Top RNNoise Alternatives for Cleaner Audio Workflows

Quick Summary

This guide compares the best RNNoise alternatives, including Cleanvoice, Krisp, NVIDIA RTX Voice, Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech, and Auphonic. It explains where RNNoise still works well, where it struggles, and which tools fit different workflows. Use this comparison to choose the right solution for live calls, recorded audio, or automated post-production. Explore the Cleanvoice blog for deeper audio workflow guides.

Why Many Creators End Up Replacing RNNoise

RNNoise can handle steady background noise like fan hum, air conditioning, and electrical buzz. But it becomes harder to rely on when the audio gets less predictable. Wind, traffic, room chatter, and overlapping voices can still cut through or affect voice quality.

It also wasn’t built as a simple file-based editing tool. RNNoise is mainly used for real-time audio, which means cleaning up recorded interviews, podcasts, or videos often requires extra setup. Many users end up dealing with LADSPA or LV2 plugins inside a Linux audio workflow, which is fine for developers and audio engineers, but not ideal for creators who just want a cleaner recording.

This Cleanvoice article breaks down the best RNNoise alternatives for real-world audio workflows. You’ll find tools that work better with recorded audio, require less setup, and make noise removal much easier for everyday editing workflows.

Why Listen to Us?

Cleanvoice processes voice recordings across podcasts, interviews, and other production workflows. That gives us direct insight into the audio and speech issues that tools like RNNoise need to handle. We also offer an API for direct access to audio cleanup, transcription, subtitles, and exports, plus an SDK that handles uploads, job polling, and downloads for faster setup.

What Is RNNoise?

RNNoise is an open-source C library for real-time noise suppression developed by Jean-Marc Valin at Mozilla Research. It uses a recurrent neural network to classify and suppress non-speech audio in a live audio stream. The tool is also commonly integrated into WebRTC-based applications and accessible via LADSPA/LV2 plugins on Linux.

Key Features

• Real-Time Processing: Lightweight RNN model built for low-latency audio stream cleanup
• Best with Steady Noise: Works well on fan noise, HVAC hum, and electrical interference
• Built for Developers: Embeddable C library with bindings for custom audio pipelines
• Linux Audio Integration: Commonly used with WebRTC and EasyEffects setups on Linux
• Minimal Latency Overhead: Optimized for real-time conversations with negligible processing delay

Pricing

Free and open source under a 3-Clause BSD license.

Limitations of RNNoise

• No File-Based Processing: Requires a live audio stream; cleaning a recorded file needs a custom wrapper.
• Stationary Noise Only: Variable sources like wind, crowd noise, intermittent interference, produce inconsistent results.
• No Interface or Controls: No settings, no preview, no interaction without pipeline integration.
• Developer-Oriented Setup: Requires LADSPA/LV2 configuration, PipeWire/JACK routing, or C library embedding.
• No Voice-Specific Tuning: The model has no awareness of podcast or interview contexts.

Top RNNoise Alternatives

1. Cleanvoice
2. Krisp
3. NVIDIA RTX Voice
4. Adobe Podcast — Enhance Speech
5. Auphonic

Cleanvoice

Cleanvoice is a cloud-based audio processing API built for voice content. Where RNNoise requires integration into a custom audio pipeline, Cleanvoice exposes noise suppression as a managed API service. You can also use the Cleanvoice SDK for a simpler setup, since it wraps file uploads, job polling, and downloads.

This makes it a practical option for teams that need noise suppression without building or maintaining real-time audio pipelines. It is especially useful for workflows involving recorded audio rather than live streams.

Cleanvoice is especially suited to pipelines handling audio recorded outside controlled environments. Remote interviews, online calls, home office recordings, and user-submitted content often contain variable background noise that stationary-noise models handle inconsistently. The API processes those recordings reliably at scale while preserving the natural character of the speaker's voice.

