The best free DAWs

David8 appsUpdated Feb 27, 2020

Good digital audio workstations are not cheap but startling changes in the world of audio software have brought to the free market, composition and processing powers that once costed a fortune.

Cakewalk
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Cakewalk, formerly SONAR, is a comprehensive audio software for music composition, audio recording, editing, mixing and mastering. It features a full suite of high quality audio and MIDI effects and instruments and composition tools ranging from drum sequencer and piano roll...
Cost / License
Free Personal
Proprietary
Application typeApplication types
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Platforms
Windows
+2
David’s note
Cakewalk has long been a commercial super power in the audio industry and now, everyone can reap the rewards of its rich history in sound design. Sporting a beautiful UI, unlimited tracks and a massive suite of pro-quality gear bundled in, it brings a truly outstanding, commercial DAW experience to the free market.
VCV Rack
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VCV Rack is a modular synthesizer inspired by Eurorack systems. It acts a host for virtual modules which perform various audio processes. E.G. oscillators, filters, envelope generators, sequencers and more that can be connected freely in almost limitless combinations.
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application type
Music Production App
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
David’s note
Different from most DAWs, VCV Rack is more like a software simulation of real world hardware. And that's one of its greatest strengths. It sounds like the real world gear it's made to emulate. It also looks like that gear, wires and all. That's also where it differs most from other DAWs. Music is made by adding modules and routing them in any way imaginable using virtual wires. The sheer number of modules available is astounding and best of all, most are free and even open source like VCV Rack itself.
Ardour
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Ardour is a hard disk recorder and digital audio workstation application. Record, edit, and mix on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows.
Cost / License
Paid
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
+8
David’s note
Ardour is a commercial strength DAW that continues to advance in sophistication and features. Not only is it dirt cheap for a pre-compiled version, it's totally free for the code to compile it yourself.
AudioTool
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Make music online with a powerful set of tools ranging from synthesizers and samplers to mixers, delays, reverb and much more. AudioTool is an advanced, collaborative DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) built for the browser.
Cost / License
Free
Proprietary
Application typeApplication types
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Platforms
Online
+2
David’s note
AudioTool is a gem of audio composition, being totally free but still possessing advanced features that easily compare with the big DAWs. Plus, it's built for online use so compositions are easily portable and collaboration and social sharing is very simple.
Caustic
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Caustic is a music creation tool inspired by rack-mount synthesizers / samplers rigs. Everything is real-time and optimized for mobile devices.
Cost / License
Freemium
Proprietary
Application typeApplication types
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Wine
+4
David’s note
The commercial Caustic is designed for mobile use but the desktop version has all the same power at no cost at all. It's a free version of the app that works perfectly well with a mouse.
Rosegarden
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Rosegarden is a well-rounded audio and MIDI sequencer, score editor, and general-purpose music composition and editing environment.
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Platforms
Linux
BSD
David’s note
Designed strictly for Linux, Rosegarden provides powerful multi-track composition features normally found in pricey commercial apps, totally for free.
SunVox
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SunVox is a small, fast and powerful modular synthesizer with pattern based sequencer (tracker). It is a tool for those people who like to compose music wherever they are, whenever they wish. On any device.
Cost / License
Freemium
Proprietary
Application type
Music Production App
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Windows Mobile
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
David’s note
Different from most DAWs, SunVox relies on a tracker interface that can take some effort to learn but provides powerful pattern-based composition capabilities. While the interface is different, it's a fully capable DAW with advanced, modular routing. And the desktop version is totally free.
MultitrackStudio
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MultitrackStudio is a full-featured audio/MIDI multitrack recording software. It combines a multitrack recorder, a mixer, lots of effects and a MIDI sequencer in one package: everything that's needed to turn your computer into a digital multitrack music recording studio.
Cost / License
Freemium
Proprietary
Application typeApplication types
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Platforms
Mac
Windows
iPad
+1
David’s note
A little less known than many similar full-featured DAWs, MultitrackStudio packages its commercial powers in a super intuitive interface that greatly simplifies composition workflow. The fee, lite version has a 3-track limit, but the app's core strengths are all there.