Splitwave vs RØDE UNIFY

Splitwave9.0Visit RØDE UNIFY8.9Visit

Higher score Splitwave #4 in Audio Enhancement Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit Splitwave

vs

RØDE UNIFY #5 in Audio Enhancement Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit RØDE UNIFY

• Splitwave fits best

  Cross-platform open-source audio production

• RØDE UNIFY fits best

  Free microphone and stream mixing

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Side by side

Feature	Splitwave 9.0/10 Visit ↗	RØDE UNIFY 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.9
Ranking	#4 in Audio Enhancement Software	#5 in Audio Enhancement Software
Best for	Cross-platform open-source audio production	Free microphone and stream mixing
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	macOS, Linux, Windows	Windows, macOS
Integrations	8 integrations	2 integrations
Features Splitwave 3/5 · RØDE UNIFY 3/5
Noise reduction	✓	✓
Equalizer	✓	✓
Virtual surround	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Audio routing	✓	✓
App-specific profiles	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms	macOS, Linux, Windows	Windows, macOS
Equalizer bands	10 bands (best)	3 bands
Our review
Pros	Free and open source under the MIT license Routes microphones, apps, files, effects, and plugins in real time Supports macOS, Linux, and Windows with broad recording formats	Mixes up to four microphones and six virtual audio devices Independent sub-mixes for streams, headphones, and chat Multichannel recording with separate tracks and OBS integration
Cons	Virtual audio devices are available only on macOS and Linux The node-based workflow may require careful pipeline configuration Its wide feature set may exceed the needs of simple audio enhancement	Available only on Windows and macOS Equalizer availability varies by compatible device or microphone Designed around compatible RØDE devices and desktop workflows
Our verdict	Splitwave is a desktop audio router for macOS, Linux, and Windows, designed for users who need more than basic volume or tone adjustment. Its node-based graph connects microphones, system audio, per-application audio, WAV files, effects,… Read the review →	RØDE UNIFY is free desktop virtual audio mixing software for streamers, gamers, YouTubers, and other content creators. It brings microphones, application audio, and virtual sources into one mixer, with support for up to four microphones… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Splitwave — where it wins

  • Free and open source under the MIT license
  • Routes microphones, apps, files, effects, and plugins in real time
  • Supports macOS, Linux, and Windows with broad recording formats

  Where it doesn't

  • Virtual audio devices are available only on macOS and Linux
  • The node-based workflow may require careful pipeline configuration
  • Its wide feature set may exceed the needs of simple audio enhancement

• RØDE UNIFY — where it wins

  • Mixes up to four microphones and six virtual audio devices
  • Independent sub-mixes for streams, headphones, and chat
  • Multichannel recording with separate tracks and OBS integration

  Where it doesn't

  • Available only on Windows and macOS
  • Equalizer availability varies by compatible device or microphone
  • Designed around compatible RØDE devices and desktop workflows

• Splitwave9.0/10 · Free plan

  A free, cross-platform audio router for live processing, recording, streaming, and DAW workflows.

  Visit SplitwaveFull verdict →
• RØDE UNIFY8.9/10 · Free plan

  A free Windows and macOS mixer for routing, processing, recording, and streaming audio.

  Visit RØDE UNIFYFull verdict →