Key Features

• AI Noise Removal: Processes uploaded audio files directly, with no real-time pipeline or plugin setup required.
• Single-Pass Cleanup: Removes filler words, stutters, mouth sounds, and silence in one editing pass.
• Post-Production Focus: Built for recorded voice content like podcasts, interviews, webinars, and online courses.
• Studio Sound 3.0 Enhancement: Default template auto-enhances audio quality, not just cleaning but professional-grade improvement.
• API and SDK access: Add Cleanvoice to an app or workflow through the API, or use the SDK to handle uploads, polling, and downloads with less custom code.
• Online Mic Check: Quickly tests and evaluates microphone quality through a browser-based online microphone test before recording.

Pricing

• Free trial available, no credit card required
• Pay-As-You-Go: $11 for 5 hours ($2.20/hour)
• Subscription: $11/month (10 hours) → $90/month (100 hours)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for high-volume use

Pros

• Users appreciate that it removes the need for any audio setup or technical configuration
• Strong at handling unpredictable, real-world recordings like Zoom calls and remote interviews better than RNNoise
• Significantly reduces editing time for creators working with podcast or voice content
• Preferred by non-technical users because results are immediate and consistent without tuning

Cons

• Built for voice recordings, not music or non-speech audio.

Krisp

Krisp is a real-time noise cancellation tool built for live calls and meetings. It works by creating a virtual audio device that sits between your microphone and conferencing apps, removing background noise and echo before your voice is transmitted.

Unlike RNNoise, which requires developer setup or pipeline integration, Krisp is designed for everyday users who want plug-and-play noise suppression. It works across Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, and other conferencing tools without configuration and is commonly used in remote work environments with unpredictable background noise.

Key Features

• Real-Time Noise & Echo Removal: Virtual audio device that removes background noise and echo instantly during live calls.
• Two-Way Audio Processing: Filters both your voice and incoming audio across all conferencing apps in real time.
• System-Wide Compatibility: Works across Zoom, Meet, Teams, and other apps without per-app configuration.
• Lightweight CPU Performance: Runs entirely on CPU with no GPU required, optimized for Mac and Windows systems.
• Background Voice Removal: Can suppress nearby conversations in open office environments.

Pricing

• Free: 7-day trial with full premium access, no credit card required
• Core: $8/user/month, billed annually (for individuals and small teams)
• Advanced: $15/user/month, billed annually (expanded controls and integrations)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing (org-wide security, compliance, and scalable deployment)

Pros

• Works out of the box with all major conferencing apps
• Handles variable, non-stationary noise better than RNNoise
• Cleans both incoming and outgoing audio in real time
• Easy to set up with no technical configuration

Cons

• Can be CPU-heavy during live processing on some systems
• Only works for live calls, not recorded audio files
• Occasional reports of glitches, driver issues, and dropped audio during meetings

NVIDIA Broadcast (formerly RTX Voice)

NVIDIA Broadcast is NVIDIA’s current real-time audio and video enhancement app, with RTX Voice now treated as its older noise removal tool. For users with supported RTX hardware, NVIDIA Broadcast is a RNNoise alternative that offers GPU-based noise removal for live calls, streams, and recordings, and works with apps like OBS, Discord, Zoom, Slack, and Microsoft Teams.

The main drawback is hardware support. NVIDIA Broadcast only works with supported NVIDIA RTX GPUs, so it’s not an option for users on AMD, Intel, or older NVIDIA hardware. That’s why CPU-based, open-source tools like RNNoise are still common fallbacks.

Key Features

• GPU-Accelerated Noise Suppression: Uses RTX GPU acceleration for real-time cleanup of microphone and speaker audio
• Streaming Platform Integration: Works natively with OBS, Discord, Zoom, and other live streaming or conferencing platforms
• Bidirectional Audio Processing: Reduces background noise on both input and output audio streams in real time
• No Subscription Required: Available at no additional cost for users with compatible NVIDIA RTX graphics cards
• Adjustable Noise Modes: Offers different suppression levels for natural vs aggressive filtering

Pricing

Free with a compatible NVIDIA RTX GPU

Pros

• Best-in-class real-time suppression for RTX hardware users
• No ongoing cost
• Handles complex layered noise better than CPU-based alternatives
• Very stable for long streaming or recording sessions once set up

Cons

• Requires NVIDIA RTX GPU,  incompatible with AMD, Intel, or older NVIDIA cards
• Windows only; no macOS support
• Only works for live audio, not recorded file processing

Adobe Podcast — Enhance Speech

Adobe's Enhance Speech is a browser-based tool that improves voice recordings by removing noise and reverb from uploaded audio files. It requires no setup, installation, or audio pipeline configuration. Users simply upload a file and download a cleaned version.

