Here are the best free Metering VST plugins to measure and manage audio levels in your mixing and mastering process. I’ve included lists of features, images, and videos.
These free Metering plugins include various types of meters such as peak, RMS, and LUFS meters to help you create well-balanced audio. Many of these metering plugins offer easy interfaces and visual feedback, allowing you to monitor audio levels, prevent distortion, and get industry-standard loudness with your music projects.
Best Free Metering VST Plugins
- Youlean Loudness Meter
- LVC-Meter
- Voxengo SPAN
- mvMeter2
- APU Loudness Meter
- MAnalyzer
- Flux Stereo Tool
- LoudnessMeterFree
- Voxengo Correlometer
- HOFA 4U Meter
- LVLMeter
- dpMeter5
- SN02-G VU Meter
- MLoudnessAnalyzer
- How To Use Meter Plugins
- Tips For Using Meter Plugins
Related: Free Oscilloscope VST Plugins
Instructions: Click the links below to visit each metering plugin. Look around each website for the download link or button. Do not install any suspicious software.
1. Youlean Loudness Meter
The Youlean Loudness Meter is a simple yet powerful audio plugin. Its main task is to help you adjust the true perceived loudness of your audio, which is important when preparing it for TV or streaming services release. It’s widely used in recording studios and is compatible with most DAWs, including FL Studio, Logic Pro X, Ableton Live, and more.
This plugin can assess the loudness and dynamics of your mix, making sure you meet film and TV industry standards. The Youlean Loudness Meter is equally helpful in reaching the ideal loudness levels for a range of streaming platforms, such as Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and more.
This plugin also offers custom true peak alert thresholds, the capability to resize and scale the graphical user interface, a mini view, and a loudness distribution graph among other features.
Features:
- Prepare Audio for TV or Streaming Services
- Compatible with Major DAWs
- Works on Windows and macOS
- Complies with Film and TV Loudness Requirements
- Prevents Mixes from Sounding Crushed and Unprofessional
- Low CPU Consumption
- Includes Loudness and Dynamics Measurements
Pros:
- Helps find true perceived audio loudness
- Can prepare audio for TV or streaming services
- Helps comply with strict loudness requirements
- Includes Film, TV, and Gaming presets
- Available as an app, VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin
- Measures loudness for many streaming platforms
- Helps prevent mixes from sounding unprofessional
- Custom true peak alert threshold
- Low CPU Use
Cons:
- Does not work with all DAWs
- May not be beginner-friendly
- Limited channels. Only Mono, Stereo, and 5.1
- No advanced features in the free version
Download Here | Windows / Mac
2. LVC-Meter
The LVC-Meter is a versatile and effective top-quality audio plugin. LVC-Meter offers a selection of features including a spectrum analyzer, stereo vectorscope, and a waveform history view. This free plugin enables true-peak monitoring to determine intersample peak levels. It also contains helpful controls for gain, balance, and width, making it great for final-stage adjustments.
It features an adjustable true-peak level for visualizing overs, a resizable interface, adjustable spectrum analyzer settings, and producer configurable colors, making this metering plugin helpful for all music creators.
Features:
- Includes Spectrum Analyzer, Stereo Vectorscope, Waveform History View
- Functions in EBU Mode, K-System Metering, dBFS Mode
- Provides Gain, Balance, and Width Controls
- User Configurable Colors and Spectrum Analyzer Settings
- XML-Based Preset System for Saving, Importing User Presets
Pros:
- More CPU efficient
- Has waveform history view
- True-peak monitoring
- Has adjustable true-peak level
- Resizable interface
- User can change colors
- Saves, imports, and exports presets
Cons:
- Not compatible with older Macs
- May require an iLok device for AAX format
- Only native compatible with ARM and Intel Macs
Learn More | Windows / Mac
3. Voxengo SPAN
The Voxengo SPAN is a free real-time frequency spectrum analyzer tailored for professional music production. This easy-to-use VST plugin offers multi-channel analysis and customizable level metering options for more personalized testing of audio. With the ability to adjust block size, overlap percentage, and visual slope, Voxengo SPAN gives you more detailed control.
This plugin helps in thorough spectral analysis made easier by helpful features like secondary spectrum display, colored spectrum, and correlation metering.
