Oh no! Some styles failed to load. 😵 Please try reloading this page

Digital Audio Workstations (DAW)

Compare the Top Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) of 2021

Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) Guide

What is Digital Audio Workstations (DAW)?

Digital audio workstations (DAW) provide users with interactive platforms and interfaces for recording, producing and editing audio files. Compare the best Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) currently available using the table below.

  • 1
    GarageBand
    GarageBand is a fully equipped music creation studio right inside your Mac — with a complete sound library that includes instruments, presets for guitar and voice, and an incredible selection of session drummers and percussionists. With Touch Bar features for MacBook Pro and an intuitive, modern design, it’s easy to learn, play, record, create, and share your hits worldwide. Now you’re ready to make music like a pro.
  • 2
    Adobe Audition
    A professional audio workstation. Create, mix, and design sound effects with the industry’s best digital audio editing software. Audition is a comprehensive toolset that includes multitrack, waveform, and spectral display for creating, mixing, editing, and restoring audio content. This powerful audio workstation is designed to accelerate video production workflows and audio finishing — and deliver a polished mix with pristine sound. Meet the industry’s best audio cleanup, restoration, and precision editing tool for video, podcasting, and sound effect design. This step-by-step tutorial guides you through the robust audio toolkit that is Adobe Audition, including its seamless workflow with Adobe Premiere Pro. Use the Essential Sound panel to achieve professional-quality audio — even if you’re not a professional. Learn the basic steps to record, mix, and export audio content for a podcast — or any other audio project.
    Starting Price: $20.99 per month
  • 3
    FL STUDIO

    FL STUDIO

    Image-Line Software

    FL STUDIO: The DAW powering the world’s best music. Celebrating Lifetime Free Updates for over 20 years. The fastest way from your brain to your speakers. FL Studio is the result of over 20 years of continuous development, to become the fastest way from your brain to your speakers. Many of the world's top DJs and producers started by downloading the FL Studio trial, making their first beats a bedroom studio. Now it's your turn, our trial allows you to make and save projects, then export them to audio formats like MP3 and WAV, ready to share with the world. How far will FL Studio take you? Mix and master music to the highest professional standards. All the features you need to create today's most complex productions including: effects chains, audio sends, sidechain control, advanced automation, plugin delay compensation and more. Our promise: Whatever version you buy, you’ll get all future updates free. Nothing more to pay. Ever.
    Starting Price: $99
  • 4
    Magix Music Maker
    Want to fulfil your dream of being a creative music producer, even without any experience? Music Maker lets you get started right away. Simply choose sounds from a massive collection of beats, tunes and vocals at chart quality level. Combine sounds and loops per drag & drop, play a whole library of software instruments and apply professional effects. Choose sounds and loops from your favorite genre and combine them with virtual instruments on your timeline. Analog synthesizers, drums that pack real boom or elegant strings – they can all be applied with a single click. Form an entire band! Start recording your own melodies or vocals from the get-go. Just connect your MIDI keyboard, drum pad controller or microphone – that's all you need to do. Want to record a live guitar solo? No problem. You're free to customize each and every element for your groove. Create a track that's one of a kind. Drag & drop to apply professional effects to your sounds, loops, instruments and vocals.
    Starting Price: $59
  • 5
    Ableton Live

    Ableton Live

    Ableton

    Ableton is a software organization that offers a piece of software called Ableton Live. Ableton Live is audio editing software, and includes features such as audio effects, batch processing, export audio (multiple file types), record live audio, record multiple simultaneous tracks, scrub, search, bookmark, sound editing tools, spectral analysis / FFT, speech synthesis (TTS), swappable patches, virtual instruments, virtual mixing, and voice changer. Ableton Live offers a free trial. Ableton Live features training via documentation. Ableton Live offers business hours support. The Ableton Live software suite is Windows and Mac software. Some competitor software products to Ableton Live include FL STUDIO, Audacity, and Pro Tools.
  • 6
    PreSonus Studio One

