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In this article, we'll inform you on all things AI-mastering, gloss over the best solutions on the market, explore the most popular online AI mastering services/plugins, and give you an honest overview on how to incorporate all of this into your workflow to make your life easier—and save you lots of time (and money) on mastering.

So, without further ado, here we have it: a no-nonsense, full guide to AI mastering and online mastering, with no stone left unturned, and all FAQs and critical considerations answered. Feel free to bookmark this tab and return to it at a later point, or to share it with your musician buddies who might also benefit from exploring all the nooks and crannies of AI mastering.

What is AI Mastering, and what does it do exactly?

Mastering is the technical and often expensive final stage of creating and releasing a piece of music, preparing it for commercial release, to compete in the global climate. Mastering, like any skill within music, can be learned and practised yourself; however, it’s an intensive process in itself, leading many producers/artists to delegate the process to a professional (human or, as of late, AI).

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That’s where AI comes into the picture. Naturally, humans are outsourcing many tasks to our recent robotic compadres, and mastering is no exception. AI mastering is the process of using an automated online mastering service or an AI-assisted plugin to master your track, doing the vast majority (or all) of the heavy lifting. These solutions often provide a cheaper, faster and all-round more efficient alternative to manual mastering.

AI mastering technology makes use of trained algorithms to analyse your audio track and apply calculated audio processing in a best attempt to maximise its loudness (to commercial levels) and give it a little bit of extra oomph and polish that’s typically expected of a mastered track.

How is AI mastering different from traditional mastering?

The biggest limitation is that these services can't communicate with you. A human mastering engineer will ask what you're going for, check your mixes, and flag potential issues. An algorithm just gets on with it. There's also no ability to master a whole album cohesively, evening out songs so the project feels like a complete whole – something a human engineer would handle as standard.

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Yet, Waves collaborated with mastering engineer Piper Payne – whose credits include Dolly Parton and Madame Gandhi – to develop Waves Online Mastering. Payne said she “got involved in this project with the intention of making a tool that was as good or even better than me.” Waves studied her techniques, and claimed they got to the point where Payne couldn’t tell the difference between her masters and a master produced by Waves Online Mastering.

Which AI mastering tool should I use?

There’s not really a one-size-fits-all ‘best’ AI-mastering tool to use. The decision comes down to your specific use case, and also how much you already know about mastering.

If the mastering process is completely alien to you, you should probably opt for a service that gives full control into the hands of AI. Whereas, if you still want to retain some creative control, using an AI-assisted plugin is a better choice.

Some of the most popular and effective all-inclusive AI mastering services:

Waves Online Mastering has risen to prominence since its release in September 2023, offering high-quality and reliable AI mastering by one of the industries most trusted brands.

LANDR (picture above) was the first AI-powered mastering service online to streamline and automate the entire mastering process. It has stood the test of time, and since implemented further services into its business model.

Alternatively, there are a lot of music distributors that now offer additional complete AI-automated mastering as part of their service. Often this incurs an additional fee per track, but it's a valid option for many artists.

Some of the most popular and effective AI-assisted plugins/tools:

Ozone 12 is the most fully-featured option, giving you a comprehensive suite of mastering-focused tools with AI there to assist rather than take over – ideal if you want to stay hands-on.

sonible's smart:bundle is similar, but isn’t mastering-focused. So, while it isn't quite as powerful for mastering as Ozone 12, it can easily be used for mixing and creative processes, giving you greater flexibility.

LANDR's Mastering Plugin PRO sits at the other end of the spectrum, doing all the work for you. This is a great option if you don’t want to get lost in the mastering weeds; however, you may be better off with an online mastering solution instead. Learn more in the next section.

Is it better to use a plugin or an online mastering service?

If we’re talking about quality and guarantee of results, using a plugin, and still retaining some human control is always a better option. Yet… that is only applicable if the human behind the controls knows what they’re doing, so for amateur engineers, using an online mastering service is a more than ample option.

In fact, using AI-assisted plugins can actually be better overall than traditional, purely manual tools. That’s because the AI often only takes control of the processes that are time-consuming, leaving the important, and most impactful decisions down to the verdict of the (human) professionally trained audio engineer.

Are Online Mastering Services Good Enough?

Now the all-important question: are these online mastering services any good? It all depends on what you're asking them to do.

The general consensus among producers and engineers who've tested these services is that they do work – just not miraculously. Some of the best online mastering tools produce radio-ready tracks in a matter of minutes, which is great if that’s all you need, but there’s more to the mastering process, especially when working on multi-track projects like EPs or albums.

That said, if you're an independent artist releasing music regularly on a tight budget, online mastering services are a powerful and affordable tool, giving your track a meaningful lift over an unmastered mix. Just don't expect them to rescue a bad recording or replace the ears of someone who's been doing this for twenty years.

Can you hear the difference between AI mastering and human mastering?

