Waves Ultimate vs iZotope Ozone

Waves Ultimate9.2Visit iZotope Ozone9.1Visit

Higher score Waves Ultimate #2 in Audio Plugins 9.2/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 2 of 3 features Visit Waves Ultimate

vs

iZotope Ozone #3 in Audio Plugins 9.1/10 10-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 3 features Visit iZotope

• Waves Ultimate fits best

  Producers and engineers who want a large plugin suite

• iZotope Ozone fits best

  Producers focused on AI-assisted mastering

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Side by side

Feature	Waves Ultimate 9.2/10 Visit ↗	iZotope Ozone 9.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	9.1
Ranking	#2 in Audio Plugins	#3 in Audio Plugins
Best for	Producers and engineers who want a large plugin suite	Producers focused on AI-assisted mastering
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	—	$55 one-time
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	7 days	10 days
Free trial length	7 days	10 days
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS	macOS, Windows
Integrations	11 integrations	12 integrations
Features Waves Ultimate 2/3 · iZotope Ozone 1/3
External sidechain	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Oversampling	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Surround support	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Plugin formats	AAX Native, Audiosuite, Audio Units, VST3	AAX, AU, VST3
Effect types	vocal production, analog modeling, mastering, compression, EQ, effects, instruments, saturation, channel strips, noise reduction, surround processing	equalization, dynamics, compression, limiting, saturation, stereo imaging, loudness processing, dithering
License model	Subscription	Both
Product scope	Suite	Suite
Our review
Pros	More than 240 plugins span vocal work, mixing, mastering and sound design. Updates and newly added plugins are included with the subscription. Works with major DAWs and activates on two machines at a time.	Master Assistant creates custom processing flows to guide mastering. Advanced includes Stem EQ for separate processing of vocals, bass, drums and instruments. Reference comparison, Codec Preview and dithering support finishing work.
Cons	There is no free plan; access is subscription-based. The suite is limited to Windows and macOS. The Monthly plan does not include the Annual plan’s 30 mastering credits.	The $55 Elements edition has core tools; editable modules start with Standard at $219. Advanced costs $499, making its 20-module suite a substantial one-time purchase. Ozone focuses on mastering rather than broad music production tasks.
Our verdict	Waves Ultimate brings more than 240 Waves plugins together in a subscription for music producers, mixing and mastering engineers, vocal editors, post-production professionals and live-sound users. Its collection covers vocal production,… Read the review →	iZotope Ozone is a software suite for audio mastering, aimed at musicians, producers and audio engineers who want tools for finishing tracks. It covers equalization, dynamics, limiting, stereo imaging, saturation, loudness control,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Waves Ultimate — where it wins

  • More than 240 plugins span vocal work, mixing, mastering and sound design.
  • Updates and newly added plugins are included with the subscription.
  • Works with major DAWs and activates on two machines at a time.

  Where it doesn't

  • There is no free plan; access is subscription-based.
  • The suite is limited to Windows and macOS.
  • The Monthly plan does not include the Annual plan’s 30 mastering credits.

• iZotope Ozone — where it wins

  • Master Assistant creates custom processing flows to guide mastering.
  • Advanced includes Stem EQ for separate processing of vocals, bass, drums and instruments.
  • Reference comparison, Codec Preview and dithering support finishing work.

  Where it doesn't

  • The $55 Elements edition has core tools; editable modules start with Standard at $219.
  • Advanced costs $499, making its 20-module suite a substantial one-time purchase.
  • Ozone focuses on mastering rather than broad music production tasks.

• Waves Ultimate9.2/10 · 7-day trial

  A broad, regularly updated plugin suite for production, mixing, mastering and sound design.

  Visit Waves UltimateFull verdict →
• iZotope Ozone9.1/10 · 10-day trial

  AI-assisted mastering with reference tools and tiered, one-time editions.

  Visit iZotopeFull verdict →