS. Each platform has slightly different targets, but a master tuned for Spotify will translate well across all of them. Engineer Guy targets Spotify's spec as the primary target and verifies the master will translate appropriately to the others.

Before You Upload: Getting Your Mix Ready

For best results, remove any limiting or loudness maximizer from your master bus before exporting. Export as 24-bit WAV with at least 1–2dB of headroom (peaks no louder than -1 dBFS). The mastering AI needs room to work — if your mix is already clipping or heavily limited, the master will inherit those artifacts.

Ready to hear the difference?

Upload your track and get AI feedback in under 60 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What LUFS target does Spotify actually use?

Spotify normalizes to approximately -14 LUFS integrated loudness by default (with "normalize" turned on). Some playlist contexts and podcast content may use different targets, but -14 LUFS is the standard for music.

Should I master specifically for Spotify or a general streaming target?

A -14 LUFS master will work well across all major platforms. Mastering specifically for one platform at the expense of others isn't necessary — the targets are close enough that one master serves all.

Will the master sound different when played on Spotify vs offline?

On Spotify with normalization on, it will play at the intended loudness. With normalization off, it plays at the actual master level. Mastering to -14 LUFS means both scenarios sound intentional.

Do I need to turn off limiters on my mix before uploading?

Yes — for best results, remove any loudness maximizers or hard limiters from the master bus before exporting. Leave 1-2dB of headroom and let the mastering AI handle the final limiting.

Is the mastering free?

Your first track masters completely free — full quality WAV download, no credit card. Pro plan ($9/month) for unlimited mastering.