RØDE UNIFY vs Splitwave
RØDE UNIFY
rode.com
Splitwave
splitwave.appSide by side
| Figure | RØDE UNIFY | Splitwave |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $3.78/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 1 |
| Spec score · Audio Enhancement Software | 8.5 (#3) | 7.3 (#25) |
| Audio sources | UNIFY can mix up to four microphones and six virtual audio devices, including sources such as Spotify, Discord and gameplay. | Its source nodes include microphones, system audio, individual app audio, WAV files, and virtual device loopback. |
| Purpose | UNIFY is virtual mixing software for streamers and content creators that routes, mixes, processes and records audio. | Splitwave is a desktop audio router that connects audio sources, effects, and outputs in a real-time node graph. |
| Support | RØDE provides a UNIFY support section with setup, routing, sub-mix, recording and troubleshooting articles and a contact option. | The site lists [email protected] as a contact and offers voluntary development support through Patreon or cryptocurrency. |
Plans
RØDE UNIFY
- FreeFree
- Free with RØDE X microphoneFree
- Monthly subscription$5.17 a month
- Annual subscription$45.31 a year
In their own words
RØDE UNIFY
RØDE UNIFY is free virtual mixing software for streamers and content creators on Windows and macOS. It routes, mixes, processes, and records audio, combining up to four microphones with six virtual audio devices such as Spotify, Discord, and gameplay. Independent sub-mixes support different outputs, and UNIFY can send audio directly to OBS. It records each track as a separate file for multichannel post-production. Processing options include a compressor, noise gate, high-pass filters, equalization, and APHEX Aural Exciter and Big Bottom processing. Advanced DSP processing is available only with RØDE USB-C microphones. With compatible RØDE microphones, processing can run on a microphone DSP chip to reduce CPU load and provide zero-latency headphone monitoring. The app requires Windows 10 or later or macOS 12 Monterey or later. RØDE lists compatibility with products including NT-USB Mini, NT-USB+, NT1 5th Gen, VideoMic NTG, Wireless PRO, PodMic USB, and XCM-50. Its support section covers setup, routing, sub-mixes, recording, troubleshooting, and contact options.
Splitwave
Splitwave is a free desktop audio router for connecting sources, effects, and outputs in a real-time node graph. Sources include microphones, system audio, individual app audio, WAV files, and virtual-device loopback. Its listed effects include noise suppression, EQ, compression, gating, reverb, and delay, and it can record audio to files. Splitwave can host CLAP and VST3 plugins as nodes; Audio Unit hosting is available only on macOS. For network audio, WebRTC peers connect in both directions, while UDP sender and receiver nodes support Opus or raw PCM. Splitwave creates virtual audio devices on macOS and Linux; Windows users need VB-Cable or a similar virtual cable. It supports macOS 13 or newer on Apple Silicon or Intel, Linux x86_64 with PipeWire, and 64-bit Windows 10 or newer. Processing is local unless a network node directs audio to a peer. The desktop app does not transmit audio streams, personal files, or usage telemetry to an external server. It is free and open source under the MIT license.