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Podcasts should target about −16 LUFS integrated loudness with a true peak no higher than −1 dBTP. Here is what that means and how to hit it.
A podcast should target roughly −16 LUFS integrated loudness, with a true peak no higher than −1 dBTP. That combination keeps speech clear and consistent across episodes and matches how the major podcast platforms normalise loudness on playback, so listeners are not constantly reaching for the volume control.
| Use case | Integrated loudness | True peak |
|---|---|---|
| Podcast / spoken word | ≈ −16 LUFS | ≤ −1 dBTP |
| Music streaming (Spotify, Apple Music) | ≈ −14 LUFS | ≤ −1 dBTP |
| Broadcast (EBU R128) | −23 LUFS | ≤ −1 dBTP |
Podcast apps normalise toward roughly −16 to −14 LUFS, so delivering a consistent −16 LUFS is a reliable default for talk content.
Two files can peak at the same level yet sound very different in perceived volume. LUFS measures perceived loudness over time, which is what a listener actually experiences. Matching a loudness target makes your back catalogue feel even from episode to episode and prevents a new episode from arriving noticeably hotter or quieter than the last.
AudioLinter measures integrated loudness (LUFS) and true peak (dBTP) right inside the WordPress editor and flags anything outside the podcast target range. On paid plans, a one-click repair normalises the file toward −16 LUFS / −1 dBTP using two-pass EBU R128 processing, and re-analyses the result — without leaving your post.
Aim for about −16 LUFS integrated loudness with a true peak at or below −1 dBTP. This is the widely used production target for spoken-word podcasts and sits comfortably with how Apple Podcasts and Spotify normalise playback.
−16 LUFS is the common spoken-word target and is a safe choice. −14 LUFS is typical for music streaming. Because platforms normalise loudness on playback, delivering around −16 LUFS keeps speech clear without being pushed too hard.
dB is a relative ratio. LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale) is an absolute, perceptual loudness measurement defined by ITU-R BS.1770 / EBU R128 that models how loud audio actually sounds, which is why it is used as a delivery target instead of raw dB peaks.
Integrated loudness is the average perceived loudness across the whole file (gated per EBU R128), as opposed to momentary or short-term loudness. It is the single number you match to a target like −16 LUFS.
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