    PreSonus Studio One

    PreSonus Audio Electronics

    Record, produce, mix, master, and perform all from a single, intuitive application. Designed with ease of use at its core, Studio One® 5 is your creative partner from studio to stage. The Start Page provides what you need to begin your creative process, including a dashboard with all your songs, projects, and shows, plus a personalized user profile that allows you to add custom metadata to all your creations.
  • 7
    Cleanfeed

    Cleanfeed

    Cleanfeed

    Our free account has no limit on time or number of connections. You'll have your first live interview or recording within minutes. Cleanfeed is multitrack, multi-party live audio and recording, using only a browser. You'll have your first live interview or recording within minutes. Don't compromise; Cleanfeed is built from the ground up for live radio and audio production. Crystal-clear audio and a service you can trust; used by major broadcasters around the world. Get started without external mixers, mix-minuses and other technical know-how. The minimum requirements are just a browser and a microphone; Cleanfeed handles the rest. Bring together everyone on the same session. You can choose how to record them, too; even on separate tracks. Only one party needs a Cleanfeed account; just send a web link. Anyone can connect from Mac, Windows, Linux or Android. Send your audio without unwanted processing. Access the best codecs, high bitrates and stereo audio; on wired, wireless, 3G or 4G.
    Starting Price: $22/month/user
  • 8
    Hindenburg Journalist

    Hindenburg Journalist

    Hindenburg Systems

    Hindenburg Journalist is a multitrack audio editor designed for podcasters, audio producers and radio journalists. It might look like any another audio editor - but it’s not. The design and features are tailored spoken-word productions. Hindenburg Journalist’s focus is on storytelling. Hindenburg records uncompressed sound to give you the best audio quality. Plug in your studio microphone and begin recording. Mistakes in your Voice Track can be fixed on the fly. Sometimes you need to move outside the studio; some stories are best told where they take place - at the playground, from an armchair or by the seaside. Plug in a USB microphone and begin recording with Hindenburg. During the interview you can set markers and add notes. Adjusting the sound is easy. In addition to built-in equalisation and compression, there is also a Voice Profiler. This tool can automatically create an EQ to give you that out-of-the-speakers sound.
    Starting Price: $99
  • 9
    WavePad

    WavePad

    NCH Software

    This audio editing software is a full-featured professional audio and music editor for Windows and Mac. Record and edit music, voice and other audio recordings. When editing audio files, you can cut, copy and paste parts of recordings, and then add effects like echo, amplification and noise reduction. WavePad works as a WAV or MP3 editor, but it also supports a number of other file formats including VOX, GSM, WMA, real audio, AU, AIF, FLAC, OGG, and more.
    Starting Price: 39.95/one-time
  • 10
    Output Arcade
    Arcade is a sample playground with new content delivered every day and tools to transform it all so it sounds like you. It even works with your own loops. Never ending supply of new product lines and kits, and no limitations during your trial period like you’ll find in other software. Any session you’ve built will work forever. The feed is Arcade's landing page. Here you'll find the newest Arcade content, including new lines and kits. We also present you a selection of recommended Kits based on the content you commonly play. Arcade is a plugin you can use inside a DAW and also a standalone application, which can be opened like any other application on your computer. Transform loops on the fly with Output’s proprietary modifiers. Drag and drop your own samples into the instrument with auto key and tempo detection.
    Starting Price: $10 per month
  • 11
    Logic Pro

    Logic Pro

    Apple

    Logic Pro turns your Mac into a professional recording studio able to handle even the most demanding projects. Capture your compositions and performances — from tracking a live band to a solo software-instrument session — and flow them into your songs. Create and improvise in a whole new way with Live Loops. Control music-making sessions from your iPad or iPhone with Logic Remote. Transform sounds into instruments with Sampler and Quick Sampler. Quickly build drum beats and melodic patterns with Step Sequencer. Live Loops is a dynamic way to create and arrange music in real time. Kick off your composition by adding loops, samples, or your recorded performances into a grid of cells. Trigger different cells to play with your ideas without worrying about a timeline or arrangement. Once you find combinations that work well together you can create song sections, then move everything into the Tracks area to continue production and finish your song.
  • 12
    AudioDirector