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We hate to break it to you, but the short answer is: yes. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all AI mastering is futile and doesn’t hold a valid place as a production tool. It can still reap professional results. The main reason that AI mastering usually sounds noticeably lower quality compared to manual, human mastering is that amateur artists upload poor-quality mixes to begin with.

For the majority of producers/artists who will opt to use AI mastering, their knowledge of audio engineering is usually shallow in the first place—hence why they’re relying on AI to master their tracks. The problem with this is that if a mix isn’t formatted properly before mastering, it won’t reap the desired end result, regardless of how well-trained the AI is.

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It’s important to make sure your pre-master mixes have enough headroom for the AI mastering engineer to work, as well as having an overall balanced mix with each instrumental element in its right place.

This also answers the questions: ‘why does my AI-mastered track sound over-compressed or harsh?’ and ‘why does AI mastering sometimes make tracks worse?’ If the mix ain’t sitting right to begin with, the AI ain’t gonna spit out something good. Period.

Can AI mastering ruin a good mix?

The good answer: no, not really. If the mix is decent and there’s plenty of headroom, the AI will do exactly what it’s designed to excel at: master the track. With that being said, whether it will compete with a professionally trained mastering audio engineer in a dedicated mastering studio environment is a different kettle of fish.

But, as a rule of thumb, if your mixes are of a suitable standard, AI mastering should provide just the polish you need to get your tracks radio-ready.

Can AI detect and fix mix issues?

Not exactly… When you upload a finished mix, it’s a single audio file, with every instrumental element embedded into one. So… you (or the AI) will never wield the same power to “fix” or make changes to the mix, compared to it being inside of the original DAW project.

However, just as a human mastering engineer can apply corrective EQ, dynamic control and more to the pre-master mix file, an AI can make corrective adjustments in the same way. Plus, as technology becomes more and more advanced, it’s likely that AI algorithms can make use of internal stem-splitting controls. So… technically, some services may have more control over final mix files than others.

When in the process should I use AI mastering?

Mastering ALWAYS occurs as the final stage of prepping a track for commercial release. So, once your mix is finished and you’re ready to finalise it to release to the world, that’s when you should use AI mastering (or traditional mastering).

Even if you are opting to use AI mastering as a regular part of your production process (whether in full or only partly), we recommend you familiarise yourself with how to prepare your mix properly during the premastering (mixing) phase. That way, you will give the AI the best chance at outputting something of high quality. The most important thing is leaving enough headroom.

How fast is AI mastering compared to a human engineer?

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock in recent years, you’ve probably already used some form of AI technology, even if we’re talking about plain old ChatGPT (or another LLM). So, you’re probably well-versed on the fact that AI can spit out results lightning-fast.

AI mastering is no exception to this. An AI algorithm can ‘master’ your track in a matter of minutes, maybe even seconds, whereas a human engineer will typically take a couple of hours at the least. Yet… this does come at a cost. You will not get the same attentiveness to detail and artistic preference when using an AI mastering engineer.

Is AI mastering cheaper than hiring a mastering engineer?

The short answer: Abso-bloody-lutely. That’s partly what makes them so desirable to most DIY musicians/producers. World-class, professional audio mastering takes years of dedicated experience in trained and professional environments. As a result, services of that nature can cost somewhere in the thousands, especially when talking about albums/EPs.

So, if someone can get the ‘same result’ from an automated AI algorithm in a matter of seconds that costs a millifraction of the price, why wouldn’t they? Yet… whether the results are truly the same or not is extremely debatable.

Can I use reference tracks with AI mastering?

One of the most important factors to mastering as a whole is the utilisation of a reference track. Using a reference track allows the mastering engineer to hear an already polished commercial release and aim to achieve the same bar of quality when mastering the current project.

So, likewise with traditional mastering, AI mastering tools more often than not also have a function allowing you to upload a reference track for the AI to refer back to. That way, the AI stands a better chance at achieving the type of outcome you desire.

AI Mastering Plugins and Services

The rest of this read consists of a list and description of the most effective AI mastering plugins/services available to you.

In this section

• iZotope Ozone 12
• sonible smart:bundle
• Mastering The Mix
• Softube Flow Mastering Suite
• Waves AI Mastering Online
• Masterchannel
• LANDR

iZotope Ozone 12

The daddy of all AI mastering plugins has to be Izotope’s Ozone suite. Now on version 12, Ozone was first released in 2001. It’s been around for a long time and was designed for at-home producers to make their music sound like tracks on the radio—mastering to commercial standards.

Of course, it didn’t have any AI features back in 2001. It was with 2017’s Ozone 8 that iZotope first brought machine learning into their mastering suite. Its Master Assistant could listen to your pre-master and suggest a signal path to achieve an optimum master.