For anyone running RNNoise through a custom Linux pipeline to process recorded files, this is a significant simplification and one that works on any operating system, including macOS and Windows. It is commonly used for podcast edits, voiceovers, and remote recordings where room echo and background noise affect clarity, offering a quick way to improve speech quality without technical tools or plugins.

Key Features

• Browser-Based Processing: Upload and enhance audio directly in the browser with no installation required for basic use.
• Reverb & Noise Removal: Reduces room echo, room tone, and background noise in the same enhancement pass.
• Speech-Focused Enhancement: Trained specifically on spoken audio to keep voices sounding natural and clear.
• Simple Workflow: Designed for quick cleanup of podcasts, interviews, voiceovers, and remote recordings.
• Voice Clarity Enhancement: Improves intelligibility and tonal balance for speech recordings.

Pricing

• Free Plan: Limited enhancement, single-file uploads, up to 1 hour/day

• Premium Plan: $9.99/month

• Bulk uploads

• Video support

• Adjustable enhancement controls

• Expanded Studio exports

• Up to 4 hours/day processing

• 30-day free trial included 

Pros

• Works in any browser on any operating system with no hardware requirements
• Handles reverb and room tone, not just stationary noise
• Produces natural-sounding voice improvement without needing tuning or expertise
• Often used as a final polish before publishing to quickly improve already-edited audio

Cons

• No API for automated workflows
• Limited to noise and reverb removal, no filler word removal or broader editing
• Free tier has usage limitations for heavier workloads

Auphonic

Auphonic is an automated audio post-production service that includes noise reduction as part of a complete mastering workflow. Instead of focusing only on noise suppression like RNNoise, it handles full audio preparation for publishing, including loudness normalization and multi-speaker balancing.

For podcasters running RNNoise as part of a manual post-production chain, Auphonic replaces several steps simultaneously. The noise reduction is reliable for typical recording conditions, consistent enough that the majority of podcast producers using it describe their export-to-publish workflow as fully automated once configured.

Key Features

• Automated Audio Processing: Noise reduction, leveling, and mastering in one pass.
• Loudness Normalization: EBU R128 broadcast standard compliance.
• Multi-Speaker Leveling: Balances inconsistent speaker volumes automatically.
• Publishing Integrations: Direct export to podcast platforms.
• API Access: Supports automated audio workflows.

Pricing

• Free Plan: 2 hours/month (includes Auphonic jingle on exports)

• Paid Plans:

• $11/month → 9 hours

• $24/month → 21 hours

• $49/month → 45 hours

• $99/month → 100 hours

• One-Time Credits: $12 for 5 hours (no expiration)

Pros

• Users value how it replaces multiple editing steps in one automated workflow
• Reduces manual post-production time significantly for recurring podcast production
• Reliable for consistent audio leveling across different speakers
• Integrates directly into publishing pipelines, reducing export friction

Cons

• Noise reduction less aggressive than dedicated tools on severe background noise
• Interface is dated as first-time setup requires adjustment
• Less suited to non-podcast formats or complex production workflows

Use Cleanvoice to Clean Recorded Audio Without Complex Setup

RNNoise still works well for lightweight, real-time suppression of steady background noise in live audio streams. But many users need support for recorded interviews, inconsistent noise, simpler workflows, or faster editing.

Cleanvoice fits recorded voice and post-production workflows, while Krisp and RTX Voice are better for live calls and streaming. Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech keeps browser cleanup simple, and Auphonic suits podcasters managing full production workflows.

If the priority is cleaning up recorded audio without plugins, pipelines, or manual editing, try Cleanvoice. Use the API for direct workflow control or the SDK for faster setup, with uploads, polling, and downloads already handled.

Create a free account, upload a recording, and hear the difference in minutes.