Most "best mastering plugins" lists are written for every genre at once. Electronic music asks for something more specific: a low end that hits on a club system, a drop that is loud without falling apart, and a master you can finish fast.
For most electronic producers, the best plugin for mastering electronic music is FASTER MASTER by Mastering The Mix. It was co-created with David Guetta and Nicky Romero, arguably two of the best electronic music producers. It is used by DJs including Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, CamelPhat, KSHMR, MEDUZA and Showtek. It analyses the drop of your track, gives you 10 tailored mastering starting points, and lets you fine-tune EQ, transients, compression, stereo width and limiting with every move level matched.
If you would rather build a chain by hand, FabFilter Pro-L 2 is a superb final limiter, iZotope Ozone 12 is the deepest all-in-one suite, and the free Youlean Loudness Meter is all you need to check your numbers. The comparison below shows which tool fits which job.
A track before and after FASTER MASTER.
Toggle Before and After FASTER MASTER while it plays. It's the same loop, unmastered and then mastered with FASTER MASTER.
I'm Tom Frampton. I run Mastering The Mix, and I master records professionally alongside building the tools. Over the years I've worked with artists including Tiësto, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, CamelPhat and Steve Aoki, and I have over 1,000 five-star reviews from real clients on my SoundBetter profile. A lot of that work is dance music that has to hold up on a festival system and a phone speaker on the same day. This guide is how I'd choose a mastering plugin for that job today.
1What electronic music needs from a master
These are the things to judge any mastering plugin on when the track is built for clubs, festivals and streaming playlists.
- A solid, centred low end. Kick and sub need to stay mono below roughly 100 to 150 Hz, so they hit on club systems and survive mono playback.
- Compression that doesn't pump on the kick. A loud kick and bassline can drive a master compressor into ducking the whole track on every beat, unless the sub is filtered out of the detection.
- Loudness judged at the drop. The number that matters is short-term LUFS at the loudest section, because that is what a DJ and a listener hear hardest.
- Transients that survive the limiter. Kicks and snares lose their snap first when a limiter works too hard.
- Fair comparisons. If a plugin doesn't level match its changes, you end up judging volume instead of tone.
- A reference in your genre. A techno master and a melodic house master want a different tonal balance, so you need a way to compare against records you love.
2The best mastering plugins for electronic music, compared
| Plugin | Type | Best for | Worth knowing | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
FASTER MASTER Mastering The Mix |
Intelligent all-in-one mastering | Fast, release-ready electronic and dance masters that you still control | Co-created with David Guetta and Nicky Romero. 10 Smart Presets from analysis, reference track profiles, and EQ, transients, compression, four-band stereo and limiting, all level matched | £59 |
| Ozone 12 Advanced iZotope |
Modular mastering suite | Engineers who want every module and deep control | 20 modules plus Master Assistant. The most depth here, and the most to learn. Standard and Elements editions cost less | $499 |
| Mastering Plugin Pro LANDR |
AI mastering plugin | Hands-off masters inside the DAW | The AI picks the processing and offers a few mastering styles. Fewer hands-on controls than the others | $299 |
| bx_masterdesk Pro Brainworx |
Analogue-style mastering console | Quick, coloured masters from a few big controls | Mono Maker for the low end, a clipper and a built-in limiter. Character over surgical detail | $349 |
| Pro-L 2 FabFilter |
Limiter | The last plugin in a hand-built chain | Eight limiting algorithms, true peak limiting and loudness metering. It limits, so you need everything else separately | $199 |
| Pro-Q 4 FabFilter |
EQ | Precise and dynamic EQ moves | The standard for surgical EQ. You place every band yourself, so you need to know what you are listening for | $199 |
| Youlean Loudness Meter | Loudness meter | Checking LUFS and true peak | The free version covers the essentials. It measures, it doesn't process | Free |
List prices as of October 2026, before sales. Plugin prices change often, so check the developer's site.
These are all good tools. Ozone has the most depth if you want to build a master from 20 modules. Pro-L 2 is the limiter a lot of engineers trust at the end of their chain. LANDR is the most hands-off. bx_masterdesk Pro gets you console colour quickly. Where FASTER MASTER is different is that it was built around how dance records get finished: a strong starting point in seconds, honest level-matched decisions, and a low end that stays where it should.