Nowadays, AI is integrated across many of Ozone’s functions. The mastering suite now boasts an improved Master Assistant, as well as a whole host of new machine-learning-powered features. AI features introduced in Ozone 12 include:

• Stem EQ uses machine learning to split a mixdown into instruments, so you can apply mix edits without access to the original stems.
• Unlimiter can revive lost transients in an over-compressed audio file.
• Bass Control measures and adjusts your low end for optimum playback on any system.

It must be noted that while Ozone employs AI, its use is intended to be assistive. AI in Ozone is designed to make your life easier, not to totally replace your human decision-making.

How does Ozone’s Master Assistant work under the hood?

Ozone’s Master Assistant basically listens to your track, figures out its tonal balance, loudness, dynamics, and stereo shape, and then compares all of that to thousands of professionally mastered songs it was trained on. From there, it builds a custom mastering chain—EQ, compression, limiting, stereo widening, all that good stuff — based on what your mix actually needs instead of applying a one-size-fits-all preset. It’s like an engineer giving your song a quick diagnostic check and saying, “Alright, here’s the smartest starting point for this vibe.”

What it doesn’t do is make creative decisions for you. It sets up a technically solid roadmap, gets your loudness to a safe target, cleans up obvious imbalances, and then steps back so you can tweak, sweeten, or reshape the final vibe. Think of it as a super helpful assistant that knows mastering rules inside out — but you’re still the one driving the car.

sonible smart:bundle

While not explicitly a mastering suite, sonible smart:bundle is a powerful collection of AI-powered plugins that can be used to achieve pro mastering results.

The smart:bundle includes:
> smart:reverb 2
> smart:comp 3
> smart:EQ 4
> smart:gate
> smart:limit

With these five plugins, you have all you need to successfully master tracks. sonible’s AI focuses on fixing technical issues to assist your personal workflow. It’s like having an experienced engineer in the room with you, so no mistakes slip through the net.

Mastering The Mix

What makes Mastering The Mix’s ecosystem unique is how each plugin uses intelligent AI analysis to make creative decisions much simpler. They don’t completely overhaul the mastering process. Tools like REFERENCE 2, FASTER MASTER, BASSROOM, and LIMITER use real-time monitoring and visual feedback to highlight tonal, dynamic, and stereo issues in your mix or master. Instead of auto-mastering the track for you, they act like an expert second set of ears, showing you exactly where a correction is needed and how much to adjust.

In short: Mastering The Mix provides AI-assisted, data-driven tools rather than automatic processing. Their tools are perfect for producers who still want to retain control behind the wheel but prefer a plugin that shows them the problems with objective precision.

Softube Flow Mastering Suite

Softube’s Flow Mastering Suite is less about AI magic and more about giving you a fully modular, professional-grade mastering chain with smart starting points. While it doesn’t offer deeply automated AI mastering like Ozone or LANDR, it does include intelligent presets, signal-flow guidance, and workflow tools designed to help users build reliable mastering chains without guesswork. That puts it in a nice middle ground between complete AI overhaul and user-retained control.

Since Flow prioritises analog-modelled sound and engineer-style workflows, its AI component is minimal—mostly limited to helpful suggestions and signal-tailoring presets. Consider this one a premium mastering suite with light assistive intelligence rather than an AI mastering system.

Waves AI Mastering Online

Waves are no strangers to the mastering world. Their L1 Ultramaximizer limiter was a must-use plugin for mastering engineers during the loudness wars of the 90s and 00s, and their recent L4 Ultramaximizer provides a similar experience for the modern day. So, it’s no surprise that they’ve built their own online mastering platform.

Waves Online Mastering works in much the same way as LANDR. You upload your mixdown, the service analyses your track, and then presents you with a finished master.

Masterchannel

This tool, Masterchannel, is a newer online AI mastering platform designed around transparency and speed. You upload your track, the engine analyses its spectral balance and dynamics, and it produces a polished master within seconds. Their claim to fame is genre-agnostic loudness optimisation, meaning the system aims to hit streaming-safe levels without squashing your mix.

The pricing model is subscription-based, and AI mastering is included without per-track fees, which is a nice addition. The company markets itself strongly on consistency—your output tends to sound the same across many uploads. That’s something which appeals to producers who want predictable masters rather than nuanced artistic variations.

LANDR

Online mastering is a super quick and convenient way to finish your tracks. You just upload your mixdown, and a few seconds later, you have a mastered track! Not only is this process quick, but it’s also cheap in comparison to paying a mastering engineer.

LANDR was the first kid on the online mastering block. They debuted their online mastering service in 2014, before AI had become as ubiquitous as it is today.

LANDR Online Mastering

The original LANDR algorithm was based on research conducted at Queen Mary University of London’s Centre for Digital Music (C4DM). LANDR uses AI algorithms to analyse your music and then make mastering decisions to give the best outcome for your track. They claim to use no presets and make mix decisions using knowledge pulled from thousands of mastered songs to give a unique mastering chain for every track.

