Short answer: Krisp is the best noise-cancelling software for live calls on any computer, because it cleans both your microphone and the other side of the call without a special graphics card, from $8 per user a month billed yearly. NVIDIA Broadcast is the free pick if you already own an RTX graphics card on Windows. For recordings rather than calls, Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech and Descript Studio Sound fix a file in one click, and Audacity is the free manual option.
Six tools that remove background noise from your voice, compared on live calls versus recordings, hardware needs and price, checked on vendor pages in October 2026.
"Noise-cancelling software" covers two different jobs. The first is live: a virtual microphone that strips out keyboard clicks, fans and barking dogs while you are on a Zoom, Teams or Meet call, with no time to fix anything afterward. The second is post-production: cleaning up a podcast, voiceover or interview file after it has been recorded. A few tools do both, but most are built for one.
How we chose: we kept tools that remove background noise from speech, whether on a live call or in a file, and checked every price, platform and requirement on the vendor's own site in October 2026. Hardware noise-cancelling headphones are out of scope. For a wider list that includes more audio repair tools, see our AI noise removal tools guide, and for full editors see best free audio editing software.
Top Picks
Picked by editorial review, informed by G2 and Capterra review volume and rating and by media mentions, the signals behind our category rankings. How we rate
Real-time AI noise cancellation for calls on any laptop, filtering both your microphone and the other participants.
Starting price
From $8 /user/mo
4.6 (1,610 reviews)
Best for
Remote workers, consultants and support teams who take calls from noisy places on Zoom, Teams or Meet.
NVIDIA's free app for noise and room echo removal, plus webcam effects, running on RTX graphics cards.
Starting price
Free (RTX GPU required)
Best for
Gamers, streamers and Windows users who already own an RTX GPU.
A browser tool whose Enhance Speech feature removes background noise and echo from a recording in one click.
Starting price
Free tier available
4.7 (15 reviews)
Best for
Podcasters and video creators who need to rescue a voice recording without learning an audio editor.
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krisp | From $8/user/mo | 4.6 1,610 reviews | Remote workers, consultants and support teams who take calls from noisy places on Zoom, Teams or Meet. |
| NVIDIA Broadcast | Free (RTX GPU required) | n/a | Gamers, streamers and Windows users who already own an RTX GPU. |
| Adobe Podcast | Free tier available | 4.7 15 reviews | Podcasters and video creators who need to rescue a voice recording without learning an audio editor. |
| Descript | From $16/mo | 4.6 1,106 reviews | Creators who edit podcasts or videos and want noise removal inside the same editor. |
| Cleanvoice | From $11/mo | n/a | Podcasters and narrators processing several hours of audio every month. |
| Audacity | Free, open source | 4.5 459 reviews | Anyone who wants a free, offline way to clean a recording and does not mind adjusting settings. |
- Starting price
- From $8/user/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.6 (1,610 reviews)
Best for: Remote workers, consultants and support teams who take calls from noisy places on Zoom, Teams or Meet.
- Pro: Noise cancellation is unlimited on every plan, and it works on incoming audio as well as your own microphone.
- Pro: No special graphics card is needed, so it runs on the laptops most teams already have.
- Pro: Core also includes bot-free transcription, recording and AI meeting notes at $8 per user a month billed yearly.
- Con: The free option is a 7-day trial, not a permanent free plan.
- Con: Accent conversion is capped at 1 hour a day on Core; unlimited listener-side use needs Advanced.
Krisp's pricing is quite generous, especially with its robust Free tier offering 60 minutes of noise cancellation daily.
Watch out
Higher storage needs increase Business tier cost
NVIDIA Broadcast
NVIDIA's free app for noise and room echo removal, plus webcam effects, running on RTX graphics cards.
- Starting price
- Free (RTX GPU required)
- Free plan
- Free to use
Best for: Gamers, streamers and Windows users who already own an RTX GPU.
- Pro: Free to download, with Noise Removal and Room Echo Removal for keyboard, fan and reverb noise.
- Pro: Works as a virtual device in any app, and can also process files offline.
- Pro: Adds Studio Voice, background removal, eye contact and auto frame for video.
- Con: Requires a GeForce RTX 2060, Quadro RTX 3000 or better, per NVIDIA's requirements.
- Con: Windows only, so Mac users cannot use it.
NVIDIA RTX Voice is exceptionally generous as it's a completely free offering, requiring only an NVIDIA GPU.
Adobe Podcast
A browser tool whose Enhance Speech feature removes background noise and echo from a recording in one click.
- 4.7 on G2 (15 reviews)
- Starting price
- Free tier available
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.7 (15 reviews)
Best for: Podcasters and video creators who need to rescue a voice recording without learning an audio editor.
