20 Best Noise Canceling Apps for Mobile and Desktop (2023)

Tomas Laurinavicius
January 19, 2024

17% of remote workers cite communication and collaboration as a major challenge, employees who work from home or office agree, noise is not just an interruption, it also distracts their thoughts.

Lucky for you, there are noise-canceling apps that make a huge difference and cancel background noises.

20 Best Noise-Canceling Apps of 2023

From background chatters, clatters, and other pesky unwanted sounds, it can be extremely annoying to focus on the conversation or enjoy listening to your music or favorite podcasts.

A recent survey shows that an average person spends almost 7 hours in front of a screen daily and if you work remotely that’s probably even more.

If you’re looking for noise cancellation apps good for video calls, teleconferences, team meetings, or any professional uses, here are some of the best picks of revolutionary noise-canceling apps to achieve a noise-free environment, anywhere and any time of the day.

Noise Remover by LALAL.AI

Best online AI-powered service that cancels noise and enhances voice in audio and video recordings.

Source: LALAL.AI.

Noise Remover by LALAL.AI is an online service providing effortless noise reduction and background music removal. The unique algorithm cancels out unwanted sounds, producing tracks with crystal clear voices.

Platforms available: online.

Key Features

  • In-house developed noise canceling technology
  • Removes background music and noises in mere seconds
  • With API integration, you can add noise canceling feature to any website, application, widget, or browser extension

Pricing Plans

Noise Remover by LALAL.AI has one-time fee free and paid plans for individuals and businesses.

  1. Starter: free for 10 Minutes
  2. Lite pack: $15 for 90 Minutes
  3. Plus pack: $30 for 300 Minutes

👉 Start Your Free Trial

Krisp

Best user-friendly, AI-powered app for canceling background noises in real-time.

Image Source: Krisp.

Krisp is an all-rounder app for filtering background noises while delivering a high-quality and crisp voice.

From unwanted barking dogs, crying babies, keyboard clicks, and street background noises up to unpleasant acoustic and room echoes, Krisp is your automatic mute button for all that chaos.

Its AI-powered noise suppression relies on machine learning to analyze an individual’s audio feed and filter out the noise and retain only the speech signal. This industry-favorite noise-canceling app is awarded as one of TIME’s best inventions of the year 2020.

Platforms available: Windows and macOS.

Key Features

  • AI-powered noise filtering system
  • Compatible with 800+ streaming and communication apps
  • Microphone noise removal
  • Speaker noise removal
  • Acoustic echo cancellation

Pricing Plans

Krisp has free and paid plans for individuals.

The free plan comes with 120 minutes a week of microphone noise removal, speaker noise removal, and acoustic echo cancellation.

The paid plan comes in three tiers: Personal Pro ($12 per month, billed monthly), Teams  ($12 per user per month, billed monthly), and Enterprise (quotation-based pricing).

All of which gives unlimited noise cancellation minutes with an option for either monthly or yearly subscriptions.

👉 Start Your Free Trial

Neutralizer

Best for individuals with personalized hearing needs.

Image Source: Google Play.

Neutralizer is one of the most popular Android-only equalizers made for custom hearing preferences.

This app takes into consideration that everybody hears differently so you have the power to make any adjustments that will work best for you. This gets rid of the distortion from generic equalizers.

This noise-canceling app also easily regulates the noise level around your phone to help improve your hearing ability.

Platforms available: Android

Key Features

  • Hearing examination feature
  • Personalized profiles
  • Sound adaptation
  • Active noise reduction mode
  • Adaptive system equalizer
  • Available key frequency ranges

Pricing Plans

This noise-canceling app is free to use.

Noise Killer

Best for monitoring and managing unwanted sounds in public places.

Image Source: Google Play.

Noise Killer is another Android-only noise-canceling app that helps in managing noises from a crowd. It’s a very useful tool in libraries, classrooms, offices, and other places where you need to control and maintain silence.

