Auphonic Review 2025: The Secret to Perfect Podcast Loudness
Why does your podcast sound quiet on Spotify? The answer is “Loudness Normalization.” Here is how to use Auphonic to fix it automatically.
Updated: Dec 26, 2025 | Difficulty: Beginner
Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you sign up through our links. This review is based on 5 years of using Auphonic for professional production.
You record an interview. Your voice is loud. Your guest’s voice is quiet. And suddenly, you laugh, and it blows out the listener’s eardrums.
Listeners hate adjusting the volume knob while driving. If your audio levels are uneven, they will unsubscribe. This is where Auphonic comes in.
What is Auphonic? (It’s Not an Editor)
Many beginners confuse Auphonic with editors like Descript or Audacity.
Auphonic is not for cutting clips. You cannot edit content with it. Instead, it is an AI Mastering Engineer. You upload your finished episode, and it automatically:
- Balances the levels between different speakers.
- Removes background hum and hiss.
- Sets the final volume to global broadcasting standards (LUFS).
Podcast Loudness Standards LUFS Explained
To understand why you need Auphonic, you must understand LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale).
Unlike “Peak” volume (which measures the loudest moment), LUFS measures the average perceived loudness over time. It’s how loud the human ear feels the audio is.
Most platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music) recommend a target of -16 LUFS (Stereo) or -19 LUFS (Mono).
If you upload a file at -24 LUFS, it will sound tiny and weak compared to professional shows like The Daily. If you upload at -10 LUFS, Spotify will forcibly crush your audio to make it quieter.
Auphonic hits this target exactly, every single time.
Feature Test: The Adaptive Leveler
This is Auphonic’s “Magic Sauce.” It analyzes your audio track and amplifies the quiet parts while keeping the loud parts safe.
How to Use Auphonic for Podcasting (Step-by-Step)
Here is the exact workflow we use to master episodes in 2025.
Step 1: Create a Preset
Don’t just upload a file. Create a “Preset” so you don’t have to change settings every week. Use these settings:
Step 2: Upload Your Mix
Export your edited episode from Descript or Riverside as a high-quality WAV file. Upload it to Auphonic.
Step 3: Chapter Marks (Optional)
If you included chapter marks in your editor, Auphonic will preserve them. You can also import a text file to add chapters here.
Step 4: Start Production
Click “Start.” It takes about 2-5 minutes for a 1-hour episode. Once done, you will see a graph showing exactly where it boosted or cut volume.
Auphonic vs Adobe Podcast: Which is Better?
This is the most common question we get: “Can’t I just use Adobe Enhance?”
No. They are tools for different stages of production.
| Feature | Adobe Podcast Enhance | Auphonic |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Job | Repairing Bad Audio | Mastering Final Audio |
| Noise Reduction | Aggressive (Can sound robotic) | Conservative (Natural) |
| Loudness Target | No Control (Random) | Precise (-16 LUFS) |
| Best For | Fixing a bad phone recording | Polishing a finished episode |
The Verdict: Use Adobe Enhance before you edit (to clean raw files). Use Auphonic after you edit (to package the final show).
Pricing: Is it Free?
Auphonic has one of the best free tiers in the industry.
- Free Tier: 2 hours of audio processing per month. For most monthly podcasters, this is completely free.
- One-Time Credits: $12 for 9 hours. Great if you don’t want a subscription.
- Subscription: Starts at $11/mo for 9 hours.
Final Review: The “OG” Still Reigns
In the age of fancy AI tools, Auphonic remains essential. It doesn’t try to be a video editor or a scriptwriter. It does one thing perfectly: It makes your podcast sound like it was mixed by a pro engineer at NPR.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best LUFS for podcasts?
The industry standard for stereo podcasts is -16 LUFS. For mono podcasts, it is -19 LUFS. This ensures your show plays at the same volume as music on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Does Auphonic remove background noise?
Yes, Auphonic has an “Auto Noise Reduction” feature. It analyzes “silence” in your track to identify the noise profile (hum, hiss) and removes it. It is generally more natural-sounding than generic noise gates.
How to use Auphonic for multitrack?
Auphonic supports Multitrack algorithms. You can upload separate tracks (Host, Guest, Music), and it will automatically duck the music when someone speaks and level each voice independently before mixing them down.
