# How to Master for Spotify, Apple Music & YouTube

> The loudness targets for Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, why -14 LUFS and -1 dBTP matter, and how to master your song for streaming free in your browser.

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# How to Master for Spotify, Apple Music & YouTube

Updated June 2026 · by Loopin

Every major streaming platform normalises loudness, so the loudest master no longer "wins". What matters is hitting the right **LUFS** target and leaving safe **true-peak** headroom so your track sounds clean and consistent everywhere.

## Streaming loudness targets

PlatformApprox. target
Spotify−14 LUFS
Apple Music−16 LUFS (Sound Check)
YouTube−14 LUFS
Amazon / Tidal−14 LUFS

A master around **−14 LUFS** with a **−1 dBTP** ceiling is the safe, universal choice — it sits right on Spotify and YouTube and only gets gently turned down on Apple Music, with no clipping anywhere.

## Should I master louder?

Only for contexts that reward it, like club or DJ play, where a hotter master (around −9 LUFS) has impact on a big system. For streaming, going louder than −14 LUFS just means the platform turns you down — you trade dynamics for nothing.

## Don't forget true peak

When Spotify or Apple transcode your WAV to a lossy format, inter-sample peaks can clip. Mastering to −1 dBTP (true peak, not sample peak) prevents it. Loopin uses an oversampled true-peak limiter to hold that ceiling.

## Master for streaming, free

[Open Loopin Mastering](/mastering), drop in your mix, and pick a feel — it auto-targets −14 LUFS and a −1 dBTP ceiling, so your track is ready for Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube in seconds. Free, no account, nothing uploaded.

**Try it now:** [open the free Loopin Mastering tool](/mastering) — drop in an MP3 or WAV, pick a feel, and download a streaming-ready master. Nothing leaves your device.

## Related guides

- [What is LUFS?](/mastering/what-is-lufs)
- [How to master a song online](/mastering/how-to-master-a-song-online)
- [Mixing vs mastering](/mastering/mixing-vs-mastering)

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Source: https://onloopin.com/mastering/master-for-spotify-apple-youtube