SpectraLayers Pro vs WavePad
SpectraLayers Pro
steinberg.netWavePad
nch.com.auSide by side
| Figure | SpectraLayers Pro | WavePad |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | $3.33/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 8 |
| Spec score · Audio Editing Software | 8.3 (#29) | 9.2 (#3) |
| Spec score · Audio editors | 8.0 (#12) | 8.8 (#4) |
| Spec score · Game Audio Editors | 7.6 (#17) | 8.5 (#5) |
| Batch processing | Yes | Batch tools apply effects or convert thousands of files in one operation. |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | Hamburg, Germany | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
| Integrations | The Pro 12 manual lists external-editor support for Ableton Live, Apple Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, Cockos Reaper, DaVinci Resolve, FL Studio, MAGIX ACID Pro and Vegas Pro, KONTAKT, REAKTOR, HALion, and Tracktion Waveform. | Official pages describe MixPad integration and DirectX and VST DLL plug-in support. |
| What it does | SpectraLayers represents sounds as visual objects for spectral audio editing, repair, restoration, and sound design. | WavePad records and edits music, voice and other audio files with cutting, pasting, effects and format conversion. |
Plans
SpectraLayers Pro
- SpectraLayers Pro 13 UpgradePrice not published
- SpectraLayers Pro 13$359.99, paid once
WavePad
- Master's Edition Annual Plan$99 a year
- Standard Edition Annual Plan$60 a year
- Master's Edition Quarterly Plan$16.50 a month
- Free versionFree
- WavePad Free VersionFree
- Master's Edition Quarterly Plan$21.48 a month
- Standard Edition Annual Plan$39.95 a year
- Master's Edition Annual Plan$69.95 a year
In their own words
SpectraLayers Pro
SpectraLayers Pro is a spectral audio editor that presents sound as visual objects for editing, repair, restoration, and sound design. Pro 13 adds Unmix Sound Effects to separate short sounds from continuous backgrounds such as wind, crowds, traffic, and nature. Ambience Heal fills gaps using ambience from the source layer, while Reconstruct resynthesizes selected spectral data. Voice DeClick removes mouth noises, and Voice DeCrosstalk isolates unwanted voices from a target voice. The software supports batch processing and can run standalone or as an external editor. Listed integrations include Ableton Live, Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Reaper, DaVinci Resolve, FL Studio, ACID Pro, Vegas Pro, KONTAKT, REAKTOR, HALion, and Tracktion Waveform; edited audio can be returned to the calling app. Pro 13 supports specified recent macOS releases on Intel and Apple silicon, and Windows 10 or 11 64-bit from version 21H2; Windows 11 on Arm requires 24H2 or later. A free trial is available, but no free plan or price is listed.
WavePad
WavePad records and edits music, voice, and other audio on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Its editing tools include cut, copy, paste, trim, compression, and pitch shifting, while effects include echo, amplification, and equalization. Restoration tools reduce noise and remove clicks and pops. The software supports more than 50 formats, including MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, AAC, and M4A. Batch processing can apply effects or convert thousands of files in one operation. WavePad supports sample rates from 6 to 192 kHz, in stereo or mono and at 8, 16, 24, or 32 bits. It also supports DirectX and VST plugins, though the Standard Edition excludes VST support and the SFX Library. The maker lists podcast and radio editing, voiceovers, ringtone creation, and audio restoration as typical uses. The free version costs nothing, is for non-commercial use, and does not expire. It enables additional Master's Edition features for a 14-day trial after installation. Paid options include $60 a year for Standard Edition and $99 a year for Master's Edition.