The right Auphonic alternative depends on which part of its job you need replaced. Cleaning up noise and levelling loudness are different tasks, and many tools only do the first. Choose between cleanup plugins, automatic editors, spoken-word editors and all-in-one podcast tools, then check how you'll hit your platform's loudness target before you switch.
Cleaning up a recording and levelling it are two separate jobs. Auphonic, an automatic audio post production service, has long been the go-to for doing both without thinking about it, which is exactly why leaving it can catch people out.
Below are eight alternatives, in no particular order. I've sorted them into four approaches first, because a repair plugin, an automatic editor and an all-in-one podcast tool fit very different workflows.
Four ways to clean up spoken audio
Cleanup plugins. iZotope RX and Accentize are plugins that sit inside your editing software. They give you detailed control over noise, dialogue isolation and restoration, which suits editors who already work in a full audio or video editor.
Automatic editors. Cleanvoice AI and Resound remove filler words, mouth sounds and long silences for you. Audo is a collection of quick online tools for noise removal and voice enhancement.
Spoken-word editors. Hindenburg is editing software built for journalists and storytellers, with narration and field recording tools.
All-in-one podcast tools. Alitu automates the technical steps of making an episode, and Podsqueeze adds transcripts, summaries and clips around an audio enhancer.
The eight at a glance
| Tool | Approach | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Accentize | Dialogue restoration plugin | Speech enhancement plugins inside your editing software |
| Alitu | Podcast maker | Podcasters who want the technical steps automated |
| Audo | Cleanup tool collection | Quick online cleanup, voice enhancement and captions |
| Cleanvoice AI | Automatic podcast editor | Removing fillers, mouth sounds and silence automatically |
| Hindenburg | Spoken-word editor | Journalists and storytellers editing spoken word |
| iZotope RX | Pro audio repair suite | Detailed repair of noisy or damaged recordings |
| Podsqueeze | Podcast workflow with enhancer | Turning an episode into transcripts, clips and posts |
| Resound | AI podcast editor | Cutting ums, ahs and long pauses automatically |
What each one handles
Alphabetical, nothing more.
Accentize
Best for: Editors who want dialogue restoration and noise reduction plugins inside the audio or video software they already use (the vendor calls its work award-winning).
Alitu
Best for: Solo podcasters who'd like the technical side of making an episode automated, from cleanup to publishing, so they can get on with talking.
Audo
Best for: Creators wanting quick online noise removal, voice enhancement and transcription for audio and video, with the vendor saying no sign-up is needed.
Cleanvoice AI
Best for: Podcasters who want background noise, filler words, mouth sounds and silence removed automatically, with multitrack edits kept in sync.
Hindenburg
Best for: Journalists, radio producers and storytellers editing spoken-word audio, with separate tools for narration and field recording.
iZotope RX
Best for: Audio engineers and video editors who need detailed repair of noisy or damaged recordings with dialogue isolation and cleanup plugins.
Podsqueeze
Best for: Podcasters who want an audio enhancer alongside transcripts, summaries, social posts and clips made from each episode.
Resound
Best for: Interview podcasters who want the ums, ahs and long awkward silences found and cut for them by AI.
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Noise removal isn't loudness levelling
Most tools on any shortlist like this remove noise, fillers or silence. That's useful, but it isn't the same as levelling. Levelling means making a quiet host and a loud guest sit at a comfortable, even volume, and hitting the loudness target your podcast platform or video channel expects.
Before you leave a levelling service, check whether the replacement lets you set and hit a loudness target for your platform. If it doesn't, you'll need to level the file somewhere else as a last step, either in your editing software or with a separate tool. Neither is hard, but it's an extra step you didn't have before, and it's easy to forget on a busy week.
If you skip it, listeners notice. They'll turn the volume up for your intro and then scramble to turn it down when your guest laughs.
My advice for a smooth switch
Map your current workflow on paper first: record, clean, edit, level, export, publish. Then mark which of those steps each tool on your shortlist covers. Most podcasters end up with one tool for cleanup and editing, plus a clear plan for levelling, rather than a single replacement.
Keep your old service running for one or two episodes while you test, so you can compare the two versions directly. For more options, my list of the best AI audio enhancers covers cleanup in more depth, and the best AI voice isolators help when background noise is your main problem.
The earbuds test
Take one episode with a loud guest and a quiet host, and run it through the tools you're considering. Then listen to each version on basic earbuds, the way most of your audience will, rather than on studio headphones. Listen for three things: whether the two voices sit at the same volume, whether the cleanup has made either voice sound thin or robotic, and whether any breaths or words have been cut that shouldn't have been. Ten minutes of listening will tell you more than any feature list.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between noise removal and loudness levelling?
Noise removal takes out unwanted sounds such as hum, hiss or background noise. Loudness levelling evens out the volume between speakers and brings the whole file to a target loudness for your platform.
Do podcast platforms have loudness targets?
Many platforms recommend a loudness level so episodes play at a similar volume. Check your hosting platform's own guidance for the target it suggests.
Can AI remove filler words from a podcast?
Yes. Several tools find and cut ums, ahs and long silences automatically. Listen back to the edit, because cutting too much can make speech sound rushed.
Do I need a plugin or a web tool?
If you already edit in full audio or video software, a plugin keeps everything in one place. If you'd rather upload a file and get it back cleaned, a web tool is simpler.
How do I test a podcast cleanup tool?
Use one real episode with uneven voices, run it through two tools, and listen on earbuds. Compare volume between speakers, voice quality and any words that were cut by mistake.
