Ozone
Ozone by iZotope is the dominant AI mastering plugin — Master Assistant tunes EQ, compression, stereo width, and loudness inside any DAW in minutes.
What is Ozone and how does it work?
Ozone by iZotope is the dominant AI mastering plugin in modern music production. It’s a complete mastering toolkit packaged as a VST/AU plugin that runs inside any major DAW — Logic Pro, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Pro Tools, Studio One, Cubase, and Reaper.
The plugin combines traditional mastering processors (EQ, multiband compression, stereo widening, limiting, imaging) with Master Assistant, an AI engine that listens to your track and proposes a complete mastering chain tailored to it.
How it works:
- Drop Ozone onto your master bus inside your DAW
- Master Assistant analyzes the track — frequency balance, dynamics, loudness
- The AI proposes a custom mastering chain with starting-point settings for each module
- Refine manually with the visual EQ, compression, and imaging controls
- Reference-based mastering lets you match the tone and loudness of a track you love
- Export the mastered file directly from your DAW
How much does Ozone cost?
Ozone is sold in tiered editions plus a subscription option:
- Elements — entry-tier with Master Assistant and core processors
- Standard — mid-tier with full module set for most users
- Advanced — pro-tier with every module, every algorithm, and granular control
- Subscription — $19.99/month bundles Ozone with other iZotope AI tools (Music Production Suite)
iZotope runs frequent sales — verify current pricing before buying. The subscription is the cheapest entry point if you’re not sure which tier you need.
How does Ozone compare to other AI mastering tools?
Ozone is in a category of its own as the dominant desktop AI mastering plugin:
| Ozone | LANDR Mastering | BandLab Mastering | MasterChannel | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Desktop plugin | Cloud + plugin | Cloud-only | Cloud-only |
| Pricing | One-time + subscription | Subscription + plugin | Free + premium | Subscription |
| Control | Full manual control | Limited manual tweaks | Preset selection | Preset + AI engine |
| Best for | Producers who want depth | Quick masters in DAW or web | Free unlimited demos | Named-producer AI signatures |
Choose Ozone when you want the deepest control combined with AI assistance, and you’re comfortable working inside a DAW. Choose cloud services when you prioritize speed and simplicity over depth.
What are some use cases for Ozone?
- Music mastering for release — finish tracks for streaming, vinyl, or radio with industry-standard quality
- Podcast production — clarity, voice EQ, and consistent loudness across episodes
- Film and video sound — balanced audio for visual media at broadcast loudness
- Live recording mastering — polish concert and field recordings for release
- Stem mastering — process individual instrument groups before final master assembly
- Mix-bus processing — light Ozone on the master bus while still mixing
- Reference matching — get your mix tonally aligned with a target track
Ozone is most valuable to producers, mixing engineers, and mastering engineers who want AI assistance plus full manual control — and who treat mastering as a craft worth learning, not just a one-button outcome.