    AudioDirector

    Cyberlink

    No production is complete without sound design. Visually intuitive and stocked with tools and effects to master your production, AudioDirector is the comprehensive audio workstation for multi-tracking, mixing, editing and sound restoration. Export your entire audio project from AudioDirector directly into PowerDirector and vice versa. Your audio and video project edits synchronize perfectly between the two apps. Let powerful AI tools create the perfect recording environment, anywhere. Remove wind gusts, reverb, and echo from audio clips intelligently so dialogue and ambient sounds are clearly heard. Throw your vocals through professional tone filters – or create your own. Instantly fix pitch issues and achieve perfect intonation. Want to use a music track without the distracting vocals? Extract pristine instrumental tracks from your favorite songs. Get the most out of your mix with complete track control and comparison. Combine and apply multiple effects at the same time.
    Starting Price: $96.99
  • 13
    ACID Music Studio
    Easily start your music production with loop-based creation in ACID Music Studio. Develop your own, personal style and progress within the ACID family and become one of the greats on the music scene. With no limits, you have complete creative freedom! Start with ACIDized loops, then edit and make them your own. Choose from over 2,500 loops from genres including hip hop, house and rock. Add instruments – anything from classic MPC-style beats to rich electric piano. Choose from a wide variety of sounds and even record your own singing. For the professional edge, add top quality effects and mix the levels and you're done. It's that simple and now your first song is ready for the world! You're in the ACID zone now and your inspiration takes control! Remix your songs creatively, or import your favorite tracks & add your own flavors. Remix music in your own personal style!
    Starting Price: $19.99 one-time payment
  • 14
    SAWStudio

    SAWStudio

    RM Labs

    SAW is the acronym for Software Audio Workshop. SAWStudio combines both high-tech virtual mixing and hard disk editing technologies into one power-packed application. The look and feel of a fully controllable console, coupled with an all new high powered 24-bit hard disk engine make this product one of the most intelligent choices for the serious audio professional. The SAWStudio interface is a tightly woven mesh of a fully developed mixing console interface and a newly designed MultiTrack recording/editing interface. This design is truly aimed at emulating the look and feel of working in a typical hardware based studio environment, replacing the physical mixing console, MultiTrack recorder and outboard rack-effects gear all at the same time. This product represents a revolutionary new approach to mixing and editing audio in a virtual environment, truly replacing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of physical gear needed to perform the same functions.
    Starting Price: $200 one-time payment
  • 15
    iZotope

    iZotope

    iZotope

    At iZotope, we’re obsessed with great sound. Our intelligent audio technology helps musicians, music producers, and audio post engineers focus on their craft rather than the tech behind it. We design award-winning software, plug-ins, hardware, and mobile apps powered by the highest quality audio processing, machine learning, and strikingly intuitive interfaces. In media production environments, where budgets are tight and timelines are even tighter, sound is often forced to take a backseat to picture. From flawed location sound to prohibitively expensive ADR to loudness requirements in final delivery, sound quality is compromised too often. iZotope products distinguish themselves by solving seemingly unsolvable audio challenges like these and doing so in a way that’s proven to save both time and money.
    Starting Price: $19.99 per month
  • 16
    Sequoia

