The Best Open Source Ableton Live AlternativesTop Music Production Apps & Digital Audio Workstations like Ableton Live

The best open source alternative to Ableton Live is LMMS. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Ableton Live and 19 is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Ableton Live are Ardour, Bespoke Synth, Zrythm and Qtractor.

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Ableton Live alternatives are mainly Music Production Apps but may also be Digital Audio Workstations or Audio Editors.  Other popular filters includes Android + Free. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Ableton Live.
Ableton Live iconAbleton Live
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Live is software for creating musical ideas, turning them into finished songs, and even taking them onto the stage.

More about Ableton Live
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Ableton Live alternatives page was last updated Dec 4, 2023
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  1. LMMS icon
    LMMS icon

    LMMS

     593 likes
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    LMMS is a free cross-platform alternative to commercial programs like FL Studio , which allow you to produce music with your computer. This includes the creation of melodies and beats, the synthesis and mixing of sounds, and arranging of...

    91 LMMS alternatives
    LMMS screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    LMMS screenshot 1
    LMMS screenshot 2
    +2
    LMMS screenshot 3

    Top LMMS Features

    1.  Support for VST Plugins
    2.  Digital Audio Workstation
    3.  Piano Roll
    4.  Export to MP3
    5.  Export to MIDI
    6.  MIDI Keyboard Input
    7.  Audio Recording
    8.  Portable
    9.  Music Sequencer
    10.  Works Offline
    11.  Support for MIDI
    12.  Ad-free
    LMMS iconAbleton Live Icon

    LMMS VS Ableton Live

    Is LMMS a good alternative to Ableton Live?
     
    Comments about LMMS as an Alternative to Ableton Live
     
       
    Comment summary: While LMMS is praised for being free and open-source, it lacks the capabilities and live performance features of Ableton Live. Many users find LMMS's functionality limited with issues in VST support and workflow, although it's appreciated as a decent entry-level DAW for those on a budget. Comparisons often highlight that Ableton's performance and workflow advantages make it superior, particularly for live setups.
    Oscar Sanderson

    LMMS is free (free as in freedom and free beer) and open source and overall really cool

    Top positive comment •Jul 20, 2021
    0
    Guest

    It is good but does not even come close to the Abelton workflow.

    Top negative comment •Aug 10, 2017
    17
    sedeti

    It's nothing compared to ableton

    Negative comment •Mar 16, 2021
    2
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    3 of 13 comments
    Ableton Live Icon
    LMMS icon

    • Most users think LMMS is a great Ableton Live alternative.

    • LMMS is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Ableton Live.

    • LMMS is Free and Open SourceAbleton Live is Paid and Proprietary
  2. Ardour icon
    Ardour icon

    Ardour

     224 likes
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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.

    89 Ardour alternatives
    Ardour 6

    License model

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Ardour with a custom theme
    main window + mixer
    +8
    MIDI tracks

    Top Ardour Features

    1.  Multitrack editing
    2.  Audio Recording
    3.  Mix Music
    4.  Digital Audio Workstation
    5.  Non Destructive Editing
    6.  Support for VST Plugins
    7.  Music Sequencer
    8.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    9.  Lossless Audio
    10.  Works Offline
    11.  Ad-free
    12.  Virtual Instrument
    Ardour iconAbleton Live Icon

    Ardour VS Ableton Live

    Is Ardour a good alternative to Ableton Live?
     
    Comments about Ardour as an Alternative to Ableton Live
     
    burnx50

    Ableton-style clip launcher is added to Ardour 7.

    Positive comment •Dec 9, 2021
    2
    Guest

    Ardour is good if you primary deal with audio. It is not very good for midi. You can work around making midi work for you. It has a lot of functionality, but what makes Ableton great is the clip launche. Ardour can't replace Ableton at this point.

    Negative comment •Feb 10, 2021
    1
    Guest

    The description did not mention you can make music on the program yourself.

    Negative comment •Nov 15, 2017
    -25
    Ableton Live Icon
    Ardour icon

    • Most users think Ardour is a great Ableton Live alternative.

    • Ardour is Paid and Open SourceAbleton Live is Paid and Proprietary
  4. Bespoke Synth icon
    Bespoke Synth icon

    Bespoke Synth

     25 likes
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    Bespoke is a software modular synthesizer. It contains a bunch of modules, which you can connect together to create sounds.

