LUFS Loudness Calculator
Calculate how many dB of gain your audio needs to hit a broadcast or streaming loudness target. Use it before mastering or submitting audio for delivery.
Last updated: September 2026
Formula below · 2 sources (aes.org, Wikipedia) · Updated Sep 2026
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About this calculator
LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) is the international standard for measuring perceived loudness, defined in ITU-R BS.1770. Streaming platforms and broadcasters set specific integrated loudness targets: Spotify and YouTube −14 LUFS, Apple Music −16 LUFS, EBU R128 (European broadcast) −23 LUFS, ATSC A/85 and Amazon Prime Video −24 LKFS, and Netflix −27 LKFS measured on dialog. The gain to apply is: gain (dB) = target − current. A negative result means turn the master down, a positive result means turn it up. One LU of loudness equals one dB of gain. The true-peak and dynamic-range fields are not part of the gain calculation; use them as a check: after a gain change the true peak becomes peakLevel + gain, and it should stay at or below −1 dBTP (−2 dBTP for many broadcasters). If turning up would push the peak over that, use a true-peak limiter instead of plain gain.
How to use
Suppose your master measures −10 LUFS with a true peak of 0 dBTP, and you are targeting Spotify (−14 LUFS). Gain = −14 − (−10) = −4 dB, so turn the master down by 4 dB. The true peak then falls to 0 − 4 = −4 dBTP, safely under −1 dBTP. For Apple Music (−16 LUFS) the gain would be −6 dB. If instead your master measured −18 LUFS with a −0.5 dBTP peak, reaching −14 LUFS needs +4 dB, which would push the peak to +3.5 dBTP, so you would need a true-peak limiter.
Frequently asked questions
What LUFS target should I use for Spotify, YouTube, and broadcast delivery?
Spotify normalizes to approximately −14 LUFS integrated, YouTube to −14 LUFS, Apple Music to −16 LUFS, and Tidal to −14 LUFS. Broadcast standards are stricter: EBU R128 targets −23 LUFS for European television, and ATSC A/85 targets −24 LUFS for North American broadcast. Submitting audio louder than the platform target does not make it louder for listeners — the platform turns it down — but it can degrade dynamics. Submitting quieter audio is also acceptable on most platforms, as no upward normalization is applied.
Why does true peak level matter when submitting audio to streaming platforms?
True peak measures inter-sample peaks — distortion that occurs during digital-to-analog conversion even when sample values appear safe. A sample-accurate peak of −1 dBFS can become a true peak above 0 dBTP after reconstruction filtering, causing audible clipping on playback devices. Most streaming platforms require true peaks no higher than −1 dBTP, and broadcast standards often require −2 dBTP or lower. Using a true-peak limiter in your mastering chain ensures the file remains clean after the codec encoding that platforms apply, which can itself raise true-peak levels slightly.
How does dynamic range affect perceived audio quality in a mastered track?
Dynamic range, measured in Loudness Units (LU), is the difference between the quietest and loudest moments in a track. A higher dynamic range preserves musical expression — soft passages feel soft and loud passages hit hard. Heavy compression and limiting squeeze dynamic range below 8–10 LU, making tracks sound fatiguing over extended listening. Many mastering engineers aim to keep loudness range comfortably above that for streaming releases. Improving dynamic range typically means reducing the gain-reduction depth on limiters and compressors rather than simply turning the overall level down.