    Sequoia

    Sequoia

    From the recording room to the mastering desk – stability, seamless processing and innovative editing features are key to engineers worldwide. Our partners, which include Europe's most prominent broadcasters, rely on its scalable, flexible network and hardware integration. It's the details that let you work more efficiently. Sequoia 16 is all about perfecting workflows. Your business should have the best tools in audio production – welcome to the new Sequoia. Get the best-sounding algorithm for your resampling tasks right now. Go beyond stereo reverb and experience realistic space in 3D audio. Monitoring section – switch to surround and back: Create different playback routings and switch back and forth inside the box. Tab through different output choices right next to your pan knobs.
    Starting Price: €200 per year
  • 17
    Soundation

    Soundation

    Soundation

    Create your own beats with pro music tools. 20,000+ ready-to-mix basslines, drum beats and melodies in the library. Easy-to-use drum machines, samplers and synthesizers. Shape your sound with a wide range of effects, anything from reverb to distortion to an equalizer. Team up and produce music with friends in multiplayer mode, 100% synced in real-time. Publish your music and build a fan base. To export a song to your computer as an audio file, click on the export icon from the sidebar on the right-hand side of the studio. You’ll be able to choose your preferred format, MP3 or WAV. Soundation will process your song and you’ll be able to save it to your computer. MIDI export allows you to transfer MIDI material from Soundation to virtually any MIDI sequencer or application on any platform. Make sure you are logged in to your account to save or open a song.
    Starting Price: $4.99 per month
  • 18
    Sumotunes

    Sumotunes

    Sumo Apps

    Easy-to-use web-based music studio to create songs, play with instruments or remix other users' original songs. Supports MP3 export and cloud storage for your songs. Compose your own hit song, even if you're tone deaf. Write the next big opera or pop hit! Composing music has never been this easy. Share your hit tracks with the community and gain fame. All from your own home! Mix the next banger, downtempo or lo-fi chillstep mix. You can also remix songs! Drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, or the sounds of everyday life. We've got a cornucopia of sounds to riff with! Become a beatmaker by layering instrumentals and patterns. See the music as you make melodies for others to hear. Enjoy an online image editor, photo editor, audio editor, video editor, music studio, code studio, pixel editor and 3D studio for only $9 / month.
    Starting Price: $9 per month
  • 19
    Mixvibes Remixlive
    Making music on mobile and desktop has never been easier! This new music creation tool features a professional drum pad, looper, sequencer & song mode perfect for both live performance and musical composition. Play with loops synced to the tempo on a 8x6 grid. Create your sequences using your own patterns. Perform live drums for your creations and arrange samples to create your own track. Everything you need, from launching fully-synced loops to adding FX, packed in an all-in-one remix app. Create rich and layered tracks all in Remixlive using the multiple playmode. Remixlive integrates seamless time-stretching that makes it possible to bring together samples from many different sources, including 150+ pro sample packs available in the app. This new feature allows us to offer everyone the possibility to create their own patterns, making more complex music and stepping up their game by evolving their style.
  • 20
    Pyramix

    Pyramix

    Merging

    Pyramix is a digital audio workstation used by professional studios and engineers the world over for music production, mastering, TV and film post-production. Pyramix, in combination with its networked audio interfaces offers the only end to end solution on the market to produce music digitally with an audio format that sounds like analog to humans. We enable music producers to give no compromise to their music throughout the whole production chain, and give them all the tools needed for a broad outreach including latest “Next Generation Audio" streaming formats such as Dolby Atmos ®. Merging Technologies has worked with companies such as Flux Audio to bring into Pyramix astounding plugins available in any resolution and at near zero latencies. Pyramix not only provides the most transparent analog-like DAW, it also provides you with cutting edge editing tools, such as the very unique source/destination mode which allows editing of huge multi track recordings at the speed of light.
  • 21
    Bandlab