This is one of the most straightforward noise-canceling apps to monitor sound levels. You will get alerted if the sounds exceed the maximum value of the sound level you have set. It comes with a handful of alert types, such as, text alert, vibration, beep, “Quiet Please” voice, and the “Shhh” sound.

It also can increase or decrease the volume of your device depending on the volume of background noise. It also has a “shake” function that can change the volume depending on the movements of your phone.

Platforms available: Android

Key Features

  • Noise level monitoring
  • Automatic volume adjustment
  • Speed movement monitoring
  • Geo-position access
  • Shake function

Pricing Plans

Noise Killer is free to install and use.

Safe Headphones

Best for people who want to use their headphones safely in public.

Safe Headphones is highly regarded as the “noise un-canceling” tool as its main purpose is really to hear background noises.

As the name suggests, what it does is help you stay safe while you’re listening to music or using headphones in a public area. Once the app is enabled, you can hear the background noises like car horns without having to take off your earphones. This way, you don’t have to worry about your safety while using your headphones in public, especially in sketchy areas.

Aside from the safety feature, it has a noise filtering feature that allows you to determine noise level and adjust the volume of background noise or suppress it accordingly.

Safe Headphones can also act as a hearing aid for people suffering from hearing loss or difficulties.

Platforms available: Android

Key Features

  • Background noise volume adjustment
  • Amplify sound from surrounding
  • Sound/voice volume control
  • Hearing aid alternative
  • Quick ambient mode in Galaxy Buds
  • Beautiful UI based on Google’s Material Design UI

Pricing Plans

Safe Headphones are free to install and use.

myNoise

Best for masking unwanted noises with white noises to help you relax, sleep, or work.

myNoise is an ambient soundscape that also works as a noise-canceling app.

In theory, you’re masking background noises that you don’t want to hear with ambient sounds or white noises that you love.

With myNoise, you can cancel out the unwanted noises and get into the sounds that will help you focus on work, relax a little bit, or even fall asleep.

In comparison to conventional noise-blocking tools, myNoise can be modeled to the frequency characteristics of the noise that muddles you, thus achieving a better camouflage effect.

Platforms available: WebAlexa-enabled smart home devices, iOS,  and Android.

Key Features

  • Frequency-shaped noises
  • Auto-play option
  • Background noise calibration
  • Alarm and timer functions
  • Several animation modes
  • Wireless audio streaming

Pricing Plans

This app is free and ad-free.

For a small fee, you can pay for individual sounds that aren’t in the free catalog. Else, you can pay a bit more to get the entire myNoise catalog at a considerable discount.

UrbanDenoiser

Best suited for music lovers in mind but also great for video calls.

UrbanDenoiser is a new generation app specifically intended for people to enjoy their favorite music. But, its noise compensation feature allows automatic volume adjustment and frequency masking so it’s also best for anyone who wants to concentrate on work.

This noise-canceling app masks undesirable noises in the background–allowing you to hear and listen better. The UrbanDenoiser app is the Microsoft AppCup, 2015 winner.

Platforms available: iOSAndroid, and  Windows.

Key Features

  • Noise reduction mode
  • Surrounding sound mode
  • Patented natural sound restoring
  • Sound amplification equalizer
  • Volume booster

Pricing Plans

UrbanDenoiser is free but ad-supported.

Noise Wall

Best to keep you focused in your work, studies, or sleep soundly.

True to its name, NoiseWall acts like a “wall” that blocks out the noise in the background. Whether you’re concentrating on your studies or making some video calls, this app is a simple solution to shut off external distractions.

It comes with four types of noises: White Noise: 20Hz to 20.000Hz with all the frequencies in the same level, Pink Noise: 20Hz to 20.000Hz with more bass sound than white noise, Brown Noise: lower frequencies mix, and Custom Noise.

Platforms available: iOS and Android.

Key Features

  • Low noise frequencies
  • Sleep timer with slow audio fade-out
  • Continuous sounds, no loops
  • Offline usage
  • Real-time sound generation
  • Background usage while using other apps or when the screen is locked

Pricing Plans

The app is free to download and use.

Denoise

Best for removing external noises from your videos and audio recordings.

