Krisp and Noise Blocker both reduce background noise, but they are designed around different types of use.
Krisp is now a broader AI meeting suite . Alongside noise cancellation, it includes transcription, recording, meeting notes, summaries, action items, accent conversion, integrations, and tools for managing meeting information.
Noise Blocker is a Windows microphone utility. It focuses on removing non-speech background noise from your microphone and providing the processed audio to any app that lets you select a microphone input. It also includes voice activation, loudness equalisation, and configurable microphone controls. Our Windows microphone background-noise guide explains how room, microphone, Windows, app, and virtual-microphone processing fit together.
The quick answer
Krisp may be the better fit if you want noise cancellation as part of a wider meeting workflow, including transcripts, summaries, incoming-audio processing, and cross-platform support. It is sold as a monthly or annual subscription.
Noise Blocker may be the better fit if you primarily want to clean up your own microphone on Windows, prefer a one-time purchase, and do not need meeting notes or transcription. Your purchase includes 12 months of updates, and you can keep using your latest version after that.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Krisp | Noise Blocker |
|---|---|---|
| Your microphone noise cancellation | Yes | Yes |
| Other participants’ noise cancellation | Yes | No |
| Voice activation | No | Yes |
| Push-to-talk / push-to-mute | Limited to a mute/unmute shortcut | Yes |
| Account required | Yes | No account to try; license key required after purchase |
| Meeting transcription | Yes | No |
| Meeting recording | Yes | No |
| AI summaries and action items | Yes | No |
| Accent conversion | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows and macOS | Windows |
| Simultaneous devices | Two for a paid account | Up to three PCs |
| Payment model | Subscription ($16 monthly or $96 annually) | One-time purchase ($50) |
| Continued use after payment ends | Paid features require an active subscription | Existing eligible version continues working |
Compare the audio
Listen to the same recording processed by Noise Blocker and Krisp.
Select a noise sample and switch between the original recording and each app’s output to compare the results. Headphones may make smaller differences easier to hear.
How we tested Explore the source audio, recording process, versions, and settings used for this comparison.
Test material
We created ten-second samples covering street noise, traffic, cafés, barking dogs, and keyboard typing. Each sample combines public-domain speech from LibriVox with background noise mixed at a signal-to-noise ratio of 10 dB.
Street, traffic, and café recordings were taken from the CochlScene dataset . Dog and keyboard recordings were sourced from Freesound .
Capture and handling
The same source audio was fed into Noise Blocker and Krisp at 48 kHz via a Virtual Audio Cable . Each app’s processed output was recorded in Audacity at 48 kHz, aligned, and trimmed into matching ten-second clips.
The recordings are the raw outputs from each app. No additional noise reduction, equalisation, gain adjustment, or loudness normalisation was applied.
Versions and settings
Noise Blocker
3.0.0- Noise Cancellation
- On
Krisp
3.11.8- Noise removal
- Maximum
- Microphone Lock
- Optimal level
- Voice Isolation
- Auto
Pricing: subscription or one-time purchase
Krisp Core costs $16 per month or $96 per year, including noise cancellation and meeting-assistant features.
Noise Blocker costs $50 once. It includes 12 months of updates and priority support, after which your current version keeps working. Another year of updates costs $30 and is optional.
Use the calculator to compare costs over time.
Which app is a better fit?
Krisp may be a better fit if you want a meeting suite
Krisp combines noise cancellation with transcription, recording, meeting notes, summaries, action items, accent conversion, and other meeting tools. It supports Windows and macOS and can also reduce noise from other participants.
It is likely to be the better fit if those wider meeting features are part of your regular workflow and you are comfortable with a monthly or annual subscription.
Noise Blocker may be a better fit if you want a focused microphone app
Noise Blocker focuses on processing your own microphone on Windows. Alongside noise cancellation, it includes voice activation, loudness equalisation, and configurable controls for push-to-talk, push-to-mute, and push-to-toggle.
It is likely to be the better fit if you do not need transcription or meeting-management tools and prefer a one-time purchase over an ongoing subscription.
Things to consider
Noise Blocker is available for Windows only. It does not include transcription, recording, meeting summaries, accent conversion, or noise cancellation for the audio you hear from other participants.
Krisp provides a broader feature set and supports macOS, but its paid features require an active subscription. That broader set of meeting tools may be unnecessary if you only want to process your microphone.
Results can vary depending on your microphone, voice, room, and type of background noise. Both apps are free to try, so testing them with your own setup is the most reliable comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is Noise Blocker an alternative to Krisp?
Yes, if you mainly need to process your outgoing microphone on Windows. It does not replace Krisp’s transcription, recording, summaries, or other meeting tools.
How do Krisp and Noise Blocker compare on price?
Krisp charges a monthly or annual subscription, while Noise Blocker is sold as a one-time purchase with optional update renewals.
The calculator above compares the current costs over time. Keep in mind that Krisp’s subscription also includes transcription, summaries, and other meeting features that Noise Blocker does not provide.
Do both apps process noise locally?
Both apps process noise cancellation locally on your computer. Krisp’s wider meeting features, such as transcription and summaries, may use cloud services. Noise Blocker processes microphone audio locally on your Windows PC.
Can Noise Blocker remove noise from other people on a call?
No. Noise Blocker processes your own outgoing microphone. It does not clean the incoming audio you hear from other participants.
Do both apps work with Zoom, Teams, Discord, and Slack?
Yes. Both provide a virtual microphone you can select in Zoom, Teams, Discord, Slack, and other apps.
Can I try both before paying?
Yes. Krisp offers a seven-day free trial. Noise Blocker includes 30 minutes of free noise filtering each week, with the allowance resetting at the start of the week.
Does Noise Blocker work on macOS?
No. Noise Blocker is currently available for Windows only. Krisp supports Windows and macOS.