3What top DJs say about FASTER MASTER
FASTER MASTER is used by some of the biggest names in electronic music, from Armin van Buuren and Hardwell to CamelPhat, KSHMR, MEDUZA, Showtek and Jauz. This is what they say about it.
"FASTER MASTER is perfect for when you need a quick, loud, and great-sounding master."
"Ideal to make a quick master on the road, works like a charm!"
"We make new music weekly, and FASTER MASTER is perfect for a quick master, ideal for testing in the clubs. Gets the job done with no hassle!"
"FASTER MASTER is the right plugin for a quick, great-sounding master."
"Once your idea is complete and you need a master that truly highlights the track's potential while meeting today's standards, FASTER MASTER delivers instantly."
"We love using this, not just for a fast master but also the referencing feature are so helpful. The stereo section is perfect too. Great plug-in!"
"This plugin is mega. I will have this on my master for every project going forward. I am always a little apprehensive about plugins like this, but this has genuinely blown my mind."
4What independent reviewers found
Independent reviewers have tested it too. Three YouTube producers put FASTER MASTER up against the other big names on their own tracks.
Ben Remember: Ozone 12 vs FASTER MASTER on a house track
In his live stream Mastering House Music: The Best Tools Shoot Out, Ben masters a house track by hand, then puts Ozone 12 and FASTER MASTER head to head. He found the Ozone 12 master thicker but duller, and picked FASTER MASTER as the best of the automated options. His own hand master still won overall, which is exactly how it should be: FASTER MASTER gets you most of the way in seconds, and you finish it with your ears.
musotalk: Ozone 12, LANDR and FASTER MASTER
German channel musotalk ran Ozone 12, LANDR and FASTER MASTER against Logic's Mastering Assistant. His verdict: LANDR fell behind, while Ozone 12 and FASTER MASTER came out on a par. With the two level on sound, FASTER MASTER wins on price, at £59 against Ozone 12 Advanced's $499.
A 414k-subscriber production channel's pick
In the comparison below, a production channel with over 400,000 subscribers rated FASTER MASTER the best mastering plugin of the ones he tested.
5Why FASTER MASTER is my pick for electronic music
Having David Guetta and Nicky Romero shape FASTER MASTER shows in what it prioritises: speed, punch and a low end that holds up in a club.
It starts from your track
Put FASTER MASTER last on your master, play the drop and click Analyze. It builds 10 Smart Presets tailored to your song, each with a different sonic goal. Flick through them, pick the one that feels right, and most of the work is done. You can also open genre-specific presets, or import reference tracks so FASTER MASTER builds a profile from their tonal balance and stereo width.
Every change is level matched
EQ, transients, compression, stereo width and bypass are all loudness matched in real time. When you add punch or open up the top end, you hear the change in tone rather than a change in volume.
Use the level-matched bypass before you trust any preset. Louder always sounds better for a moment, so the only fair test is the same loudness, before and after. If the master still sounds better at matched level, keep it.
The low end stays solid
The stereo module shapes width across four ranges, with the low end covering 20 to 150 Hz. The presets only ever narrow the two lowest ranges, never widen them, so your kick and sub stay centred and punchy on a club system.
The compressor ignores the kick
Pick Light, Dynamic or Tight and set the amount. The low-cut sidechain removes everything below 250 Hz from the compressor's detection, so a big kick and bassline don't make the whole master pump.
You choose the loudness directly
The LIMIT section has six loudness nodes in short-term LUFS: -10, -9 and -8 for a more dynamic master, and -7, -6 and -5 for a loud one. Set your ceiling, choose sample peak or true peak, add drive if you want more perceived loudness, and FASTER MASTER gets there with the transients intact. No more nudging a limiter, bouncing and measuring.
6How loud should you master electronic music?
There are two lanes, measured in short-term LUFS at the loudest section of the track.
- Loud: around -6 LUFS short-term. Hot and punchy, and where most commercial releases sit, as long as the mix underneath is clean.