Denoise is an audio noise removal iOS app that allows you to erase noises from your audio and video files.

Because not everyone has professional microphones when shooting videos with them all the time, this app allows you to delete noisy or distracting sounds from personal videos and voice memos. Thus, helping you create a more professional output.

Because it works as an iOS extension, you can do high-quality noise removal almost right away after you shoot a video.

Platforms available: iOS

Key Features

  • Eliminate background audio noises
  • Interactive frequency band analyzer
  • No watermarks
  • Speech transcription ready
  • Ad-free

Pricing Plans

Denoise costs a $1.99 upfront fee which is a lifetime use. There are no ads or watermarks.

Noise Blocker

Best for blocking any microphone noises.

Noise Blocker is one of the easiest to set up noise canceling apps out there. It can help you mute any undesirable microphone noises like buzz, hum, and static sounds while on calls, video conferences, gaming, or even streaming.

You can also use this app to get rid of any microphone background noises and keyboard typing sounds. Plus, it can examine any incoming audio against your noise database and mute it correspondingly.

This allows only wanted sounds to get through. It is compatible with popular apps such as, but not limited to Skype, Discord, Mumble, Slack, and Google Hangout.

Platforms available: Windows and macOS.

Key Features

  • Incoming audio analyzer
  • Microphone noise filtering
  • Volume threshold customization
  • Simple and easy installation

Pricing Plans

Noise Blocker has a free trial download but with daily usage restricted after 1 hour.

Its single-user license costs a $19.99 one-time fee while the shared-user license costs a $39.99 one-time fee.

Noise Gator

Best for blocking out undesired noises during audio/video calls and recordings.

One of the most simple and practical noise-canceling apps, Noise Gator is a Java-based program that cuts out background noise in video calls or teleconferences.

It is intended for use with VOIPs like Skype, requiring Java 7 or higher for Windows and Java 6 or higher for Mac.

This lightweight noise gate software analyzes audio levels in real-time. This helps to filter out any sound while you are on a video call, work conference, or sound recording. This produces a clean, crisp, and free of any pesky noises in the final output.

Platforms available: Windows and macOS.

Key Features

  • Cuts out background noises
  • Compatible with VOIPs like Skype
  • Can be used to feed your microphone through your speakers
  • Incoming audio

Pricing Plans

Noise Gator is free to download and use.

Samson Sound Deck

Best for canceling repetitive sounds in the background and improving the quality of your audio.

Samson Sound Deck is a noise cancellation software that identifies repetitive ambient noises, such as, computer fan whines, power supply hums, and other kinds of annoying background chatters.

It then removes these unwanted sounds from the input signal of noisy homes, offices, and outdoor environments—producing clearer and more detailed vocals in your phone or video calls.

This improves listening intelligibility when communicating with someone in a noisy environment.

Platforms available: Windows and macOS.

Key Features

  • Repetitive ambient noise identification
  • Controllable background noise volume level
  • Digital audio recording system

Pricing Plans

There is a free downloadable version as well as a $3.99 version from Samson’s website.

Sleep Pillow

Best for people who want to achieve high-quality sleep.

Sleep Pillow acts as your smart sleep assistant. If you’re an insomniac or someone who has some troubles getting some good night’s sleep, Sleep Pillow provides a curated list of high-quality ambient sounds to help you doze off in no time.

The sounds are naturally recorded so they generate a relaxed environment that will induce sleep even in the noisiest areas. There are more than three hundred thousand combinations of sound mixes to help you sleep.

Plus, it comes with high-quality nature images to help you set the mood.

Platforms available: iOSAndroid, and macOS.

Key Features

  • Pre-mastered & high-quality sounds
  • Naturally recorded sounds
  • Sleep timer with a slow fade-out
  • The app runs in the background
  • App runs while device locked / screen dark

Pricing Plans

Sleep Pillow is free but has in-app purchases for add-on features.

DSP Soundware

Best for those headphone users who want to cancel out outside noises.

