Your music NEEDS to be mastered if you intend on distributing it.
That’s why I wanted to take the time today to teach you about the best online mastering services. It’s much more affordable to get your music mastered online, in case you didn’t know!
As independent artists, we need to find every way to SAVE MONEY!!
Of course, that’s only if you intend on making this whole “music thing” profitable for yourself.
That being said, I’m really excited to be talking about some of my personal favourite online mastering services and companies in general!
I didn’t leave anything out. If it’s not on here, then I don’t endorse it.
Sometimes less is more, so we’re only focusing on the top contenders today…
- 1. Decibel Peak Productions
- 2. Abbey Road Studios
- 3. Metropolis Studios
- 4. LANDR Audio Mastering
- 5. CloudBounce Instant Audio Mastering
- Summary: 5+ BEST Online Mastering Services for Independent Artists
1. Decibel Peak Productions
That’s right, we’re tooting our own horn first!
Do you want your music to be mastered by yours truly? If so, then you simply need to visit THIS PAGE to get started.
To get an idea of what Decibel Peak Productions is capable of, you can LISTEN HERE.
We’ve also mastered music AND audio for TV broadcast, so you know it’ll be professional!
We also offer one of the most affordable online mastering services out there. Regardless of the length and complexity of your project, it’ll always cost the same… 50$.
If you want a sample before purchasing, you can request one HERE.
If you’ve got an album to master, you can also use the same form to get a reduced rate on bulk orders (3+ tracks).
So, what’s the advantage of working with us?
PROS
- Relatively affordable
- Small company = Better, personalized service
- Ability to get a FREE sample (request yours HERE)
- 100% satisfaction guarantee (revisions upon request)
CONS
- Not instantaneous (1-2 day turnaround)
- 100% digital mastering (not analog)
Still unsure if we’re right for each other?
We can also schedule a Zoom meeting to discuss your project.
2. Abbey Road Studios
YES, we’re talking about the same Abbey Roads Studios that took in…
- The Beatles
- Pink Floyd
- Iron Maiden
- Radiohead
It’s definitely NOT the most affordable online mastering service, but you’ll totally get your money’s worth if you want world-class engineers and analog mastering.
You even get to choose your own engineer!
Starting at 90$ per track, you’ll get a mastered WAV file and one revision if you need it.
Of course, you’ll also have the option to purchase upsells like different formats (DDPi, Apple Digital Master, 16-bit, MP3 and FLAC) and even CD/vinyl pressings.
Personally, I’d only consider the Apple Digital Master.
The option to have your music pressed on vinyl is cool too, but there’s better deals out there!
So, what’s the advantage of going with Abbey Roads Studios?
PROS
- Get to choose your own world-class engineer
- Ability to get one revision if you’re not satisfied
- Ability to communicate with your engineer
- Access to your own account
CONS
- It takes long (5-day turnaround)
- You can’t get a free sample before ordering
It might seem a bit gimmicky, but getting your music mastered here is worth it!
If you have any questions, you can contact them yourself.
3. Metropolis Studios
It might be lesser-known, but Metropolis Studios is just as big as Abbey Roads.
Here are some artists who have recorded here…
- Led Zeppelin
- Michael Jackson
- Muse
- U2
However, getting your music mastered by Metropolis Studios is still pretty expensive. It’s a minimum of 85$ per track…
AND that’s only if you don’t have a preference in regards to engineers.
If you want to be picky, you need to keep in mind that each engineer has his own base rate. You’ll also have the ability to request different file formats and vinyl pressings.
So, it’s basically the same deal as Abbey Roads, but it’s slightly less expensive.
The only advantage is that you can get alt-versions or different edits of your main mix mastered for an additional 60$ instead of paying the full price.
So, what are some other advantages of mastering with Metropolis Studios?
PROS
- Live chat on the website if you have questions
- It’s easier to place an order and more straightforward
- Ability to request one revision
CONS
- Choosing your engineer costs significantly more
- The turnaround is slow (5 days)
I still think Metropolis Studios deserves your business, especially if one of your favourite artists has recorded/been produced there.
