Elgato Wave Link vs FxSound

Elgato Wave Link9.1Visit FFxSound8.7Visit

Higher score Elgato Wave Link #3 in Audio Enhancement Software 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit Elgato

vs

F FxSound #7 in Audio Enhancement Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit FxSound

• Elgato Wave Link fits best

  Free cross-platform stream mixing

• FxSound fits best

  Free Windows system-wide enhancement

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Side by side

Feature	Elgato Wave Link 9.1/10 Visit ↗	FFxSound 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.7
Ranking	#3 in Audio Enhancement Software	#7 in Audio Enhancement Software
Best for	Free cross-platform stream mixing	Free Windows system-wide enhancement
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS	Windows
Features Elgato Wave Link 3/5 · FxSound 4/5
Noise reduction	✓	✓
Equalizer	✓	✓
Virtual surround	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Audio routing	✓	✓
App-specific profiles	Not checked yet	—
Specs
Supported platforms	Windows, macOS	windows
Equalizer bands	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Free on Windows and macOS with no subscriptions or feature gates Supports up to five independent output mixes and eight software channels Works with VST3, Audio Unit, AI Voice Focus, and Stream Deck controls	System-wide processing through a virtual audio driver EQ, effects, presets, bass, volume, and spatial controls Free and open-source with Intel/AMD and ARM64 installers
Cons	Limited to Windows and macOS Supports up to four hardware inputs Plugin support differs between Windows and macOS	Windows-only platform support No app profiles for separate application settings No paid tier for additional plan-based features
Our verdict	Elgato Wave Link is free audio mixing and routing software for streamers, podcasters, gamers, and other creators. It works with any microphone or audio interface recognized by a Windows or macOS computer, including non-Elgato devices. The… Read the review →	FxSound is free, open-source audio enhancement software for Windows. It processes system audio through a virtual audio driver, making it suitable for music listeners, gamers, transcriptionists, and people using low-quality speakers or… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Elgato Wave Link — where it wins

  • Free on Windows and macOS with no subscriptions or feature gates
  • Supports up to five independent output mixes and eight software channels
  • Works with VST3, Audio Unit, AI Voice Focus, and Stream Deck controls

  Where it doesn't

  • Limited to Windows and macOS
  • Supports up to four hardware inputs
  • Plugin support differs between Windows and macOS

• FxSound — where it wins

  • System-wide processing through a virtual audio driver
  • EQ, effects, presets, bass, volume, and spatial controls
  • Free and open-source with Intel/AMD and ARM64 installers

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows-only platform support
  • No app profiles for separate application settings
  • No paid tier for additional plan-based features

• Elgato Wave Link9.1/10 · Free plan

  A free mixer for creators who need flexible routing, multiple mixes, and plugin effects.

  Visit ElgatoFull verdict →
• FFxSound8.7/10 · Free plan

  A free Windows system-wide enhancer with EQ, effects, routing, and spatial processing.

  Visit FxSoundFull verdict →