Amplitude Audio SDK vs Nuendo
Amplitude Audio SDK
amplitudeaudiosdk.com
Nuendo
steinberg.netSide by side
| Figure | Amplitude Audio SDK | Nuendo |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 3 | 4 |
| Spec score · Game Audio Middleware | 8.4 (#6) | 8.3 (#8) |
| Purpose | Amplitude is a cross-platform audio engine designed for games and supports audio for 2D, 3D, and VR/AR environments. | Steinberg describes Nuendo as an audio post-production solution for film, TV, game audio, and immersive sound professionals. |
| Support | The documentation directs users with installation issues to Discord and recommends Discord community support or GitHub issues for troubleshooting. | Nuendo 15 is available through Steinberg's downloads page, which provides general information and installation utilities. |
Plans
Amplitude Audio SDK
- Amplitude Audio SDKFree
- Amplitude Studio FreeFree
- Amplitude Studio PaidPriced on request
Nuendo
- Nuendo 15 Full VersionPriced on request
- Nuendo 15 CrossgradePriced on request
- Nuendo 15 Crossgrade$799.99, paid once
- Nuendo 15 Full version$999.99, paid once
In their own words
Amplitude Audio SDK
Amplitude Audio SDK is a cross-platform audio engine for games, supporting audio for 2D, 3D, and VR/AR environments. It runs on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows; Windows, Linux, and macOS are listed as runtime platforms. Project assets are defined in JSON and compiled into binary sound banks for runtime loading. Audio options include stereo panning, binaural rendering with user HRTF assets, and Ambisonic rendering. Developers can configure processing per runtime platform, including filters, room effects, and spatialization, and extend the pipeline with plugins. A MiniAudio-based default driver and MP3 and WAV decoding are included. Official integrations are listed for O3DE, ezEngine, Godot 4+, and Flax Engine. The SDK is free and open source under Apache-2.0, but it is in beta without an official release; nightly builds are for development, not production. Amplitude Studio is in early access with complimentary access during that phase; its planned free version has non-commercial and feature limits.