- Real-Time Fast Fourier Transform Frequency Analyzer
- Adjustable Spectrum Analyzer Settings
- Supports Multi-Channel Analysis
- Output Level Metering and Headroom Estimation
- Mid/Side and Stereo Analysis
- Internal Channel Routing and Grouping
- Retina and HighDPI Support
Download Here | Windows / Mac
4. mvMeter2
The mvMeter2 is an advanced, multivariable meter developed to deliver a wide range of measurements, such as RMS, EBUR128, VU, and PPM. As a next-generation plugin, it improves upon its predecessor, mvMeter, by integrating great features like the option of single or dual meter display, adjustable reference levels in every mode, the capability to adjust meter delay, and preset management.
This plugin replicates the behavior of traditional analog VU and PPM meters and is packed with useful features. It supports a selection of measurements and offers a wide range of metering options such as stereo, left, right, mid, and side.
If offers adjustable meter hold, OL level, and a pre-gain feature including gain matching.
- Multi-Channel Metering: Stereo, Left, Right, Mid, Side
- Single and Dual Meter Display
- Adjustable Reference Level for All Meter Modes
- Large and Accurate Live Meters
- 5 Different Meter Themes
View Website | Windows / Mac
5. APU Loudness Meter
The APU Loudness Meter is a free plugin designed specifically for the range analysis of your music. It provides support for a variety of loudness types such as LUFS, True Peak, RMS, and Peak. It also features real-time monitoring and customizable history and histogram views. This allows you to easily view all vital data on a single screen.
The APU Loudness Meter provides a wide range of options for evaluating loudness. This includes Momentary mode, which measures short-duration LUFS and dynamics; Short-Term mode, which assesses longer-duration LUFS; RMS, a traditional mode functioning as a measure for perceived loudness; True Peak, offering a more precise peak measurement by considering inter-sample peaks; and Peak, the standard peak circuit mode.
This plugin also allows you to separate or link audio channels, which is extremely helpful when dealing with multi-channel formats like Dolby Atmos.
- Free Dynamic Range Analysis Tool
- Supports LUFS, True Peak, RMS, Peak Loudness Types
- Real-Time Loudness Changes View
- Configurable History and Histogram Views
- Standalone Application, VST, AU, & AAX
- Loudness Types Configurable
- Option to Split or Link Channels
Find Out More | Windows / Mac
6. MAnalyzer
The MAnalyzer is an advanced plugin for music creators. It’s a unique type of spectral analyzer and sonogram with distinctive features. Some of these features include smoothing, normalization, super-resolution, prefiltering, and deharmonization, giving you a lot of options for experimentation.
This download also includes different meters for sound analysis. There’s a peak meter, and there are loudness meters that follow EBU R128 and ITU-R BS 1770-3 standards. These help with maintaining consistent and balanced sound levels. With the MAnalyzer, you gain more control over your tracks.
- Advanced Spectral Analyzer and Sonogram
- Comes With Smoothing and Normalization Features
- Super-Resolution Capability
- Prefiltering and Deharmonization Features
- Includes a Peak Meter
- EBU R128-Compliant Loudness Meter Included
- ITU-R BS 1770-3 Compliant Loudness Meter
Get Details | Windows / Mac
7. Flux Stereo Tool
The Flux Stereo Plugin is a great set of tools for stereo imaging and analysis. This software allows for accurate control over input gain and individual panning for both left and right channels. It provides detailed visual feedback with a vector scope and PPM meters for inputs and outputs.
This free plugin comes with unique features like Phase Inversion for incoming music on individual channels. It also has a built-in preset manager and a preset morphing slider for easy and intuitive control of all parameters.
The Vector Scope readily shows the phase integrity of your mix. The Flux Stereo Plugin even allows you to save “Global Preset” settings that include both A and B settings, as well as the position of the “Morphing Slider”, to speed up your workflow.
- Ultra-Precise Control of Input Gain
- Individual Pan for Left and Right Channels
- Visual Feedback with Vector Scope Display
- PPM Meters for Inputs/Outputs
- Phase Correlation Meter for Signal Monitoring
- Phase Inversion Option for Incoming Signal
- Two Preset/Parameter Slots for Workflow Enhancement
- Parameter Morphing Slider with Automation
View Website | Windows / Mac
8. LoudnessMeterFree
The LoudnessMeterFree is a simple audio plugin created for loudness analysis. It features a user-friendly interface with five measuring bars. The add-on facilitates analysis per channel and shows the variation between the left and right for top-level stereo balancing. With this plugin, you can attain a balanced loudness and produce professional-grade audio projects.
Its core offerings extend to an information label for readily visible data, a target loudness slider to set desired loudness, and LUFS value boxes that present crucial parameters.
