Sound Forge vs WaveLab
Sound Forge
soundforge.com
WaveLab
steinberg.netSide by side
| Figure | Sound Forge | WaveLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 8 | 3 |
| Spec score · Audio Editing Software | 7.7 (#76) | 9.1 (#4) |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts, United States | Hamburg, Germany |
| Multitrack editing | No | Yes |
| Purpose | Sound Forge is audio software for recording, editing, adding effects, and mastering audio. | WaveLab is an audio mastering and editing suite with audio editing, audio montage, batch processing, and spectral editing tools. |
| Support | Boris FX support lists help topics for Sound Forge and support hours of Monday through Friday, 4:00am to 6:00pm EST. | Steinberg’s imprint says technical support is available only to registered users. |
| Supported platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Third-party plugins | Yes | Yes |
Plans
Sound Forge
- Sound Forge monthly subscriptionPrice not published
- Sound Forge annual subscriptionPrice not published
- Sound Forge upgrade & support planPrice not published
- Sound Forge perpetual licensePrice not published
- Sound Forge Plus monthly subscriptionPrice not published
- Sound Forge Plus annual subscriptionPrice not published
- Sound Forge Plus upgrade & support planPrice not published
- Sound Forge Plus perpetual licensePrice not published
WaveLab
- WaveLab LEFree
- WaveLab Elements 13$99.99, paid once
- WaveLab Pro 13$499.99, paid once
In their own words
Sound Forge
Sound Forge has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
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.