Effect / plugin file

iZotope Photon

Name: iZotope Photon
Price: 259 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: iZotope

iZotope / $259 (intro, until 7 Dec 2026)

iZotope Photon: standalone app and ARA2 plugin for AI stem separation and denoise, with 12 models running on your GPU. $259 at Plugin Boutique until 7 Dec 2026.

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25% off at Plugin Boutique: $259.00 ↗ends December 7, 2026

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The Dubspot verdict

A focused stem separation and denoise tool with 12 local GPU models, five-way drum splits, multi-speaker dialogue separation and a click-to-preview ARA2 workflow. Good value at $259, or $49 to $179 as a crossgrade, but there is no Intel Mac support, Windows needs a 4 GB GPU and the plugin is ARA2 only.

Best for Remixers, samplers and dialogue editors who want fast, local stem splits and cleanup without learning a spectral editor.

Pros

12 machine-learning models run locally on your GPU: no uploads, no usage cutoffs, no queue
Demix models include Music 4 Stems Ultra, Drums 5 Stems, a six-speaker Voice Separator and Cinema 4 Stems
Click anywhere in a clip to hear results in seconds; processed-audio cache across clip instances
Crossgrades from $49 for RX Advanced owners until 7 December 2026

Cons

Apple silicon required on Mac; Windows needs a GPU with at least 4 GB VRAM
ARA2 only, so hosts without ARA2 must use the standalone app
$349 list is a lot if your DAW already splits stems
Model Manager needs an internet connection

Field notes

Overview

iZotope Photon is a standalone app and ARA2 plugin for AI stem separation and audio cleanup, launched on 3 November 2026. Its 12 machine-learning models run locally on your GPU, so nothing is uploaded and there are no usage cutoffs or queues. Click anywhere in a clip and you hear the result in seconds. It is $259 at Plugin Boutique until 7 December 2026, and RX owners can crossgrade from $49.

Model group	Models
Demix	Music 4 Stems, Music 4 Stems Ultra, Drums 5 Stems, Voice 2 Stems, Voice Separator, Cinema 4 Stems
Denoise	Voice Restore, Indoor, Indoor Noisy, Outdoor, Outdoor Traffic, Outdoor Wind

Photon is not part of RX. It is built for quick fixes, and iZotope points to RX 12 for detailed spectral work. If you want to edit audio on a spectral display, SpectraLayers 13 is the deeper tool. The limits: Apple silicon only on Mac, a 4 GB GPU on Windows, and ARA2 as the only plugin format.

Our iZotope Photon first look covers every model, the specs, crossgrade pricing and how it compares.

Technical matrix

Specifications

Type: AI stem separation and audio cleanup, standalone and ARA2
Demix models: Music 4 Stems, Music 4 Stems Ultra, Drums 5 Stems, Voice 2 Stems, Voice Separator, Cinema 4 Stems
Denoise models: Voice Restore, Indoor, Indoor Noisy, Outdoor, Outdoor Traffic, Outdoor Wind
Import: WAV, MP3, FLAC, AIFF, AAC, M4A, MP4, MKV, MOV, MXF, MPG
Export: WAV, FLAC, MP3 or video same as source; ProRes supported
System: macOS 14+ on Apple silicon; Windows 10+ 64-bit with a 4 GB VRAM GPU; 16 GB RAM recommended
Licensing: Perpetual licence, crossgrades from $49, or Boris FX subscription from $19 a month; free trial

Last verified 2026-11-05

Quick reference

FAQ

How much does iZotope Photon cost?

$259 at Plugin Boutique, down from $349 until 7 December 2026. Crossgrades cost $179 from any paid iZotope product, $129 from RX Elements, $74 from RX Standard and $49 from RX Advanced. A Boris FX subscription costs $19 a month or $119 a year.

Does iZotope Photon upload audio to the cloud?

No. Its 12 models run locally on your GPU, with no uploads, usage cutoffs or queue. An internet connection is only needed for the Model Manager, which downloads new and updated models.

What are the system requirements for Photon?

macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon (M1 or later), or Windows 10 or later 64-bit with an Intel Core i5 5th gen or better and a GPU with at least 4 GB VRAM. 16 GB RAM is recommended, 8 GB is the minimum.

Is Photon part of iZotope RX?

No. Photon is a separate product line built for quick stem splits and cleanup. iZotope points to RX 12 for detailed spectral repair.

Comparison matrix

Direct competitors

iZotope Photon vs — head-to-head specs, price, and Dubspot Score.

Steinberg SpectraLayers 138.7

iZotope Photon vs Steinberg SpectraLayers 13

Compare →

RX 11 Standard8.7

iZotope Photon vs RX 11 Standard