This add-on is great for music creation, mastering each song, and even live performances. It uses minimal resources and is compatible with a range of operating systems that support DAW, VST2, and VST3.
- User Friendly Audio Plugin
- Five Measuring Bars for LUFS Analysis
- Displays LUFS Values for Important Parameters
- Includes Data Memory and Clear Buttons
- Audio Input Analysis Mode Feature
- Stereo LUFS Display for Precise Balancing
- Multiple Target Comparison Feature
- Optimized for Low CPU and RAM Usage
Read More | Windows / Mac
9. Voxengo Correlometer
The Voxengo Correlometer is a stereo multi-band correlation meter audio plugin built for expert music production. It’s offered as a free plugin for detecting phase issues and estimating cross-track phase coherency, in AudioUnit, AAX, and VST formats. Drawing motivation from the correlation meter found in the PHA-979 phase-alignment plugin, it also works great as a mono-compatibility checker.
The stand-out feature of this correlation meter is its multi-band correlation metering, which can help identify even those out-of-phase parts in a mix that may normally be hard to spot.
It provides a range of 4 to 64 spectral bands, an adjustable band quality factor, and side-chain inputs. Completing its set of features, it includes Retina and HighDPI support, 64-bit floating point processing, and zero processing latency.
- Multi-Band Correlation Metering Application
- Phase Issues Detector
- Cross-Track Phase Coherency Estimation
- Mono-Compatibility Checking Function
- Adjustable Averaging Time
- Supports All Sample Rates
10. HOFA 4U Meter
The HOFA 4U Meter is a precise plugin for audio analysis and adjustment. Boasting features like peak, hold, EBU, and LRA metering, it provides a wide selection of controls for accurate tweaks and improvements to your audio content. This plugin also includes an MS decoder and features such as trim, fader, and mute, all within a scalable add-on window to suit your workflow.
This powerful tool assists in analyzing peak and EBU R128 levels through an easy drag-and-drop mechanism. The unique panorama function provides additional width in soundscapes.
The plugin is compatible with PC and Mac, along with all common sample rates, and is available in various formats such as Audio Unit, VST, VST3, RTAS, and AAX.
- Precise Peak, Hold, EBU, LRA Metering
- MS En-/Decoder Included
- Features Trim, Fader, and Mute Functions
- Stereo/Mono Switch Option
- Can Analyse Peak and EBU R128 Levels
- Innovative Panorama Function for Extra Width
- Compatible with PC and Mac, 32 and 64 Bit DAWs
Read More | Windows / Mac
11. LVLMeter
The LVLMeter is designed for VST, AU, and RTAS hosts, offering a retro VU-meter design and stereo output. Offering 0dB VU calibration that ranges from -24dBFS to 0 dBFS.
- VU Meter Plugin for VST, AU, RTAS
- Compatible with Mac and Windows
- Vintage VU-Meters
- 0dB VU Calibration -24dBFS to 0 dBFS
- Available in 32 and 64 Bits Versions
- Features a Peaks Marker
- Stereo Functionality
Get Details | Windows / Mac
12. dpMeter5
The dpMeter5 is a detailed, multi-element digital music meter with tons of great features including RMS, EBU R 128, dialog gated, and TruePeak measurements.
This free meter plugin includes a sound measurement pack that supports 2-6 RMS channels, 2.0 stereo, 4.0, 4.1, and 5.1 surround settings.
Other key features consist of clear live meters, adjustable pre-gain, record metering results, and manual loudness match.
- Precise Digital Audio Multi-Channel Meter
- Features RMS, EBU R 128, Dialog Gated Measurement
- Includes TruePeak (Intersample) Measurement
- Click-Free 64-bit Internal Processing
- Allows Up to 6 RMS Channels Metering
- Provides Adjustable Pre-Gain Feature
- Preset Manager
Learn More | Windows / Mac
13. SN02-G VU Meter
The SN02-G VU Meter is an easy-to-use VU meter VST plugin designed for all musicians, producers, and beat makers. Managing to fit two meters in the same size area where most other meters could only fit one. All controls are placed on the front panel for easy access and to simplify any adjustments you might need to make.
The SN02-G VU Meter provides four fixed nominal reference levels. Its dual function allows for the monitoring of both mono and stereo tracks. This plugin includes a switchable maximum value needle, sample peak LEDs, and a useful scribble strip.
