What Zplane.Development does

zplane.development GmbH & Co KG is a Berlin-based audio technology company founded in 2000 that designs, develops, and licenses proprietary digital audio signal processing and music analysis algorithms. The company operates two intertwined lines of business: a B2B technology-licensing model in which its portfolio of more than 20 C++ SDKs is embedded into third-party DAW, DJ, music production, and broadcast software, and a B2C direct-to-consumer product line of audio plugins sold via its online shop (products.zplane.de, processed by FastSpring).

Its technology stack centers on time-stretching and pitch-shifting (the ELASTIQUE engine, with Pro and Efficient variants), beat and tempo tracking (AUFTAKT), key and chord detection (TONART, KORT, RETUNE), audio restoration (RESTORE), stem separation (STEMS EFFICIENT, INTONE), and supporting modules (BARBEATQ, ATAAK!, 4TUNE, ESPACE, FXPACK, METERING), with cross-platform availability across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. The ELASTIQUE engine has been the default time-stretching engine in Steinberg Cubase since version 6 and is also embedded in PreSonus Studio One, AVID Pro Tools, Cockos Reaper, MAGIX Samplitude, Image-Line FL Studio, Sony Vegas Pro/ACID Pro, and PG Music's Band-in-a-Box, among others, anchoring zplane in more than 60 commercial products.

Revenue is generated primarily through SDK licensing and royalties to software and hardware manufacturers plus direct sales of consumer plugins such as DECODA, ELASTIQUE PITCH, PEEL STEMS 2, RETUNE, and TONIC. The company is privately held as a German GmbH & Co KG partnership, reports 1-10 employees, and is represented by Tim Flohrer and Martin Schwerdtfeger, with co-founder Alexander Lerch (author of a textbook on audio content analysis) credited as a foundational technical figure. Recent product activity (ELASTIQUE PITCH v2.5 in June 2026, INTONE and STEMS EFFICIENT SDKs in 2025) and a new South American distribution partnership with Music SA (April 2026) indicate ongoing, AI-augmented product development and selective geographic expansion.

Name

Zplane.Development

Legal name

zplane.development GmbH & Co KG

Website

https://zplane.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Berlin-based audio technology company (est. 2000) that develops and licenses proprietary audio processing SDKs — led by its ELASTIQUE time-stretching engine — to 60+ DAW, DJ, and music software vendors, and sells consumer plugins directly to musicians and audio professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Audio Processing Software

NAICS

Other Sound Recording Industries (512290)

akta.pro primary industry

Audio Plugins & Virtual Instruments (VST/AU/AAX) (MPAIAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Performance & DJ Software (Playback, Mixing, Lighting Control) (MPAIAIAI), Music Programming & MIDI Production (MPAIAHAH)

Keywords

• Audio processing SDKs
• Time stretching algorithms
• Pitch shifting software
• Stem separation technology
• Music analysis algorithms

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Software Sales: Sale of end-user software products directly to musicians, producers, and audio professionals via their online shop. Products include DECODA, ELASTIQUE AAX, ELASTIQUE PITCH, PEEL, PEEL STEMS 2, RETUNE, and TONIC plugins.
2. Technology Licensing (SDK): Licensing of proprietary audio processing SDKs to third-party software developers and hardware manufacturers. This is a core revenue stream with over 60 licensing partners including major DAW companies like Steinberg, PreSonus, and AVID.
3. Technology Licensing - Platform Fees: SDK licensing generates recurring revenue through technology licensing agreements with software and hardware companies embedding zplane's algorithms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Zplane.Development designs, develops, and markets proprietary digital audio processing and music analysis technologies. The company sells a consumer-facing line of audio plugins (DECODA, ELASTIQUE PITCH, PEEL, PEEL STEMS 2, RETUNE, TONIC, élastiqueAAX) and licenses over 20 audio processing SDKs (ELASTIQUE, AUFTAKT, KORT, TONART, INTONE, RETUNE, STEMS, RESTORE, BARBEATQ, 4TUNE, ATAAK!, METERING and more) to third-party software and hardware manufacturers for embedding in DAW, DJ, sample-player, mobile and post-production products.

Product overview

zplane.development is a Berlin-based audio technology company offering both consumer-facing audio software products and licensable SDK technologies. The consumer product line includes DECODA (song analysis/learning), ELASTIQUE PITCH (real-time pitch shifting), élastiqueAAX (Pro Tools plugin), PEEL/PEEL STEMS 2 (spectral isolation and stem separation), RETUNE (polyphonic pitch correction), and TONIC (key detection). These products are powered by the company's core SDK technologies including ELASTIQUE (time/pitch scaling), AUFTAKT (beat tracking), KORT (chord detection), TONART (key detection), RETUNE (multi-pitch modification), INTONE (pitch correction), STEMS (audio separation), RESTORE (audio restoration), and various effects processors. zplane licenses these technologies as C++ SDKs to other software developers, and also offers access via sonicAPI.com for web developers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DECODA: Song deconstruction tool for analysing and learning songs — identifies key, tempo, chords, and song sections.
• élastiqueAAX
• ELASTIQUE PITCH
• PEEL
• PEEL STEMS 2
• RETUNE
• TONIC