DSP Soundware, also known as the DSP Audio Filter, is an application that filters your microphone (audio input) with one of a handful of filters and then outputs it to the speakers of your computer.

With this noise-canceling software, headphone users can neutralize externally interfering noises. Thus, enhancing the intelligibility and quality of your audio in unpleasantly noisy environments.

This advanced noise filter is not only helpful for headphones but works great with microphones and speakers as well.

Platforms available: Windows

Key Features

  • Advanced noise reduction algorithm
  • Several audio digital filters
  • Direct audio quality enhancement
  • Graphical setting of filter center frequency and bandwidth

Pricing Plans

DSP Soundware can be enjoyed by Windows users for free.

SoliCall

Best for individuals and organizations that are looking to improve audio quality when making calls.

With its cutting-edge technology, SoliCall uses its innovative and patented noise reduction technology to improve audio quality when you’re making calls.

This noise-canceling app is compatible with all modern versions of Windows. Now, you can have pleasant and clear calls on both your side and the caller’s end without unwanted noises and echoes. This means that during a call, any nearby chatters will not be audible and distracting.

Aside from personal use, its unique noise reduction software is perfect for companies like contact centers to easily improve audio quality in any type of telephone device.

Platforms available: Windows

Key Features

  • Profile-based noise reduction program
  • Reference-based noise reduction technology
  • Compatible with any cloud-based communication apps
  • Compatible with all commercial softphones and audio formats

Pricing Plans

Free SoliCall Pro also gives users a 3-day free evaluation period.

Ams Active Noise Cancellation Software

Best for enhancing the listening experience of mobile and multimedia applications.

Ams Active Noise Cancellation is one of the leading noise canceling apps that provides ambient noise reduction to improve the sound quality of portable devices like mobile phones and telephones. Its technology can tune out ambient noises of >40dB.

This technology can also tune in speech and music with its natural and boosted transparency modes at the same time.

This app supports feedforward, feedback, and hybrid active noise cancellation topologies.

Platforms available: Windows.

Key Features

  • Ambient noise reduction technology
  • 40dB noise reduction achievable
  • High-quality audio chain
  • Fully electronic calibration
  • Differential line inputs
  • Optimized system efficiency

Pricing Plans

Active noise cancellation solution for stereo headsets starts at $7.33 per individual purchase or $5.42 per unit for 100 units and above.

Zoom

Best for people who want a high-quality audio and video call experience.

Zoom has been one of the prominent noise-canceling apps today. With its latest updates like the two added advanced settings that enable users to block persistent or intermittent background noises, it has proven to be the benchmark in superior noise reduction technologies.

This app can detect and suppress the background noise during your conference calls, allowing you to remove the distractions and focus on the conversations that matter.

There are four levels of suppression:

  1. Auto (default setting which applies moderate background noise reduction)
  2. Low (minimal noise reduction)
  3. Medium (best for reducing and eliminating background noise in standard environments)
  4. High (most aggressive noise reduction).

Platforms available: iOSAndroidWindows, and macOS.

Key Features

  • Background noise recognition
  • Four levels of noise suppression
  • Automatic suppression of background disturbance
  • Automatic adjustment of optimum volume to speak
  • Automatic echo cancellation algorithms

Pricing Plans

Zoom has a basic plan that can be installed and used for free.

It also comes with three paid plans: Pro ($149.90 /year/license), Business ($199.90 /year/license), and United Business ($350 /year/license).

Microsoft Teams

Best for working professionals and teams who want to collaborate and communicate effectively.

The tech giant recently updated Teams to include an AI-based noise suppression feature.

It works by analyzing the audio and automatically removing background noise—preserving only the speech during meetings.

This helps users to efficiently and effectively communicate with each other even in noisy environments. It has a noise suppression control that enables users to set how much noise suppression they want.

Platforms available: Windows. Future rollout on macOS, iOS, and Android is on the way.

Key Features

  • AI-powered noise reduction
  • Three noise suppression level
  • Deep learning model training infrastructure

Pricing Plans

Microsoft Teams has a basic plan that can be installed and used for free.

