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Head-to-head · Audio Analysis Software

WLM Plus Loudness Meter vs Open Audio Analyzer

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score WLM Plus Loudness Meter #2 in Audio Analysis Software 9.0/10 Paid ✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Waves Audio
Open Audio Analyzer #8 in Audio Analysis Software 7.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit site

WLM Plus Loudness Meter leads on 0 checks, Open Audio Analyzer 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 scoreWLM Plus Loudness Meter · 9.0/10
  • Free planonly Open Audio Analyzer

WLM Plus Loudness Meter scores higher on our rubric for audio analysis software: 9.0 against 7.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #8.

Open Audio Analyzer offers free plan; WLM Plus Loudness Meter doesn't. On plugin support, WLM Plus Loudness Meter gives you Aax where Open Audio Analyzer offers Vst.

WLM Plus Loudness Meter is the better fit for loudness compliance across many DAWs. Open Audio Analyzer is the better fit for free standards-based audio analysis.

  • WLM Plus Loudness Meter fits best

    Loudness compliance across many DAWs

  • Open Audio Analyzer fits best

    Free standards-based audio analysis

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Side by side

Feature WLM Plus Loudness Meter 9.0/10 Visit ↗ Open Audio Analyzer 7.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 7.6
Ranking #2 in Audio Analysis Software #8 in Audio Analysis Software
Best for Loudness compliance across many DAWs Free standards-based audio analysis
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price — Free plan
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows, macOS Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support Docs Email, Community, Docs
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features WLM Plus Loudness Meter 3/3 · Open Audio Analyzer 3/3
Real-time analysis ✓ ✓
Offline file analysis ✓ ✓
Loudness standards ✓ ✓
Specs
Maximum channels 6 channels Not checked yet
Plugin support Aax Vst
Analysis views momentary, short-term, long-term, loudness range, true peak, gain reduction loudness, true peak, VU, spectrum, spectrogram, oscilloscope, phase scope, histogram, loudness distribution, stereo cloud
Our review
Pros
  • Supports ITU, EBU and ATSC loudness measurement standards
  • Provides real-time and offline CSV logging
  • Works across mono, stereo and multichannel workflows
  • EBU R 128 and ITU-R BS.1770-4 loudness measurement
  • Real-time and offline analysis with reports and pass/fail targets
  • VST3, Audio Unit, AAX and command-line workflows
Cons
  • Paid product without a free plan
  • Channel capacity is limited to mono, stereo and 5.0 or 5.1 workflows
  • Advanced metering may be more than needed for simple level checks
  • Focused on analysis rather than audio production or editing
  • Offline file analysis supports a defined set of audio formats
  • Tablet session mirroring requires a Wi-Fi connection
Our verdict

WLM Plus Loudness Meter is an audio plug-in for measuring and controlling loudness in music, podcasts, video, broadcast, movie trailers, games and other media. It is designed for producers, engineers and post-production teams working…

Read the review →

Open Audio Analyzer is a free, open-source application for musicians, audio engineers and mastering workflows. It covers live-audio analysis, recorded-file analysis, loudness measurement, delivery validation and reporting across Windows,…

Read the review →
  1. WLM Plus Loudness MeterAudio Analysis Software 9.0Paid
  2. Open Audio AnalyzerAudio Analysis Software 7.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • WLM Plus Loudness Meter — where it wins

    • Supports ITU, EBU and ATSC loudness measurement standards
    • Provides real-time and offline CSV logging
    • Works across mono, stereo and multichannel workflows

    Where it doesn't

    • Paid product without a free plan
    • Channel capacity is limited to mono, stereo and 5.0 or 5.1 workflows
    • Advanced metering may be more than needed for simple level checks
  • Open Audio Analyzer — where it wins

    • EBU R 128 and ITU-R BS.1770-4 loudness measurement
    • Real-time and offline analysis with reports and pass/fail targets
    • VST3, Audio Unit, AAX and command-line workflows

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused on analysis rather than audio production or editing
    • Offline file analysis supports a defined set of audio formats
    • Tablet session mirroring requires a Wi-Fi connection

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update