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Head-to-head · Audio Restoration Software

Waves Restoration vs Cathar

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score Waves Restoration #3 in Audio Restoration Software 8.3/10 Paid ✓ 3 of 6 features Visit Waves
Cathar #4 in Audio Restoration Software 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Cathar

Waves Restoration leads on 0 checks, Cathar on 1, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreWaves Restoration · 8.3/10
  • Free planonly Cathar
  • Most featuresCathar · 6 of 6

Waves Restoration scores higher on our rubric for audio restoration software: 8.3 against 7.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #4.

Cathar offers free plan; Waves Restoration doesn't. On workflow format, Waves Restoration gives you Plugin where Cathar offers Standalone.

Waves Restoration is the better fit for plugin users needing basic noise and artifact removal. Cathar is the better fit for free, comprehensive restoration and batch workflows.

  • Waves Restoration fits best

    Plugin users needing basic noise and artifact removal

  • Cathar fits best

    Free, comprehensive restoration and batch workflows

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 Waves Restoration 8.3/10 Visit ↗ Cathar 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.3 7.9
Ranking #3 in Audio Restoration Software #4 in Audio Restoration Software
Best for Plugin users needing basic noise and artifact removal Free, comprehensive restoration and batch workflows
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price — Free plan
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Self-hosted
Support Email, Phone, Docs, Community Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features Waves Restoration 3/6 · Cathar 6/6
Noise reduction ✓ ✓
Click and crackle removal ✓ ✓
Hum removal ✓ ✓
Declip repair Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Spectral repair Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Batch processing Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Workflow format Plugin Standalone
Our review
Pros
  • Covers noise, hum, clicks, crackle, DC offset, and rumble
  • Learn modes, spectral displays, meters, and removed-audio monitoring
  • Supports mono and stereo processing on Windows and macOS
  • Covers denoising, hum, clicks, declipping, spectral repair, and dereverberation
  • Processes audio and video inputs, then exports WAV, FLAC, or AIFF
  • Supports batch directories and embeddable Rust library pipelines
Cons
  • No verified declipping or spectral repair tools
  • No batch-processing capability is specified
  • Available as a paid bundle without a free plan
  • Its workflow is centered on command-line and Rust-library use
  • Output is limited to WAV, FLAC, or AIFF formats
  • Advanced restoration requires choosing among multiple processing methods
Our verdict

Waves Restoration is a five-plug-in audio restoration bundle for repairing damaged recordings and reducing common audio artifacts. It is aimed at users working with old vinyl and shellac discs, archives, film and television soundtracks,…

Read the review →

Cathar is an open-source command-line and Rust-library toolkit for restoring audio files and video tracks. It suits users who need a free standalone workflow for cleaning, repairing, leveling, or processing multiple files, as well as…

Read the review →
  1. Waves RestorationAudio Restoration Software 8.3Paid
  2. CatharAudio Restoration Software 7.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Waves Restoration — where it wins

    • Covers noise, hum, clicks, crackle, DC offset, and rumble
    • Learn modes, spectral displays, meters, and removed-audio monitoring
    • Supports mono and stereo processing on Windows and macOS

    Where it doesn't

    • No verified declipping or spectral repair tools
    • No batch-processing capability is specified
    • Available as a paid bundle without a free plan

  • Cathar — where it wins

    • Covers denoising, hum, clicks, declipping, spectral repair, and dereverberation
    • Processes audio and video inputs, then exports WAV, FLAC, or AIFF
    • Supports batch directories and embeddable Rust library pipelines

    Where it doesn't

    • Its workflow is centered on command-line and Rust-library use
    • Output is limited to WAV, FLAC, or AIFF formats
    • Advanced restoration requires choosing among multiple processing methods
  • Waves Restoration8.3/10 · Paid

    A focused restoration bundle for basic noise, hum, click, and crackle removal.

    Visit WavesFull verdict →
  • Cathar7.9/10 · Free plan

    A free, wide-ranging toolkit for restoration, normalization, and batch audio workflows.

    Visit CatharFull verdict →

More comparisons

All audio restoration software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update