- Suitable for Mono, Stereo, and Mid-Side VU Metering
- Includes All Controls Directly on the Front Panel
- Offers 4 Fixed Nominal Reference Levels for 0dBvu
- Can be Used on Mono or Stereo Tracks
- Allows Selection of Display for Mono, LR, M/S
- Features a Switchable Max Value Needle
- Has Sample Peak LEDs with Hold Duration of 300 Ms
Download Here | Windows
14. MLoudnessAnalyzer
The MLoudnessAnalyzer is a plugin packed with plenty of features for assessing sound levels. Adhering to the EBU R128 and ITU-R BS 1770-3 standards, it’s a great pick for professional music producers seeking consistent results.
This free resource includes a peak meter and offers a variety of loudness meters, like momentary, short-term, and integrated. The MLoudnessAnalyzer also comes with a loudness range meter and supports EBU+9, EBU+18, and EBU+27 scales. This provides a broad assortment of measurement options.
- EBU R128 and ITU-R BS 1770-3 Compliant
- Includes a Peak Meter
- Features Momentary Loudness Meters
- Offers Short-Term Loudness Meters
- Integrated Loudness Meters Provided
- Includes a Loudness Range Meter
- Complete Loudness Metering Solution
View Website | Windows / Mac
How To Use Metering Plugins
This video will show you how to use meter plugins to create better audio mixes.
Tips For Using Metering Plugins
Here are five top tips for using metering plugins to create better audio mixes:
- Understand the Different Types of Meters:
- Peak Meters: These show the highest level of an audio signal and help prevent clipping. Use peak meters to ensure your audio levels do not exceed 0 dBFS.
- RMS Meters: Root Mean Square meters provide an average level of your audio signal over time. RMS meters help maintain consistent loudness levels in your mix.
- LUFS Meters: Loudness Units relative to Full-Scale meters are crucial for measuring perceived loudness, especially important for mastering and ensuring your mix meets industry standards.
- Spectrum Analyzers: These display the frequency content of your audio, helping you identify and correct frequency imbalances.
- Set Proper Levels:
- Use metering plugins to set your levels during recording and mixing. Aim for peaks around -6 dBFS to -3 dBFS during recording, and keep your mix levels below 0 dBFS to prevent clipping and distortion.
- Balance Frequencies:
- Use spectrum analyzers to visualize the frequency content of your mix. Ensure there’s a balanced distribution of frequencies without any dominant or lacking areas. This helps achieve a fuller and more cohesive sound.
- Monitor Dynamics:
- Use RMS and LUFS meters to monitor the dynamic range of your mix. Aim for a good balance between dynamic range and perceived loudness. Avoid over-compression, which can lead to a lifeless mix, and under-compression, which might result in an inconsistent and unprofessional sound.
- Reference Tracks:
- Compare your mix against professionally mixed and mastered reference tracks using your metering plugins. This helps ensure your mix’s levels, frequency balance, and dynamics are in line with industry standards. Pay attention to LUFS levels for overall loudness and use spectrum analyzers to match frequency profiles.
By following these tips and using metering plugins effectively, you can achieve more professional-sounding mixes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Metering Plugin?
A Metering Plugin is an audio software that assists in audio engineering and music production by providing visual feedback about the sound’s dynamics.
It is essential in the process of mixing and mastering, it ensures that the audio levels are balanced to achieve optimal sound quality. These plugins can show information such as peak levels, loudness ranges, and stereo width, assisting in making crucial decisions to enhance sound output.
Why Do I Need a Metering VST Plugin?
A metering plugin is important to make sure your mix or master meets the necessary technical standards. It also helps to balance frequencies, avoid clipping, and ensure that your track will sound good in different environments.
What is the difference between LUFS and VU Meter?
LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) and VU (Volume Unit) meters are tools for audio measurement, but they serve different purposes. LUFS measures perceived loudness, considering human hearing sensitivities, and ensures consistent loudness levels across media, crucial for broadcasting and streaming.
It assesses average loudness over time to maintain a balanced listening experience and compliance with standards. In contrast, VU meters measure real-time signal levels, displaying immediate changes in volume, but do not account for perceived loudness as effectively. Commonly used in analog equipment, VU meters help avoid distortion and clipping by providing a visual representation of the audio signal’s strength. Thus, LUFS focuses on perceived loudness over time, while VU meters handle real-time signal levels, both being essential for different aspects of audio production.
The metering plugins in this article offer a wide selection of features and benefits similar to popular paid metering options. These free plugins can help you achieve better-sounding mixes in your music projects. Good luck!
