Head-to-head comparison
Audacity vs Cleanvoice AI
Two of the editing tools podcasters reach for. Here's how they differ on pricing, features, audience, and the trade-offs that actually matter day-to-day.
Free, open-source audio editor that's been the entry point for podcasters for 25 years.
Best for: Indie podcasters on a budget
Upload audio, get a cleaned file back with filler words, mouth sounds, and silences gone.
Best for: Filler word removal
At a glance
The honest trade-offs
Audacity
Pros
- Free and open source forever
- Runs on Mac, Windows and Linux
- Massive bank of community tutorials
Watch-outs
- Interface feels stuck in the early 2000s
- Destructive editing model is error-prone
- No text-based editing or modern AI
Cleanvoice AI
Pros
- Catches mouth sounds and breaths others miss
- Pay-as-you-go credits stay valid 2 years
- Outputs feed straight into your DAW
Watch-outs
- No editor — just a cleanup pass
- AI is occasionally too aggressive
- Euro pricing confuses US buyers
Which one should you pick?
Pick Audacity if
You’re building around indie podcasters on a budget. Audacity is the default answer to 'how do I edit a podcast for $0' and it's still a perfectly reasonable one. Interface looks like Windows XP, the workflow is fiddly next to modern tools, and the recent ownership change rattled the community — but it's free, runs everywhere, and does the basics well.
Pick Cleanvoice AI if
You’re building around filler word removal. Cleanvoice is the lazy-but-effective approach: upload, wait, download. It catches filler words and mouth noise that even Descript misses, and the pay-as-you-go credits last two years — kind to occasional users.
Also worth comparing
Or see all Audacity alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does Audacity do better than Cleanvoice AI?
Audacity's standout is "Free and open source forever". Cleanvoice AI doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Catches mouth sounds and breaths others miss" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Audacity; if the second does, pick Cleanvoice AI.
What are the trade-offs?
Audacity: interface feels stuck in the early 2000s. Cleanvoice AI: no editor — just a cleanup pass. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Do they support the same platforms?
Audacity works on macOS, Windows where Cleanvoice AI doesn't. Cleanvoice AI works on Web where Audacity doesn't. If you're on a specific OS or device, that may decide for you.
Can I use Audacity and Cleanvoice AI together?
Both are editing tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Audacity for one show or episode type and Cleanvoice AI for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.