Products and services

• DECODA Consumer song deconstruction plugin that imports an audio file and identifies the key, tempo, chords and song-structure sections (verse, chorus, etc.) with tools to help musicians learn and practice the song. Built on zplane's TONART and KORT analysis technologies.
• élastiqueAAX Professional time-stretching and pitch-shifting plugin for Avid Pro Tools (AAX) that brings zplane's ELASTIQUE time/pitch engine to Pro Tools workflows.
• ELASTIQUE PITCH Ultra-transparent real-time pitch-shifting plugin (Version 2.5) for all platforms, supporting precise pitch and formant manipulation for production, post-production and creative sound-design use.
• PEEL Flexible spectral and spatial audio isolation tool that lets a user extract or suppress individual sound sources from a stereo mix using flexible filtering controls.
• PEEL STEMS 2 Next-generation AI-powered real-time stem separation plugin that splits mixed audio into four distinct stems (vocals, bass, drums, other) with flexible spectral filtering, all without leaving the DAW.
• RETUNE Real-time polyphonic key, scale and pitch correction plugin built on zplane's TONART V2 pitch detection, capable of gently nudging out-of-tune instruments or dramatically changing a song's key.
• TONIC Key and scale analysis plugin with real-time and offline modes for detecting the musical key and scale of audio material.
• ELASTIQUE SDK Licensable time-stretching and pitch-shifting SDK available in Pro (highest-quality) and Efficient (real-time optimised) variants for embedding inside third-party DAW, DJ, post-production and broadcast software on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
• AUFTAKT SDK AI-enhanced automatic tempo and beat tracking SDK (Version 4.x) for embedding robust beat/downbeat detection and tempo-variation handling inside DAW, DJ, sample-player and mobile apps.
• KORT SDK Chord detection SDK using Deep Neural Networks to analyze harmonic content of music recordings and return chords with timestamps, available in Basic (major/minor) and Extended (3-4 note) chord modes.
• TONART SDK Key and tuning detection SDK (Version 3) using deep neural networks to identify musical key and tuning of audio material, with over 50% improved detection on critical EDM content versus its predecessor.
• INTONE SDK Formant-preserving, low-latency pitch correction and shifting algorithm SDK optimized for real-time processing of monophonic vocal and instrumental recordings, suitable for live and embedded use.
• RETUNE SDK Real-time multi-pitch modification SDK enabling polyphonic pitch correction and scale/chord manipulation of recorded audio, used in DJ, DAW and mobile music applications.
• STEMS EFFICIENT SDK Audio source separation SDK capable of separating any stereo mixture into four stereo stems (vocals, bass, drums, other), with karaoke-stem variants, for embedding inside DAW, mobile and DJ applications.
• RESTORE SDK Adaptive audio restoration SDK for real-time noise reduction and declicking that operates without pre-calculated noise fingerprints and works on both stationary and non-stationary noise.
• BARBEATQ SDK Automatic audio segmentation and cue-point detection SDK that proposes markers at song-structure boundaries and indices similarity for DJ performance and library preparation.
• 4TUNE SDK Real-time pitch tracking and karaoke scoring SDK, optimized for embedded and mobile devices, that detects the singer's pitch and scores its deviation from the notated musical score.
• ATAAK! SDK Audio-to-audio alignment SDK that uses ELASTIQUE time-stretching to automatically synchronize two similar audio files by matching pitch, timbre, loudness and onset times.
• METERING SDK EBU R128 compliant loudness measurement SDK providing perceptual loudness estimation for broadcast and streaming compliance use cases.
• DRUMS and PITCHES Transcription SDKs High-precision audio-to-MIDI transcription SDKs: DRUMS for drum-to-MIDI conversion and PITCHES for general monophonic-pitch-to-MIDI conversion, for embedding in DAW, notation or mobile music apps.
• ESPACE / FXPACK / CWAVE Effects SDKs Effects SDK portfolio comprising ESPACE (convolution reverb), FXPACK (classic audio effects) and CWAVE (waveform coloring technology for DJ software visualisations) for embedding inside third-party music software.
• sonicAPI.com Online HTTP-based audio processing API service that gives web and app developers programmatic access to zplane's professional-grade audio effects and music processing engines.

