Apple Music Loudness Penalty Checker
Apple Music normalises playback to about -16 LUFS integrated.
Apple Music's Sound Check normalises playback to roughly -16 LUFS integrated - 2 dB lower than Spotify. A master that is 'perfect for Spotify' at -10 LUFS gets turned down about 6 dB on Apple Music.
Sound Check is enabled by default on iPhones and in the Music app, which is where most Apple Music listening happens, so this target is effectively universal for Apple listeners.
Because Apple's target is the lowest of the major platforms, it is the one that punishes ultra-loud masters hardest. Check how your master fares below.
Check your track
Upload your master and see the exact dB penalty on Apple Music and every other platform. Free, runs in your browser.
Open the Loudness Penalty CheckerCommon questions
What LUFS should I master to for Apple Music?
The same -14 to -9 LUFS window that works for Spotify is fine; Apple will simply turn louder masters down more. Do not master to -16 just for Apple.
Can listeners turn Sound Check off?
Yes, in Settings - but it is on by default and most listeners never touch it.
Does Apple Digital Masters change loudness?
No - Apple Digital Masters is about encoding quality from high-resolution sources, not loudness targets.