Upon release, their service was quite controversial, and still is in many ways. Some argue that mastering is an art form and not purely a technical process; it needs a human behind the controls to make key decisions. However, just over a decade later, we live in a world where many people happily consume AI art, so make of that what you will.

LANDR’s still going strong, but there are now many other online mastering options out there.

LANDR Mastering Plugin PRO

LANDR Mastering Plugin PRO is a complete, AI-driven mastering solution in your DAW. It analyses your mixdown, then provides three master options: Warm, Balanced or Open. You also have the power to edit the tonality, width, loudness and dynamics of your master.

Unlike Ozone, this Mastering Plugin PRO really will do it all for you. For an even more streamlined AI mastering experience, there’s also Mastering Plugin SE.

AI Mastering Services by Common Distributors

The following content is a list of popular digital music distributors/aggregators that offer additional AI-mastering services as part of their (most commonly subscription-based) service. Oftentimes, you have to pay an additional fee per track if you want to use the respective mastering service, however, this may vary by distributor.

Tunecore

Tunecore’s AI mastering service is relatively simple: you upload your song and receive a quick AI-generated master before distributing your track. It’s designed for convenience rather than depth, offering a fast, cost-effective way to get a master before you push your release live.

Typically, Tunecore charges per track rather than bundling mastering into their subscription tiers. The AI mastering is standard—similar to what you’d get from other distributor-integrated mastering engines—but useful if you want a one-click solution built directly into your release workflow.

Distrokid

DistroKid offers its AI mastering through a partnership service called Mixea, which provides quick, automatic mastering tailored to streaming formats. While not as advanced or customizable as dedicated apps like Ozone or LANDR, Mixea gives you a convenient, streamlined upload-and-done solution embedded in the DistroKid ecosystem.

That’s perfect for users who’re already signed up with the platform, which is easily one of the most hassle-free and beginner-friendly aggregators on the market.

The service charges per master, not included in your main DistroKid subscription. The AI process is fairly standard: it analyses your track, applies EQ, compression, loudness targeting, and delivers a polished master optimised for DSP playback.

Ditto Music

Ditto Music is yet another distributor that provides a simple online mastering tool aimed at independent artists who want to finalise their track quickly before distribution. Their AI mastering isn’t particularly unique—it’s a typical automated process that checks tonal balance, loudness, and stereo width before generating a ready-to-release file. Pretty much the standard pitstop mastering solution.

Mastering is generally charged per track, separate from their distribution membership. For artists who want a frictionless pipeline from upload to release, it’s a handy built-in tool, though not as sophisticated as standalone services.

UnitedMasters

UnitedMasters integrates AI mastering directly into their Release Builder workflow. It’s meant to help independent artists deliver clean, modern-sounding masters automatically before distributing music across DSPs. The system prioritises streaming loudness standards and genre-fit tonal curves, similar to LANDR’s early-generation models.

AI mastering is available within certain paid subscription tiers, making it more accessible than paying per track, like on Tunecore, Distrokid Ditto Music, and others. It’s not a radically unique mastering engine, but it’s convenient, quick, and tuned for the commercial hip-hop, R\&B, and pop markets that UnitedMasters primarily serves.

BandLab

BandLab stands out because its AI mastering is completely free and integrated directly into its mobile and browser-based DAW. It was one of the earliest consumer-facing AI mastering engines and continues to be one of the most accessible for its lack of charge. This is a fantastic choice for those introduced to the world on online AI mastering.

The tool gives you several ‘mastering styles’ and applies EQ, multiband compression, and loudness normalization automatically. While fairly basic compared to Ozone or LANDR, BandLab’s strength is accessibility: anyone can get a clean, loud master in seconds without paying a cent.

Symphonic 

Symphonic offers an optional AI mastering service as an add-on to their distribution packages, which is actually powered by Masterchannel. It’s a straightforward system, similar to most distributors’ AI-mastering services: upload your mix, choose some tonal preferences, and receive an automatically mastered version suitable for streaming.

Once more, the AI uses standard analysis and processing techniques. Symphonic generally charges per master, making it most useful for artists who want everything handled in one place rather than subscribing to a dedicated standalone mastering service.

Soundcloud

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Soundcloud offers a suite of tools for DIY musicians. You can get your track mastered and then distribute it to major streaming platforms using their tools. They even offer vinyl distribution if you fancy putting your tracks to wax!

Soundcloud’s online mastering tool was developed by Dolby Labs – a trusted name in pro audio.

Because Soundcloud is a streaming service, and their primary distribution is to other streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and TIDAL, their masters are optimised for streaming. On their website, Soundcloud suggests that you don’t use their online mastering service if you plan to distribute physically. Instead, they recommend “doing some research to find a good local mastering engineer.”