Quantifiable outcome

• TONART v3 shows over 50% improvement in detection rate for critical EDM content compared to predecessor
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability5 records

Feature16 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Music SAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 April 2026zplane has partnered with Music SA to deliver audio software products to musicians and producers across South America, expanding distribution into the Brazilian and broader South American market.
• PreSonuscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2008Longstanding partnership since approximately 2008-2009. PreSonus has utilized several zplane software tools in Studio One for over a decade, including ELASTIQUE PRO (added in Studio One 1.5, 2010), RETUNE for polyphonic pitch-shifting, and KORT for audio chord detection. Partnership described as having grown into friendship.
• SteinbergcoreTechnology or IntegrationSteinberg licenses ELASTIQUE Pro and ELASTIQUE Efficient as default time-stretching engines in Cubase since version 6 (2011). Also integrated into HALion 5, Sequel V3, and Nuendo.
• AlgoriddimcoreTechnology or Integrationdjay software integrates multiple zplane SDKs: aufTAKT for tempo detection, S.R.C. for sample rate conversion, fx:pack for filters and effects, ELASTIQUE Efficient for time-stretching, and Metering for loudness measurement. Also vjay app for iPad.
• Image LinecoreTechnology or IntegrationFL Studio integrates RESTORE SDK (co-developed with Image Line for improved algorithm) and Newtone pitch correction tool. Partnership developed RESTORE 1.2 with redesigned denoising algorithm for FL Studio Mac edition.
• MixVibescoreTechnology or IntegrationCROSS DJ software includes ELASTIQUE for time-stretching and pitch-shifting. CrossDJ for iPad also includes ELASTIQUE keylock. DJUCED software integrates ELASTIQUE Efficient, tonART, and aufTAKT.
• AVIDcoreTechnology or IntegrationProfessional time and pitch manipulation through ELASTIQUE AAX plugin for Pro Tools.
• CockoscoreTechnology or IntegrationReaper includes ELASTIQUE Pro V2 for time-stretching and pitch-shifting functionality. Was first software to include ELASTIQUE Pro V2.
• MAGIXcoreTechnology or IntegrationSamplitude PRO X incorporates ELASTIQUE PRO v3 as the time-stretching engine.
• PG MusiccoreTechnology or IntegrationBand-in-a-Box 2011 and later versions use ELASTIQUE Pro for enhanced time-stretching capability. zplane's audio algorithms power PG Music's industry-leading software.
• UeberschallcoreTechnology or IntegrationCo-developed Elastik V2 loop player, incorporating ELASTIQUE Pro and fx:pack SDKs. Close partnership for loop and sample player development.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lalal.ai: Lalal.ai offers an AI-powered stem separation service and API (Phoenix model) for musicians, producers, and developers. It is directly comparable to zplane's sonicAPI.com online audio processing service and PEEL STEMS 2 / STEMS EFFICIENT SDK.
• Celemony: Celemony's Melodyne is the industry-leading polyphonic pitch correction and audio analysis tool used in professional music production. It directly competes with zplane's RETUNE, INTONE, and TONART products in pitch detection and manipulation.
• Synchro Arts: Synchro Arts makes VocAlign (audio-to-audio alignment for ADR and music), Revoice Pro (vocal alignment and pitch correction), and RePitch Elements. It is highly comparable to zplane's ATAAK! SDK and the RETUNE/INTONE line for time and pitch manipulation.
• Audionamix: Audionamix specializes in AI-driven vocal and stem separation (XTRAX STEMS) and dialogue isolation. It is a direct competitor in the stem-separation and audio source-isolation space that zplane addresses with STEMS EFFICIENT and PEEL/PEEL STEMS 2.
• iZotope: iZotope develops audio processing software, plugins, and SDKs (e.g., RX for audio restoration, Ozone for mastering) used by music producers, post-production houses, and embedded in other software. It is the closest direct competitor to zplane in the audio-processing SDK space, with overlapping capabilities in noise reduction, pitch correction, and music analysis.
• Soundtoys: Soundtoys develops professional audio effects plugins (Decapitator, EchoBoy, Soundtoys 5) used in music production and post-production. While more focused on creative effects than analysis, it occupies the same audio-software-for-DAWs niche with similar licensing and direct-to-consumer channels.
• Acon Digital: Acon Digital develops audio processing software including the Acoustica audio editor, Multiply (chord-based pitch shifting), and a suite of restoration tools. It is comparable to zplane in the audio restoration and pitch correction space, with both consumer and SDK offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Native Instruments: Native Instruments is a major music technology company offering a broad portfolio of plugins, sampled instruments, and production tools (KOMPLETE, iZotope RX, Kontakt). It is listed as a zplane technology partner and is a broad incumbent in the same music production software category.

Emerging players

• Moises.ai: Moises.ai is an AI-powered music app for stem separation, pitch shifting, and chord/key detection. It overlaps with zplane's STEMS, RETUNE, and TONART capabilities in the consumer and prosumer education/practice market.
• Hit'n'Mix: Hit'n'Mix makes RipX DAW, a stem separation and audio editing tool that directly competes with PEEL STEMS 2. It targets the same music production and learning use cases with AI-driven audio source separation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zplanedev
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/zplanedev/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/zplane.development
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zplane.development

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zplane.Development