- Pro: Enhance Speech removes background noise and echo from uploaded files in the browser.
- Pro: Podcast Studio records remote guests on separate tracks in 16-bit 48k WAV.
- Pro: No software to install.
- Con: It works on recordings, not on live calls.
- Con: Strong enhancement can change the character of a voice, so compare against the original.
Adobe Podcast's pricing is quite generous, especially with its robust Free tier offering 1 hour of speech enhancement daily.
- Starting price
- From $16/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.6 (1,106 reviews)
Best for: Creators who edit podcasts or videos and want noise removal inside the same editor.
- Pro: Studio Sound sits next to filler-word removal and transcription in one editor.
- Pro: Free plan includes 60 media minutes a month to test it.
- Pro: SOC 2 Type II compliant, per its pricing page.
- Con: Plans are metered by media hours and AI credits, and Studio Sound uses credits.
- Con: Overkill if you only need to clean audio, not edit it.
Descript's pricing is generally fair, offering a generous Free tier and a well-structured progression.
Watch out
Overage fees for exceeding media minutes
Cleanvoice
A cloud tool that removes background noise, filler words, mouth sounds and breaths from recordings.
- 3.6 on G2 (4 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $11/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
Best for: Podcasters and narrators processing several hours of audio every month.
- Pro: Subscriptions start at $11 for 10 processed hours a month, and unused credits roll over up to 3 times the plan limit.
- Pro: Pay-as-you-go credits are valid for 2 years.
- Pro: Files are deleted after 7 days, per its FAQ.
- Con: Works on files only, not live calls.
- Con: Prices are listed without VAT.
Cleanvoice's pricing is fair and offers good flexibility.
Watch out
Overage fees if subscription minutes exceeded
- Starting price
- Free, open source
- Free plan
- Free to use
- Rating
- 4.5 (459 reviews)
Best for: Anyone who wants a free, offline way to clean a recording and does not mind adjusting settings.
- Pro: Free and open source on Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Pro: Runs locally, so audio never leaves your computer.
- Pro: A full editor for cutting and mixing as well as noise reduction.
- Con: Noise reduction is manual: you sample a noise profile and tune the settings.
- Con: No real-time filtering for calls.
Audacity's pricing is exceptionally generous, being completely free.
What noise-cancelling software does
Noise-cancelling software uses a model trained on speech to separate a voice from everything else in the signal, then passes only the voice through. On a live call it usually installs as a virtual microphone and speaker: you pick it as your input in Zoom or Teams, and it filters the audio in real time. Krisp and NVIDIA Broadcast work this way.
File-based tools take a finished recording and return a cleaned copy. Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech, Descript Studio Sound and Cleanvoice all run in the cloud, while Audacity runs its noise reduction effect on your own computer.
Why the choice depends on where the noise happens
If the problem is a noisy room during meetings, only a real-time tool helps, and the next question is hardware. NVIDIA Broadcast is free but, per NVIDIA's own system requirements, needs a GeForce RTX 2060, Quadro RTX 3000 or better and runs on Windows only. Krisp runs on ordinary laptops and also filters the noise coming from other participants, which no setting on your own microphone can do.
If the problem is a recording you already made, a real-time tool is the wrong fit. Cloud enhancers such as Adobe Podcast and Descript rebuild the voice so it sounds closer to a studio, and Cleanvoice adds filler-word and mouth-sound removal for podcasters. These are billed by usage or by plan, so the volume of audio you process each month drives the cost.
Key Features to Look For
Real-time versus file processing (Essential)
Krisp and NVIDIA Broadcast filter live audio during calls. Adobe Podcast, Descript, Cleanvoice and Audacity process recorded files. NVIDIA Broadcast can also process files offline, per its app page.
Two-way noise cancellation (Important)
Krisp removes noise from your microphone and from the incoming audio of other participants. Most tools only clean your own voice.
Hardware and platform requirements (Essential)
NVIDIA Broadcast requires an RTX-class NVIDIA GPU and Windows 10 or 11. Cloud tools need only a browser, and Audacity runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Usage limits (Important)
Descript plans are metered in media hours and AI credits, and Cleanvoice in processed audio hours. Krisp lists unlimited noise cancellation on every plan.
Data handling (Nice to have)
Live and cloud tools send or process voice data, so check retention. Cleanvoice says it deletes files after 7 days, and Krisp states meeting data is not used to train its models.
What to settle before choosing
-
Decide whether the noise problem is on live calls, in recordings, or both.
-
Check your graphics card before counting on NVIDIA Broadcast, since it needs an RTX GPU on Windows.
