Amped Studio vs WaveLab
Amped Studio
ampedstudio.comWaveLab
steinberg.netSide by side
| Figure | Amped Studio | WaveLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $6.99/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 10 | 3 |
| Spec score · Audio Editing Software | 9.0 (#7) | 9.1 (#4) |
| Company founded | LinkedIn lists Amped Studio as founded in 2017 and headquartered in Montreux. | Steinberg Media Technologies was founded in 1984. |
| Company size | LinkedIn lists Amped Studio as a software-development company with 2–10 employees. | LinkedIn lists Steinberg’s company size as 201–500 employees. |
| Documentation | The official manual covers setup, dashboard and studio operation, instruments, effects, clips, AI tools and reference topics. | WaveLab help is available online at steinberg.help, with platform-independent documentation covering Windows and macOS workflows, setup, audio connections and editing concepts. |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Headquarters | Lausanne, Switzerland | Hamburg, Germany |
| Intended users | The site describes uses for beginners and vocalists, content creators, music education, and advanced users. | Steinberg describes WaveLab LE as suited to hobby musicians, home studio owners, freelancers, and podcasters. |
| Rating on Trustpilot | 3.2 out of 5 from 1 review. | 2 out of 5 from 237 reviews for Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. |
| What it does | Amped Studio is a browser-based digital audio workstation for recording, arranging, editing, mixing and producing music. | WaveLab is Steinberg software for audio editing, restoration, analysis, mastering and publishing, with separate Audio Editor, Audio Montage, batch-processing and Dolby Atmos workspaces. |
Plans
Amped Studio
- Premium$6.99 a month
- Premium + AI$12.99 a month
- Classroom$6.99 a month
- StarterFree
- StarterFree
- Classroom$6.99 a month
- Premium$6.99 a month
- Premium$6.99 a month
- Premium + AI$12.99 a month
- Pro$12.99 a month
WaveLab
- WaveLab LEFree
- WaveLab Elements 13$99.99, paid once
- WaveLab Pro 13$499.99, paid once
In their own words
Amped Studio
Amped Studio is an online music production platform for recording, arranging, editing, and mixing music in a browser. Its AI assistant can generate a composition in a selected style and tempo for later editing. The stem splitter separates songs into two, four, or five stems, including vocals, drums, bass, piano, and other instruments. Audio and MIDI tools include audio-to-MIDI conversion, pitch and gain editing, stretching, cutting, MIDI editing, effects, and parameter automation. A VST Remote bridge connects locally installed VST and VST3 plugins to browser sessions, with downloads for Windows and Mac. Projects can be shared, and two or more Premium members can work together on a shared project. The studio works in Chromium-based browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Brave, but the FAQ says it does not function fully in Firefox or Safari and is not currently available on mobile. The Starter plan lists 5 projects, 16 tracks, and 0 GB external audio storage. Premium costs $6.99 a month with a 7-day trial; Premium + AI costs $12.99 a month with a 7-day trial.
WaveLab
WaveLab is an audio mastering and editing suite for Windows and macOS. Its tools cover audio editing, audio montage, batch processing, and spectral editing, with multitrack editing, noise reduction, and video synchronization also listed. It supports VST 3 plug-ins from other manufacturers. The edition comparison lists podcasting integrations with SoundCloud, Spreaker, Podbean, Buzzsprout, and Castos, and says Pro and Elements can replace audio in video.
WaveLab Pro 13 includes Dolby Atmos mastering tools for ADM file editing, loudness control, and album assembly. It supports sample rates up to 384 kHz and more than 1,000 audio tracks; Elements 13 supports up to 96 kHz and eight tracks. Downloads are listed for Windows 10 64-bit version 22H2 or newer, Windows 11 version 24H2 or newer, and macOS 14, 15, or 26. The pricing note is From $99.99 · 60-day trial. A free WaveLab LE copy is available with qualifying hardware and a Download Access Code. The Pro trial requires signing in or creating a Steinberg ID.