WavePad(Opens in a new tab), developed by NCH Software, is an accessible audio editor for Mac and Windows, with apps for iOS, Android, and Kindle also available. WavePad combines this flexibility with support for a large number of formats, including MP3, WAV, VOX, GSM, WMA, AU, AIF, FLAC, Real Audio, OGG, AAC, M4A, MID, AMR. Also, its educational tools are integrated into the app and available in various places. So it's a great starting point if you're new to audio editing.
We've long been fans of the developer's other creative tools, like the Debut Video Capture tool and its VideoPad video editor, but can WavePad match them?
WavePad: Pricing and Plans
- Free versions, free trials, one-time purchases, and subscription plans available
WavePad is available as a free audio editor. It includes some of the features of WavePad Masters Advanced Edition, but is limited to non-commercial use. The complete Master's edition is normally €100 and the standard edition is €60. Discounts are often available.
These are billed as a "one-time charge." But while minor updates and bug fixes are free, NCH only guarantees free updates for six months after purchase, though you can always try before you buy.
Trying the standard version also lets you play with all of Masters' features, but when you finally pay for the standard version, you'll have to get used to using it without VST plugin support, 800 SFX library, and 200 music files. WavePad Master's Edition comes with unlimited access to all of these advantages. Standard users will be limited to three downloads of these premium features.
If you don't want to pay for updates, you'll need to opt for the subscription service which costs €7.16 per month. If you're a business that moves large amounts of files that require batch editing or conversion, it's good value for money.
The latest version is available for Mac OS 12 and higher, Windows 11, 10, XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 8.1, iOS 6.0 and higher, and Android 2.3.3 or higher. You can even install it on your Kindle.
WavePad: interface
- Simple, versatile and flexible, but needs adjustment
NCH's sound editor interface is initially very attractive. Even though there's a lot going on on the screen, it's not that hard to find things and there's a whole set of video tutorials, available right from the app. The videos are short and cover one feature at a time, making it easy to learn the parts of the program you need, depending on what you're doing. For absolute beginners this is a great help.
If you find it a bit overwhelming due to the large number of tabs and menus, don't worry, some of them are duplicated. This is for ease of navigation, but could be irritating to those who know what they want and where to look for it. On the other hand, you may want to find the same tools in different tasks.
This utilitarian approach continues in the effects menus, which are grouped into Basic, Popular, and Pro, each with a selection of progressively more detailed and practical effects. If you want your workflow to suit you, you'll love the helpful one-click customizable toolbar.
Don't be fooled by the presence of beginner tools and simplified interfaces. NCH designed the software "with the professional sound engineer in mind." There are certainly plenty of tools for those who process large amounts of material, even in batches, and this intent, coupled with the nice and intuitive interface, makes the app suitable for many applications.
WavePad: Editing
- Command Bar provides learning support, the tool features lossless conversions and good file management
WavePad Audio Editor claims that its easy-to-use interface will have you editing in minutes. They are not wrong.
All the necessary editing functions are there and quite easy to find, and if you need help at any time, you have the command bar in the View menu that guides you through the tasks step by step in a frame to the left of the work space. Recent files are saved here and tutorial videos are available.
WavePad can work with MP4 video files and supports sample rates from 6 to 192 kHz. Supports 8, 16, 24, and 32-bit recordings. Basic operations like cut, copy, and paste, and even zoom and normalize, can also be performed losslessly. This is useful to prevent large amounts of encoding and re-encoding operations from ending up producing sound anomalies.
There are many features for audio restoration, noise reduction and click removal, you can normalize and equalize and add reverb and echo to fine tune your work.
In addition to having many batch functions for splitting and joining audio, WavePad also takes care of telling you what happens to your files, whether they will need to be converted for any function and what happens to them.
WavePad: Tools
- Great batch editing and spectral analysis tools, but no mixer
There are many useful tools for working with and organizing your material, such as cleanup and bookmarks (called bookmarks), and you can easily view a full list of bookmarks you've created to simplify your editing workflow.
The selection tools are numerous, including by start and end coordinates, and the spectral analysis can be linear or logarithmic. This kind of highly detailed view suggests deep engagement and fine tuning of sounds. On the other hand, there is no mixer in the show and it is just a single track recording. WavePad integrates with another NCH software, MixPad Multi-Track Audio Mixer and you can access this link directly from the sound editor.
WavePad supports a large number of formats, making it useful for people who simply need to convert audio files, although the company also offers a dedicated app, Switch Audio Converter, if that's a real need.
One of the biggest drawbacks is that the software continually prompts you to purchase the full program, and a series of "background items added" messages also seem to appear on your screen. In addition to this, when closing and reopening, you may get the message that you can now only work with a reduced set of tools.
WavePad: batch processing and customization features
- Seamless batch functions increase the available apps while the customizable menu bar comes in handy
We were particularly impressed with WavePad's batch editing capabilities. You can batch merge or batch convert to a very long list of formats. This makes the program useful as a simple conversion tool. It's not just that there's a batch editor, because that's necessary for any serious use. WavePad puts your casting, batch editing, and conversion capabilities front and center. This increases the real value by increasing the possible applications of the program.
For example, Batch Join can be used as a sort of editing tool or "take selector", a useful asset for those looking to split or join pre-scored records en masse, while Batch Export helps you move large amounts of content together. of these formats.
It's really helpful that there are so many undos and that editing information is saved when tracks are split. It would also be great to be able to bulk save all the multiple tabs created just by splitting the track at the playhead. It would be helpful to be able to click on these tabs to rename them as well. Mac users may find these kinds of details time consuming.
Whichever option you click on in the main menu bar, the icon menu is displayed below. The music creation software offers a custom option where you create your own menu screen. This is a great feature that makes the program even more useful for those who use batch processing features or common workflows that require specific features.
- Customization and batch functions: 4/5
WavePad: Board
Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 - Cell 0 Row 0 - Cell 1 Row 0 - Cell 2 Pricing and plans Lots of free and paid options for users4 InterfaceSimple and easy to use, but could be more refined4EditingExpect lossless conversions and stellar file management4ToolsGood range of tools, but unfortunately no mixer3.5Batch and customization featuresPerfect tools increase use cases4I should buy?
Buy it if...
No need for a mixer or multitrack recording
Do you want to learn as you go?
You want to customize your workflow
Don't buy if...
Do you want to record in multitrack?
You want to mix in your DAW
WavePad: Alternatives
If you are looking for an alternative audio editor to WavePad, try Audacity, Adobe Audition, CyberLink AudioDirector. If you're working on Mac, also check out GarageBand or Logic Pro just for Apple.