Streaming Loudness Targets
This page lists the LUFS and true peak targets for Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, broadcast and Netflix, marks which numbers were read at the source, and shows how far your master sits from each one.
Your master
Measure integrated loudness and true peak in your DAW or a meter that follows ITU-R BS.1770. This page does not measure audio.
| Platform | Target | Peak limit | Your master | Source |
|---|
Last checked 20 September 2026. Sources marked "read at source" were opened at the publisher. Sources marked "widely reported" come from third-party articles and were not confirmed at the publisher, so check them before a delivery that matters.
How to read the table
For streaming services the target is the level the service normalises playback to, so a master above the target is turned down and one below may be turned up depending on the service and the listener's setting. There is no pass or fail, only a gap in loudness units (LU). For broadcast and Netflix the target is a delivery specification with a tolerance, so the table shows whether your number falls inside it.
Broadcast and Netflix measure with a gating method. Netflix measures dialogue-gated loudness, so use a dialogue-gated reading for that row, not the whole programme.
Sources
- Spotify for Artists: Loudness normalization. Read 20 September 2026: default −14 LUFS, Loud −11, Quiet −19, true peak below −1 dBTP, and −2 dBTP for masters louder than −14 LUFS.
- EBU R 128 (2023). Read 20 September 2026: target −23.0 LUFS, permitted deviation ±1.0 LU, maximum true peak −1 dBTP.
- Apple Digital Masters. Read 20 September 2026: recommends at least 1 dB of headroom. It describes Sound Check but no LUFS figure was found in it.
- Production Expert on Apple's −16 LUFS and Meterplugs on YouTube's −14 LUFS. Third-party reports. Neither links an official statement.
- Fora Soft: LUFS targets per platform 2026. Third-party summary used for Tidal, Amazon Music, ATSC A/85 and Netflix.
- Netflix Sound Mix Specifications. This is the page to check for Netflix. It could not be opened when these numbers were compiled, so the Netflix figure has not been confirmed there.
Questions
What is the best LUFS for Spotify?
Spotify tells artists to target −14 LUFS integrated, with true peak below −1 dBTP. If your master is louder than −14 LUFS, Spotify says to keep true peak below −2 dBTP to avoid distortion when the audio is encoded.
Do I have to hit the target exactly?
For streaming services, no. The service adjusts playback level for you. For broadcast and Netflix the delivery specification applies and you should stay within the stated tolerance.
Is anything uploaded?
No. You type numbers into the page and it compares them in your browser.