Streaming Preview · free tool
Loudness Penalty Analyzer
Hear your song the way Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and TIDAL will play it.
Every streaming service turns music up or down to its own loudness level before anyone hears it. Drop in your master and switch between your original and each platform's version to hear what that does to your song. Add a song you love as a reference and you'll hear how your track sits next to it on each platform.
- Files stay on your device
- No sign-up
- Sources checked 18 Sep 2026
Your track
Your master or mix. WAV, AIFF, FLAC or MP3.
Reference song (optional)
A released song you like the sound of.
How each platform will play your track
What the numbers mean
A loudness penalty is how much a platform turns your song down. A loud master gets turned down to sit level with everything else, and on most platforms that's all that happens. The part worth listening for is how your song sounds afterwards, next to the songs it'll share a playlist with. That's what the reference slot is for.
Quiet masters work the other way, and this is where platforms differ. Spotify and Apple Music turn quiet songs up, but only as far as the peaks allow. YouTube, TIDAL, Amazon and Deezer never turn anything up, so a quiet master just plays quieter there.
How each platform plays your music
Last checked 18 September 2026
| Platform | Plays music at | Turns quiet songs up? | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify (default setting) | −14 LUFS | Yes, until peaks reach −1 dB | Spotify |
| Spotify web player | Doesn't normalize | No | Spotify |
| Apple Music (Sound Check) | −16 LUFS | Yes, but not past clipping | Apple says Sound Check evens out song volume; −16 and the turn-up behavior are from independent testing |
| YouTube | about −14 LUFS | No | Independent testing |
| YouTube Music | −7 LUFS | No | Independent testing |
| TIDAL | −14 LUFS, per album | No | Independent testing |
| Amazon Music | −14 LUFS | No | Independent testing (2019) |
| Deezer | −15 LUFS | No | Independent testing |
Spotify publishes its numbers (Spotify for Artists). Apple says Sound Check evens out song volume but doesn't publish a target. The rest come from independent testing by MeterPlugs (Loudness Penalty guide, 2026 update) and Production Advice (YouTube Music, Amazon Music). I re-check them and update the date here when anything changes. Spotify's Loud setting (−11 LUFS) also runs quieter songs through a limiter. This tool doesn't simulate that yet, so it isn't listed.
Common questions
What is a loudness penalty?
It's how many decibels a streaming service turns your song down to match its loudness level. On Spotify's default setting, a master at −9 LUFS gets turned down about 5 dB. A master at or below the platform's level has no penalty.
How will my song sound on Spotify?
On the default setting, Spotify plays songs at about −14 LUFS (an album played in order gets one level for the whole album). Louder songs get turned down. Quieter songs get turned up until their peaks sit 1 dB below full scale, and no further. Spotify's web player doesn't normalize at all, so there your song plays at its own level. Drop your track in above and pick Spotify to hear it.
Why does my song sound quieter on Spotify than other songs?
Usually one of two things. Your master may be quieter than −14 LUFS with little peak headroom, so Spotify can only raise it part of the way. Or it's louder on paper but sounds smaller once it's turned down to the same level as everything else. Load a song you like as a reference and you'll hear which it is. I wrote more about it in Why your master sounds quieter on Spotify.
Does Spotify change the sound, or just the volume?
On the default setting, just the volume. On the Loud setting (−11 LUFS), Spotify also runs quieter, more dynamic songs through a limiter so they don't clip, and that does change the sound. This tool doesn't simulate the Loud setting yet.
Do YouTube and TIDAL turn quiet songs up?
No. Independent testing shows both only turn songs down, so a quiet master plays quiet there. Amazon Music and Deezer work the same way.
Why is YouTube Music's number so different?
YouTube Music only turns down songs louder than about −7 LUFS, which is much louder than the other services allow. Most masters play there as-is.
Is a loudness penalty bad?
Not on its own. It only means your song gets turned down. What matters is how it sounds after that, next to other songs. A master pushed hard for loudness can sound flatter than a more dynamic one once both are at the same level. Here you can hear that instead of guessing.
What LUFS should I master to for Spotify?
There isn't one number you have to hit. −14 LUFS is where Spotify plays music by default, not a rule for masters. Go louder and you'll be turned down. Go quieter and you'll only be turned up as far as your peaks allow. Pick the loudness that sounds right for the song, then check it here.
Is my file uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything runs in your browser, and your audio never leaves your computer.
Want the full numbers?
The LUFS Mix Analyzer shows true peak, dynamic range and tonal balance for up to 20 tracks at once.