It also comes with three paid plans: Business Basic ($5.00/user/month), Business Standard ($12.50/user/month), and Office 365 E3 ($20.00 user/month).

SoliCall – PBXMATE CLASSIC

Best for organizations like conferencing service providers, VoIP operators, and contact centers.

PBXMate Classic by SoliCall is an enterprise solution for companies that provide services in communications, voice, and similar operators.

With its best-in-class echo cancellation and noise reduction technologies, companies can enjoy the benefits of improving phone call quality and team productivity. You can also easily track the quality of the network and monitor call quality with its real-time visual alerts.

It can be easily integrated with its plug-and-play technology so you can start cleaning calls within a few minutes without changing your hardware.

Platforms available: Windows.

Key Features

  • Noise reduction on both the side call
  • Secure the call from ambient noises
  • Echo cancellation and suppression
  • Constantly maintained audio level in all environment
  • Monitoring of call quality
  • Real-time statistics on calls

Pricing Plans

The pricing plan starts at $42.00 per license or you can get a quotation-based price upon request.

Sound Amplifier By Google

Best for people with hearing difficulties to hear more clearly.

Google launched Sound Amplifier to help people with hearing loss and difficulties.

Its advanced technology automatically augments and amplifies the sounds in your environment so that the audio is more clear, crisp, and audible. With its simple sliders and toggles, you can easily apply noise reduction to reduce annoying background noises. This way, anyone can focus on conservation and less on the noise.

This app works perfectly for video or phone calls by amplifying quiet sounds, while not over-boosting loud sounds.

Platforms available: Android

Key Features

  • Real-time audio enhancement
  • Customized sound enhancement settings
  • Audio visualization feature
  • Personalized frequency levels

Pricing Plans

You can enjoy the noise-canceling features of this app for free.

Denoiser

Best for removing audio noise from voice recordings.

With its simple user interface, Denoiser is a straightforward tool for noise reduction. This app allows users to remove noise from audio recordings, such as music, spoken word, post-production, etc.

It also works perfectly with any headphones so you won’t have to purchase new, expensive headphones to enjoy this noise reduction app. It automatically shows your current noise level and analyzes it in real-time. As the noise level changes, the screen will display the maximum and average noise level.

This can help in suppressing unwanted sounds and increase the music volume accordingly.

Platforms available: Android.

Key Features

  • Real-time noise analyzer
  • Noise change visual graph
  • Noise sensitivity adjustment

Pricing Plans

Denoiser can be downloaded and used for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is active noise cancellation?

Active noise cancellation aims to reduce unwanted background noises such as car horns, keyboard typing, and a dog barking. The algorithm conserves the original audio signal and improves the audio quality from both the caller and receiver’s end—enhancing the audibility and the overall listening experience.

How to reduce background noise in calls?

There are immediate ways to lessen the external noises during calls like moving the microphone closer to your mouth or masking unwanted sounds but the most practical way is to use a noise-canceling app that will automatically detect and remove the unwanted noise for you.

How to reduce noise in videos?

Apart from the best noise-canceling apps, there are other programs to reduce noise in your video clip or recording. If you’re more of a do-it-yourselfer, you can use any video editor for Mac or alternative Windows software that offers advanced noise-reduction features to help clean up your audio.

How to reduce background noise on the phone?

There are some workarounds you can do to remove background noise from the audio on your phone, such as enhancing the audio with a background noise removal tool or using noise-canceling apps when recording videos or taking phone calls.

Is there a noise-canceling app?

There are many noise-canceling apps at your disposal to suit your specific preferences like our latest handpicked selection of the best noise-canceling apps for mobile and desktop.

What is the best noise-canceling app?

The best noise-canceling app is still an individual or organizational answer, depending on your particular needs, requirements, and budget. My personal favorite is Krisp.

Tomas Laurinavicius

Hi! I'm Tomas. I'm a founder, marketer, designer, and writer from Lithuania, now happily living in Alicante, Spain. I'm a marketing advisor at Devsolutely and a partner at Craftled, building Best Writing and Marketful, among other useful products.