    Bandlab

    Bandlab

    Make music anytime, anywhere. Connect with millions. Release your tracks and engage with fans, keep 100% of your earnings. Record, mix and collaborate on your music projects from start to finish with our best-in-class and 100% free mix editor. Always ready when inspiration strikes with our fully functional DAW in your pocket or via the browser. No boundaries to your creativity with unlimited multi-track projects and free cloud storage. Our game-changing technology will transform your workflow with up to 50 collaborators per project. Sound your best at all times with the world’s leading online mastering service. Designed with multi-platinum GRAMMY- winning producers and engineers. Lightning fast, no limits. Hundreds of thousands of professionally designed and curated royalty-free loops, samples and one-shots from producers all over the world. All free, no subscriptions, no credits.
  • 22
    Mixbus

    Mixbus

    Harrison

    With dozens of DAWs to choose from, there's only one that is designed to work like a Harrison, with an analog paradigm that embodies form, function, and sound. Where other DAWs use a computer paradigm, MIXBUS grows from Harrison's distinguished 40-year heritage of platinum records and blockbuster films such as Thriller, Graceland, and Spider-Man. Mixbus is the first full-featured DAW with true analog-style mixing. Harrison has a unique history. In the mid-80s, we developed fully-automated, digitally-controlled analog mixer technology which was adopted by premiere film-mixing facilities around the world. When the digital revolution came, we were asked to convert the analog "processor" into a digital processor, while leaving the control surface unchanged. Film mixers wanted the control surface to work and sound exactly like the analog mixer they were using for previous projects. This required us to develop a digital audio engine that operated and sounded exactly like an analog mixer.
    Starting Price: $93.90 one-time payment
  • 23
    LUNA

    LUNA

    Universal Audio

    Designed for seamless integration with Apollo audio interfaces, LUNA is our free Mac‑based recording application that lets you do music recording, audio editing, composition, sound design, and more, all in real time, and with big analog studio sound. Far beyond plug‑ins, LUNA extensions are built into the fabric of LUNA's mixer, giving you authentic analog sounds without having to manage multiple plug‑in windows. Create with precisely emulated analog summing from legendary Neve and API consoles. These optional LUNA Extensions will transform a clean, sterile mix to sound as if it was mixed on a classic analog desk. Get the punch and rich textures of magnetic tape on any audio or instrument track, as well as your master fader and buses, with optional Studer A800 and Ampex ATR-102 LUNA Extensions. You can also sculpt warm analog tape tones with the included Oxide Tape Machine Extension.
  • 24
    LMMS

    LMMS

    LMMS

    Compose music on Windows, Linux and macOS. Compose songs, create sequences, mix and automate in one simple interface. Play the notes with a MIDI controller or using your computer keyboard. Consolidate instrument tracks using the Rhythm + Bass Editor. Fine-tune patterns, notes, chords, and melodies with the Piano Roll Editor. Full automation based on user-defined tracks and computer controlled automation sources. Import MIDI files and Hydrogen projects. Built-in support for 64-bit VST instruments via 32-bit VST bridge (Windows 64-bit). Support for LADSPA plugins. Support for VST® Effects Plugins (Linux and Windows). Built-in compressor, limiter, delay, reverb, distortion, and bass booster. Graphic and parametric equalizers included. Built-in spectrum analyzer / viewer. Create music with your computer, making melodies and rhythms, synthesizing and mixing sounds, arranging samples, and much more.
  • 25
    Rosegarden

    Rosegarden

    Rosegarden

    Rosegarden is a music composition and editing environment based around a MIDI sequencer that features a rich understanding of music notation and includes basic support for digital audio. Rosegarden is an easy-to-learn, attractive application that runs on Linux, ideal for composers, musicians, music students, and small studio or home recording environments. Rosegarden is currently an application for Linux only. Now that we have ported to Qt 4, and now that Qt is freely available for all platforms without a commercial license, there are fewer obstacles standing in the way of eventually becoming a cross-platform application. Rosegarden uses the Qt 4 libraries for various common controls, but you can run it under any window manager or graphical environment you like. The Open in Notation Editor option on the main view's Segments menu will open all the currently-selected segments together in a single editor.
  • Previous
  • You're on page 1
  • 2
  • Next