GoldWave review
Affordable audio restoration with broad platform support, but no multitrack editing or video sync.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
GoldWave is digital audio editing software for recording, editing, mixing, restoring, analyzing, and converting audio. It is aimed at musicians, podcasters, archivists, educators, accessibility users, and others working with recorded audio. Its tools focus on individual sound files, with recording from microphone, line-in, streaming audio, and loopback inputs; editing commands; more than 40 audio effects; noise reduction; Pop/Click filters; file conversion; and audio analysis. Speech-to-text transcription and text-to-speech conversion add accessibility and speech-processing functions.
Pricing is straightforward. The One Year GoldWave License costs $19 per year, expires one year after purchase, includes GoldWave Infinity, and provides free upgrades for one year. The Lifetime GoldWave License costs $59 as a one-time payment, never expires, includes GoldWave Infinity, and includes free upgrades. There is no free plan. Both options provide a lower-cost route into recording, restoration, batch conversion, metadata editing, cue points, file merging and splitting, and effect, visual, and file-format plug-in interfaces.
GoldWave's breadth is its main distinction: the product combines restoration, batch work, spectrograms, waveforms, bar graphs, level meters, transcription, text-to-speech, and support for web, desktop, and mobile platforms. It suits users who need detailed work on individual files across several devices. Choose another audio editor if multitrack editing or video sync is central to the workflow. The Windows application is available alongside GoldWave Infinity, which is browser-based and works across computers and mobile devices; GoldWave Infinity is described as under development.
GoldWave pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Noise reduction and Pop/Click filters support audio restoration.
- Works across web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- Batch processing, analysis, transcription, and plug-in interfaces expand its scope.
- Where it doesn't
- No multitrack editing for layered audio projects.
- No video sync for audio-for-video workflows.
- GoldWave Infinity is still described as under development.
GoldWave fact sheet, pricing and score →
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