How to Master a Song for Free
Published · updated · by Loopin
The fastest free way to master a song is to bounce your mix with headroom and upload it to a free masterer with no sign-up; you’ll have a streaming-ready WAV at about −14 LUFS in a couple of minutes. If you’d rather do it by hand, your DAW’s stock plugins can do the same job.
Bounce the mix with 3–6 dB of headroom
Every free route starts here. Export your finished stereo mix as a WAV at the project sample rate, 24-bit if you can, with peaks landing around −6 to −3 dBFS. Take any limiter or “maximiser” off the master bus; doubling up on limiting is the most common reason home masters sound squashed.
Listen to the bounce once before mastering. If the vocal is buried or the bass booms, fix it in the mix now. Mastering polishes a good mix; it can’t rebalance a broken one. The full prep list is in how to prepare your mix for mastering.
Route 1: master it free online in two minutes
Upload the WAV (or MP3) to Loopin’s free online mastering. No account, no credits, no watermark, unlimited songs. Pick a feel: Warm, Punchy (about −11 LUFS), Crisp, Wide, Vintage, Club (about −10 LUFS), Lo-fi or Cinematic (about −16 LUFS); the default lands at about −14 LUFS.
Flip the loudness-matched Original/Mastered A/B, so you’re judging tone rather than volume, then download a 16-bit WAV with a −1 dBTP ceiling. That file is ready for DistroKid, TuneCore or any distributor. For a click-by-click version of this route, see how to master a song online.
Route 2: use your DAW’s stock plugins
GarageBand, Logic, FL Studio, Ableton, Reaper and BandLab all include enough to master. Put this chain on the master bus, in order: 1) EQ, with a gentle 1–2 dB cut where it’s muddy (usually 200–400 Hz) and a high-pass at 25–30 Hz. 2) A compressor at 1.5:1 to 2:1, slow attack, 1–2 dB of gain reduction. 3) A limiter with its ceiling at −1 dB.
Raise the limiter’s input until a loudness meter reads about −14 LUFS integrated. If the limiter is taking off more than 3–4 dB on the loudest hits, back off; the song will start to pump. Our free mastering software guide lists the best no-cost plugins if your DAW’s are thin.
Hit the target, then stop
A free master should hit the same numbers as a paid one: about −14 LUFS integrated and a true peak at or below −1 dBTP. Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube turn louder tracks down, so pushing to −8 LUFS doesn’t play back louder; it just costs punch. Rap, pop and EDM can sit at −11 to −10.
If LUFS is new, what is LUFS explains it in two minutes.
Check it on three speakers, then release
Play the master on a phone speaker, cheap earbuds and in a car. Bass vanishing on the phone means the low end needs work in the mix, not a louder master. Harsh “s” sounds on earbuds mean a 2–3 dB dip around 5–8 kHz. A chorus that no longer lifts means too much limiting.
Fix the mix, re-bounce, and run it through the free masterer again; it costs nothing to try three versions. When it sounds right on all three, it’s done.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really master a song for free?
Yes. A free online masterer like Loopin's needs no account and exports a WAV at about -14 LUFS with a -1 dBTP ceiling. Your DAW's stock EQ, compressor and limiter can also do it.
What's the fastest way to master a song for free?
Bounce the mix with peaks around -6 to -3 dBFS, upload it to a free online masterer, pick a feel, check the loudness-matched A/B and download the WAV. It takes about two minutes.
How loud should a free master be?
About -14 LUFS integrated with a true peak at or below -1 dBTP. Rap, pop and EDM can go to -11 to -10 LUFS.
What plugins do I need to master for free?
An EQ, a compressor and a limiter, in that order. Every major DAW includes all three. Set the limiter ceiling to -1 dB.
Is a free master good enough to release?
For demos, singles, beats and most independent releases, yes. Consider a human engineer for vinyl, albums that need matched levels, or a flagship single.
Do I need an account to master a song free online?
Not with Loopin. It's free and unlimited with no sign-up. Most paid services let you preview free but need an account and payment to download.