Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Audio Analysis Software

Smaart vs Youlean Loudness Meter

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score Smaart #3 in Audio Analysis Software 8.9/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Smaart
Youlean Loudness Meter #6 in Audio Analysis Software 7.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Youlean

Smaart leads on 0 checks, Youlean Loudness Meter on 1, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSmaart · 8.9/10
  • Free planonly Youlean Loudness Meter
  • Free trialonly Smaart
  • Most featuresYoulean Loudness Meter · 3 of 3

Smaart scores higher on our rubric for audio analysis software: 8.9 against 7.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #6.

Youlean Loudness Meter offers free plan; Smaart doesn't. On plugin support, Youlean Loudness Meter gives you Vst where Smaart offers None.

Smaart is the better fit for professional live sound measurement. Youlean Loudness Meter is the better fit for affordable loudness compliance.

  • Smaart fits best

    Professional live sound measurement

  • Youlean Loudness Meter fits best

    Affordable loudness compliance

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Smaart 8.9/10 Visit ↗ Youlean Loudness Meter 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.9 7.8
Ranking #3 in Audio Analysis Software #6 in Audio Analysis Software
Best for Professional live sound measurement Affordable loudness compliance
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $159/yr $39 one-time
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 30 days —
Money-back guarantee 30 days 30 days
Deployment Desktop, Mobile Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, iOS, Android Windows, macOS
Support Email, Phone, Docs Tickets, Docs
Integrations 2 integrations 7 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Smaart 1/3 · Youlean Loudness Meter 3/3
Real-time analysis ✓ ✓
Offline file analysis Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Loudness standards Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Maximum channels Not checked yet 6 channels
Plugin support None Vst
Analysis views RTA, spectrograph, magnitude, coherence, phase, live impulse response, linear, logarithmic, energy time curve, frequency, histogram, SPL history mini view, distribution view, histogram view, loudness, loudness range, dynamics, true peak
Our review
Pros
  • Broad real-time, transfer-function, impulse-response, and SPL analysis
  • Desktop support for Windows and macOS, plus iOS and Android apps
  • Signal generation, calibration, reporting, alarms, and remote SPL viewing
  • Free plan never expires and includes film, TV, and gaming presets
  • Measures LUFS, loudness range, dynamics, and true peak in real time
  • Supports major DAWs through VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX plug-ins
Cons
  • No free plan; the demo is limited to 30 days
  • Advanced capabilities require higher-priced editions
  • No plugin support is listed
  • Streaming presets are available only in the PRO plan
  • File drag-and-drop analysis is limited to the PRO plan
  • Runs on Windows and macOS, with no other platforms listed
Our verdict

Smaart is an acoustic test and measurement platform from Rational Acoustics for audio engineers, system designers, installers, and acoustical consultants. Its desktop editions run on Windows and macOS, while Smaart RTA mobile apps for iOS…

Read the review →

Youlean Loudness Meter is an audio loudness and dynamics analysis tool for music producers, mastering engineers, broadcasters, studios, educators, and post-production teams. It runs as a standalone application or DAW plug-in on Windows and…

Read the review →
  1. SmaartAudio Analysis Software 8.930-day trial
  2. Youlean Loudness MeterAudio Analysis Software 7.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Smaart — where it wins

    • Broad real-time, transfer-function, impulse-response, and SPL analysis
    • Desktop support for Windows and macOS, plus iOS and Android apps
    • Signal generation, calibration, reporting, alarms, and remote SPL viewing

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan; the demo is limited to 30 days
    • Advanced capabilities require higher-priced editions
    • No plugin support is listed

  • Youlean Loudness Meter — where it wins

    • Free plan never expires and includes film, TV, and gaming presets
    • Measures LUFS, loudness range, dynamics, and true peak in real time
    • Supports major DAWs through VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX plug-ins

    Where it doesn't

    • Streaming presets are available only in the PRO plan
    • File drag-and-drop analysis is limited to the PRO plan
    • Runs on Windows and macOS, with no other platforms listed

More comparisons

All audio analysis software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update