If you want to get more info, I encourage you to contact them yourself!
4. LANDR Audio Mastering
Okay, now we’re getting into AI-powered online mastering services.
It might not be as prestigious as getting your music mastered by a professional, but it’ll definitely save you some time and money.
That being said, LANDR Audio Mastering is definitely one of the best.
I actually put it up against ME in a review I did on the service… CHECK IT OUT!!
The one thing that always confuses me about LANDR is the pricing model (partly because it’s always changing).
Anyway, it’ll cost you as little as 3.95$ per month for 2x MP3 masters.
To have unlimited access to HD WAV masters, it’ll cost as high as 33.25$ per month.
That being said, you’ll simply need to know what you need to get yourself the best deal. It’s pretty flexible and whatever masters you don’t use roll-over next month.
Here are the advantages of using LANDR Audio Mastering…
PROS
- Really fast, get your master in a few minutes
- Ability to do bulk mastering
- Ability to get a revision if you’re not satisfied
- Use a reference track to get the exact sound you want
CONS
- Pricing model is confusing and always changing
- It can take a few tries to get it right
Does the thought of replacing human beings with AI scare you?
I’m sure the folks at LANDR would be more than happy to put your mind at ease!
5. CloudBounce Instant Audio Mastering
Last, but certainly not least… We have CloudBounce!
It’s definitely the most affordable online mastering service on this page and is also powered by state-of-the-art AI technology.
It’ll cost you as little as 200$ if you pay yearly, 20$ if you pay monthly or 10$ if you need less than 2 masters per month.
That being said, I prefer CloudBounce for its simplicity and all-inclusiveness.
LANDR forces you to choose between WAV (CD vs HD) and MP3 formats. Well, CloudBounce gives you all three formats regardless of the package you purchase.
That’s much less of a headache, am I right?
CloudBounce even allows you to try the service for FREE!!
Once you’re in though, you’ll have access to all your tracks which will be automatically backed up in the cloud (hence, where the name comes from).
It’s nice to have all masters kept in one central place. You can even share them!
So, you’ll have many advantages with CloudBounce…
PROS
- Live chat on the website if you have questions
- Access to a FREE master to test it out
- Great platform to store, backup and share your music
- Unlimited masters in all formats if you go yearly/monthly
CONS
- Pay-as-you-go plan isn’t worth it
- Can’t master using a reference track
If you need more information on the service, just chat with the CloudBounce team from their home page!
Summary: 5+ BEST Online Mastering Services
So… Are you going to go with the professionals or delegate your mastering to artificial intelligence?
I’m really curious to hear which avenue you think is more interesting. Let’s start a discussion in the comments section!
Personally, I think the AI mastering option is much more affordable (time-wise and money-wise).
To be completely realistic, it might be the best option for most independent artists.
However, it’s even MORE affordable to learn how to mix and master your own music (if you’re into that kind of thing, that is).
If you ARE, then I highly recommend checking out my online course on mixing and mastering!
It’s called “MIX and MASTER IT Yourself!!” and costs as much as a monthly subscription to CloudBounce.
In less than a month, you’ll be mixing and mastering your music like a PRO!!
But if I had to choose one online mastering service on this list, it’d definitely be CloudBounce.
I’ll leave the rest up to you… If you have any questions, don’t be shy!
Thanks for reading, until next time.
Sources
https://shop.decibelpeak.com/product/online-music-mastering-services/
https://www.abbeyroad.com/online-mastering
https://www.thisismetropolis.com/onlinemastering/
3 thoughts on “5+ BEST Online Mastering Services for Independent Artists”
Audio mastering is a crucial step in the music production process.
You should give Masterchannel.ai a go, it’s been a total game changer for me!
Hey Karoline,
Shameless plug? ;D
I promise you that I’ll check it out and add it to the list if I like it. If you want to speed up the process, you can always shoot me an email.
Thanks for dropping by, take care!
– Stefan