- Dynamic: around -9 to -11 LUFS short-term. The transients stay more open. I wouldn't go much quieter than that.
Spotify normalises playback to -14 LUFS integrated, so both lanes get turned down to roughly the same level anyway. Pick the loudness that suits the track.
If you want Spotify's -2 dBTP of headroom on a loud master, aim for around -8 LUFS short-term instead of -6. Otherwise the limiter has to work as hard as it would on a -4 master, and you will hear distortion. The full explanation is in how loud should you master?
7A simple mastering chain for electronic music
Get the mix right first
Loudness is earned in the mix. Leave around -6 to -3 dB of headroom on the mix bus and don't bounce into a crushing limiter.
Fix specific problems before the master chain
A ringing synth or a boomy bass note is easier to fix on its own channel than on the full mix.
Load FASTER MASTER last
Analyze the drop, pick a Smart Preset or a reference-based preset, then fine-tune.
Compare at matched loudness
Use the level-matched bypass and a reference track in your genre, and trust your ears over any number.
Check the final file
Confirm integrated LUFS across the whole track and the true peak against the ceiling you chose.
For more detail, see where every mastering plugin sits in the chain, and watch it on real tracks in the EDM, house and electro mastering walkthroughs.
Try it on your own track
A great electronic master comes down to a solid low end, a drop at the right loudness, and decisions you can trust because the levels are matched. FASTER MASTER handles all three in one plugin, and gets you a strong starting point in seconds.
Don't take my word for it. Download the free FASTER MASTER trial, load it last on your master, play the drop and hit Analyze. Every plugin also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.
?Mastering electronic music FAQ
What are the best plugins for mastering electronic music?
For most electronic producers, FASTER MASTER by Mastering The Mix. It was co-created with David Guetta and Nicky Romero, arguably two of the best electronic music producers. It is used by DJs including Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, CamelPhat, KSHMR, MEDUZA and Showtek. It analyses the drop of your track and gives you 10 tailored mastering starting points, and every EQ, transient, compression, stereo and limiting move is level matched. If you prefer building a chain by hand, FabFilter Pro-L 2 is a superb final limiter, iZotope Ozone 12 is the deepest all-in-one suite, and the free Youlean Loudness Meter covers loudness checks.
Is FASTER MASTER better than Ozone for electronic music?
They suit different people. FASTER MASTER is built for fast, release-ready dance masters: it analyses your track, gives you 10 Smart Presets and keeps every change level matched, for £59. Ozone 12 Advanced has 20 modules and far more depth, for $499, with more to learn. If you want a strong master quickly and still want control, FASTER MASTER is the better fit. If you want to build every stage yourself, Ozone gives you more.
How loud should I master electronic music?
Around -6 LUFS short-term at the loudest section for a loud, punchy master, or around -9 to -11 LUFS short-term for a more dynamic one. Spotify normalises playback to -14 LUFS integrated, so both get turned down to a similar level. If you want Spotify's -2 dBTP of headroom on a loud master, aim for around -8 LUFS short-term instead of -6 to avoid distortion.
Should the low end be mono when mastering electronic music?
Yes. Keep the kick and sub centred below roughly 100 to 150 Hz so they hit hard on club systems and survive mono playback. FASTER MASTER's stereo module treats 20 to 150 Hz as its own range, and its presets only ever narrow the two lowest ranges, never widen them.
Do I need a separate limiter with FASTER MASTER?
No. FASTER MASTER's LIMIT section is the final stage. You pick a loudness from six short-term LUFS nodes (-10 to -5), set your ceiling, choose sample peak or true peak limiting, and add drive if you want more perceived loudness.
Can I master electronic music with free plugins?
Yes, you can get a long way with your DAW's stock EQ, compressor and limiter plus the free Youlean Loudness Meter. A dedicated mastering plugin mostly saves time and makes fair, level-matched comparisons easier. FASTER MASTER has a free trial, so you can compare it against your stock chain on your own track.
Does FASTER MASTER work in Ableton Live and FL Studio?
Yes. FASTER MASTER runs as VST3, AU and AAX on macOS and as VST3 and AAX on Windows, so it works in Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Cubase, Studio One, Pro Tools, Reaper and other major DAWs.