    75 Bespoke Synth alternatives
    Bespoke Synth screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Bespoke Synth screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Modular connections
    2.  Synthesizer
    3.  Virtual Instrument
    4.  Node Based
    5.  Music Looper
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Music Sequencer
    8.  Support for MIDI
    9.  Dark Mode
    10.  Works Offline
    11.  Music Recording
    12.  Mix Music
    Bespoke Synth iconAbleton Live Icon

    Bespoke Synth VS Ableton Live

    Is Bespoke Synth a good alternative to Ableton Live?
     
  5. Zrythm icon
    Zrythm icon

    Zrythm

     27 likes
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    Zrythm is a digital audio workstation designed to be featureful and easy to use.

    91 Zrythm alternatives
    Zrythm screenshot 1

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Zrythm screenshot 1
    Zrythm screenshot 2
    +4
    Zrythm screenshot 3

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    2.  Support for VST Plugins
    3.  Audio Export
    4.  Multiple languages
    5.  Music Sequencer
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  No registration required
    9.  Works Offline
    10.  No Tracking
    11.  Support for MIDI
    12.  Support for Audio Units Plugins
    Zrythm iconAbleton Live Icon

    Zrythm VS Ableton Live

    Is Zrythm a good alternative to Ableton Live?
     
  6. Qtractor icon
    Qtractor icon

    Qtractor

     47 likes
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    Qtractor is an Audio/MIDI multi-track sequencer application written in C++ with the Qt framework. Target platform is GNU/Linux, where the Jack Audio Connection Kit (JACK) for audio, and the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA) for MIDI, are the main infrastructures for...

    76 Qtractor alternatives
    Qtractor screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Qtractor Features

    1.  Support for MIDI
    2.  Support for VST Plugins
    3.  Music Sequencer
    4.  Multitrack editing
    Qtractor screenshot 1
    Qtractor screenshot 2
    Qtractor iconAbleton Live Icon

    Qtractor VS Ableton Live

    Is Qtractor a good alternative to Ableton Live?
     
  7. FamiStudio icon
    FamiStudio icon

    FamiStudio

     18 likes
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    FamiStudio is very simple music editor for the Nintendo Entertainment System or Famicom. It is designed to be easier to use than FamiTracker, but its feature set is also much more limited. It is targeted at both chiptune artists and NES homebrewers.

    32 FamiStudio alternatives
    Version 1.4.0

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Wine

    FamiStudio Features

    1.  Support for MIDI
    Version 2.1.0
    Version 2.3.0
    FamiStudio iconAbleton Live Icon

    FamiStudio VS Ableton Live

    Is FamiStudio a good alternative to Ableton Live?
     
  9. Efflux icon
    Efflux icon

    Efflux

     4 likes
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    Efflux is a Progressive Web Application allowing you to create music within your browser, either on- or offline on anything from a phone to desktop machine.

    53 Efflux alternatives
    Efflux screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    Efflux screenshot 1

    Efflux Features

    1.  Virtual Instrument
    2.  Works Offline
    3.  Support for MIDI
    4.  Music Looper
    5.  Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
    Efflux iconAbleton Live Icon

    Efflux VS Ableton Live

    Is Efflux a good alternative to Ableton Live?
     
  10. Cacophony icon
    Cacophony icon

    Cacophony

     2 likes
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    Cacophony is a minimalist and ergonomic MIDI sequencer. It's minimalist in that it doesn't have a lot of functionality MIDI sequencers have. It's ergonomic in that there is no mouse input and a very clean interface, allowing you to juggle less inputs and avoid...

    20 Cacophony alternatives
    Cacophony screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    • itch.io

    Cacophony Features

    1.  Support for MIDI
    Cacophony screenshot 1
    Cacophony screenshot 2
    +1
    Cacophony screenshot 3
    Cacophony iconAbleton Live Icon

    Cacophony VS Ableton Live

    Is Cacophony a good alternative to Ableton Live?
     
  11. Rosegarden icon
    Rosegarden icon

    Rosegarden

     56 likes
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    Rosegarden is a well-rounded audio and MIDI sequencer, score editor, and general-purpose music composition and editing environment.

    106 Rosegarden alternatives
    Rosegarden screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD

    Rosegarden Features

    1.  Music Looper
    2.  Support for MIDI
    3.  Piano Roll
    Rosegarden screenshot 1
    Rosegarden screenshot 2
    Rosegarden iconAbleton Live Icon

    Rosegarden VS Ableton Live

    Is Rosegarden a good alternative to Ableton Live?
     
9 of 19 Ableton Live alternatives