-
If other people's noise is the problem on your calls, pick a tool that filters incoming audio, such as Krisp.
-
For recordings, estimate how many hours of audio you process each month, because Descript and Cleanvoice meter usage.
-
If you only clean a file now and then, start with Audacity's free noise reduction or Adobe Podcast's free tier.
Evaluation Checklist
Record the same 30 seconds of speech with a fan or keyboard running, then compare each tool's output on that clip.
On a live call tool, ask a colleague how you sound with the filter on and off, and test with their noisy side too.
On NVIDIA Broadcast, confirm your GPU model against NVIDIA's system requirements before installing.
On Descript or Cleanvoice, check how many hours your monthly plan covers against your real recording volume.
Confirm where your audio is stored and for how long before sending client or confidential calls through a cloud tool.
Pricing Overview
Free
NVIDIA Broadcast with an RTX GPU, Audacity for files, and the free tiers of Adobe Podcast and Descript.
$0
Individual live calls
Krisp Core, with unlimited noise cancellation, transcription and AI notes.
From $8 per user a month, billed yearly
Recording and editing
Cleanvoice subscriptions from 10 processed hours, or Descript Hobbyist from $16 a month billed yearly.
From $11 a month
Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Works on | Free option | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|
Krisp | Live calls and in-person meetings, Windows and Mac | 7-day free trial | $8/user/mo billed yearly ($16 monthly) |
Live audio and files, Windows with RTX GPU | Free | None | |
Recorded files, in the browser | Free tier | Paid Premium plan | |
Descript | Recorded files, in its editor | Free plan, 60 media minutes a month | $16/mo billed yearly ($24 monthly) |
Cleanvoice | Recorded files, in the browser or API | Free trial, no card | $11 for 10 hours a month |
Audacity | Recorded files, Windows, macOS, Linux | Free and open source | None |
Checked on vendor pages in October 2026: Krisp pricing, NVIDIA Broadcast, Adobe Podcast, Descript pricing, Cleanvoice pricing and Audacity.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Buying a recording tool for a live-call problem. Adobe Podcast and Cleanvoice fix files, not meetings.
- ×
Installing NVIDIA Broadcast without an RTX card. It will not run on older or non-NVIDIA GPUs, or on Mac.
- ×
Only cleaning your own microphone. If the noise comes from the other side of the call, you need a tool that filters incoming audio.
- ×
Ignoring usage caps. Metered plans can run out before the month ends if you process long recordings.
Expert Tips
- →
Fix the room first. A closer microphone and a quieter spot make every tool sound better.
- →
Test on your real setup. Results vary with microphones and voices, so trial each tool on your own audio.
- →
Use one tool per stage. A live filter for calls and a file enhancer for recordings often beats one tool for both.
Red Flags to Watch For
-
A live noise filter that only works on one meeting app, when your clients use several.
-
Hardware requirements you do not meet, such as an RTX GPU for NVIDIA Broadcast.
-
Usage caps that run out mid-month on a metered plan.
-
Voice enhancement that sounds robotic on your own voice; always test on your real microphone and room.
The Bottom Line
Choose Krisp for live calls on any laptop, especially when other participants are the noisy ones. Choose NVIDIA Broadcast if you are on Windows with an RTX GPU and want a free live filter. For recordings, choose Adobe Podcast for a quick one-click fix, Descript if you also edit, Cleanvoice for high monthly volume, and Audacity for a free offline option.
Cite this: Toolradar, "Best Noise-Cancelling Software in 2026", October 2026. Prices and requirements checked on vendor pages in October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best noise-cancelling software for calls?
Krisp, for most people: it runs on ordinary laptops, filters both your microphone and incoming audio, and works across Zoom, Teams and Meet. NVIDIA Broadcast is a free alternative if you have an RTX GPU on Windows.
Is there free noise-cancelling software?
Yes. NVIDIA Broadcast is free for RTX GPU owners on Windows, Audacity's noise reduction is free on every desktop platform, and Adobe Podcast and Descript have free tiers for recordings.
Can noise-cancelling software remove other people's background noise?
Some can. Krisp filters incoming audio from other participants as well as your own microphone. Most other tools only clean your own voice.
Does NVIDIA Broadcast work on Mac?
No. NVIDIA lists Windows 10 and 11 as supported platforms and requires an RTX-class NVIDIA GPU.
How do I remove background noise from a recording?
Upload it to a file-based tool such as Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech, Descript Studio Sound or Cleanvoice, or use Audacity's free noise reduction effect if you prefer to work offline.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Best Noise-Cancelling Software in 2026", updated October 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/best-noise-cancelling-software
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