LANDR’s mastering software LANDR Mastering Plugin is a plug-in for your DAW (the software you make music in) in which AI analyzes a song and builds the mastering settings. You can choose a finishing style, and it has controls such as EQ, de-esser, stereo width and dynamics, and a loudness meter.
Mastering software finishes a completed mix to a loudness and tonal balance that suits streaming and CD.
In this article we compare LANDR Mastering Plugin with 8 mastering programs and rate how well it serves its purpose on three criteria. The basis is official manufacturer information.
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Score 2.5 / 5 (average of the 8 products compared: 2.9)
- Specs last checked
- 2026/09/25
- AI finishing
- Automatic AI analysis
- Fine adjustment
- EQ, dynamics and more
- Pre-release checks
- Meters only
- Price (store, date)
- Not listed
Summary
Among the 8 mastering programs, LANDR Mastering Plugin is rank C. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and C is the lowest. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 2.5.
Things to keep in mind
- Pre-release checks (1 points): it has few checking features before export.
Who it suits: people who want to finish quickly by leaving it to AI, even without knowledge of mastering.
Main features of LANDR Mastering Plugin
AI analyzes the song
Mastering software is a tool that adjusts the volume and tonal balance of a finished song so that it can go out on streaming or CD. LANDR Mastering Plugin analyzes a song with what the manufacturer calls an “AI mastering engine”, and lets you work while listening to the finished sound inside your DAW.
Styles and adjustment controls
The official page lists controls such as Mastering Styles, EQ, Presence, De-Esser, Stereo Width, Dynamics and Loudness. After choosing the direction of the finish, you can adjust several of the controls yourself.
Meters and gain comparison
It lists a loudness meter, an output meter, an input trim and gain matching (a feature that evens out the volume so you can compare). The manufacturer explains that because you can work while listening inside the DAW, it saves the trouble of redoing exports.
Video: “Mastering a Song with LANDR Mastering Plugin” (official LANDR YouTube channel; narration in English) Watch on YouTube
Where it is useful
- Quickly finishing a finished cover-song track with the AI’s suggestion
- Switching the finishing style to compare the direction of the sound
- Fixing only the places you need to, such as fine EQ or stereo width, yourself
Rating by criterion
AI finishing: 3 / 5
We look at whether it can make a well-balanced sound without expert knowledge.
AI analyzes the song and finishes it.
Fine adjustment: 3 / 5
We look at whether you can work on the AI’s result yourself.
You can adjust several controls directly, such as Mastering Styles, EQ, Presence, De-Esser, Stereo Width and Dynamics.
Pre-release checks: 1 / 5
We look at the checking features available before streaming or exporting.
It has few checking features before export.
If “pre-release checks” matters most to you, Ozone 12 Advanced (5 points) is a better fit.
How we score (Mastering software)
| Criterion | Basis | 5 pt | 4 pt | 3 pt | 2 pt | 1 pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI finishing | Whether it can make a well-balanced sound without expert knowledge | Automatic finishing, plus comparison with a reference song and vocal-balance adjustment | Automatic finishing, plus either comparison with a reference song or vocal-balance adjustment | Automatic finishing only | — | — |
| Fine adjustment | Whether you can work on the AI's result yourself | 15 or more processing modules can all be operated directly, and can also be used as separate plug-ins | 10 or more processing modules can be operated directly | Some processing can be operated directly | You can only adjust the assistant's result with a few knobs | — |
| Pre-release checks | Checking features before streaming or exporting | Listening to the sound compressed for streaming, dither and before/after comparison of the processing are all included | Dither and before/after comparison | Either one | — | Not mentioned on the official page |
Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on how well the product serves one goal: finishing cover songs and your own songs for streaming. Scores follow the conditions in the table above, and the rank is based on an average in which "Fine adjustment" counts double. The basis is official manufacturer information. Sound quality and CPU load are not measured, so they are not scored; reviews from trade magazines are introduced in the articles for reference. Price is not part of the score. Features that cannot be confirmed from the manufacturer's or a retailer's description are scored as if absent. At the moment we compare only the three editions of iZotope Ozone 12 and one product from IK Multimedia. The "OBS (streaming)" column in the table shows whether the official page lists the VST2 format that the streaming software OBS Studio can use (○). OBS does not support the VST3 format. It is not part of the score.
LANDR Mastering Plugin system requirements and getting started
| Operating system | Could not be confirmed on the official page |
|---|---|
| Plug-in formats | A plug-in for your DAW (the format could not be confirmed on the official page) |
| Other | Provided as part of a LANDR Studio subscription (there are Pro and SE versions) |
| OBS (streaming) | Not confirmed |
Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on October 17, 2026.
Compared with other mastering programs
Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.
| Product | RankAvg. score | AI finishing | Fine adjustment | Pre-release checks | OBS (streaming) | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iZotopeOzone 12 Elements | C 2.3 | Assistant | Knobs only | Few check features | × (VST3 only) | $55 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| iZotopeOzone 12 Standard | S 4.3 | Also compares references | 14 modules | Dither + before/after | × (VST3 only) | $219 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| iZotopeOzone 12 Advanced | S 5.0 | Also compares references | 20 modules + separate plug-ins | Up to codec preview | × (VST3 only) | $499 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| IK MultimediaT-RackS 6 MAX | A 3.8 | Automatic, matched to a reference | 63 modules, separate plug-ins | Few check features | × (VST3 only) | $299.99 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| LANDRLANDR Mastering Plugin | C 2.5 | Automatic AI analysis | EQ, dynamics and more | Meters only | Not confirmed | Not listed |
| Brainworx(Plugin Alliance)bx_masterdesk | C 1.5 | No AI | Few knobs + presets | Few check features | Not confirmed | Not listed |
| SteinbergWaveLab Pro 13 | C 2.0 | No AI stated | Plug-ins + offline processing | Mainly loudness measurement | Not confirmed | Not listed |
| SteinbergWaveLab Elements 13 | C 2.0 | No AI stated | Plug-ins + MasterRig 2 | Mainly loudness measurement | Not confirmed | Not listed |
Features checked on each manufacturer's official website on September 25, 2026. Check the store page behind the buy button for the price.
Read next
- bx_masterdesk: features and rating (rank C)
- WaveLab Pro 13: features and rating (rank C)
- T-RackS 6 MAX: features and rating (rank A)


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