The Best Free Cubase AlternativesTop Music Production Apps & Digital Audio Workstations like Cubase

The best free alternative to Cubase is LMMS, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Cubase and many of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Cubase are GarageBand, Zrythm, Cakewalk and AudioTool.

Cubase alternatives are mainly Music Production Apps but may also be Digital Audio Workstations or Audio Editors. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Cubase.

Filter suggestions

Linux + Open Source

Cubase

Paid • Proprietary
Music Production App

Definitive desktop DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) for professional mixing, mastering, music production and sound design.

More about Cubase

Cubase alternatives page was last updated

LMMS
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Audio Recorder
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
PortableApps.com
Haiku
89 LMMS alternatives
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...
- - LMMS is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Cubase.
- - LMMS is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Cubase.
Suggest and vote on features
LMMS Features
1. Support for VST PluginsLMMS support third-party Virtual Studio Technology (VST) plugins.
2. PortableLMMS can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
3. Music SequencerRecord, edit, or play back music with LMMS, by handling note and performance information.
4. DRM FreeNo Digital rights management (DRM), i.e. no copy protection.
Piano Roll
Export to MP3
Export to MIDI
MIDI Keyboard Input
Free API
Customizable
Royalty-free music
Lossless quality
Mix Music
Image exporting
Comments about LMMS as a Alternative to Cubase
Most users think LMMS is a great Cubase alternative.
Guest
I hope to increase support for audio o multitrack recording - IT's very light for my pC Compaq with 1 ghz CPU , i don' t have a great pc
Top positive comment •
2

Guest
It has a lot interesting functions.
Top positive comment •
5

Guest
The UI is nowhere near Cubase. It's like comparing mattresses to game consoles. They might both be rectangular, but that's it.
Top negative comment •
2

RCLeahcar
No support for audio or multitrack recording
Negative comment •
2

Guest
Does not support harddisk recording - only midi or samples
Negative comment •
10
GarageBand
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Audio Recorder
Mac
iPhone
iPad
103 GarageBand alternatives
Welcome to the school of rock. A Mac-sized practice space. Your own recording studio. If you want to learn to play an instrument, write music, or record a song, GarageBand can help — whether you’re a rookie or a rock star.
Suggest and vote on features
GarageBand Features
1. Works OfflineGarageBand can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
2. Virtual InstrumentGarageBand uses mainy virtual instruments (piano, guitar, drums, bass, etc.).
3. Music SequencerRecord, edit, or play back music with GarageBand, by handling note and performance information.
Preset beats
Audio Samples
Piano Roll
Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
Comments about GarageBand as a Alternative to Cubase
Some users think GarageBand is a great Cubase alternative, some don't.
Guest
GarageBand is a very lightweight program compared to professional grade DAWs such as Cubase.
Negative comment •
1
Zrythm
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Open Source
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Audio Recorder
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
86 Zrythm alternatives
Zrythm is a digital audio workstation designed to be featureful and easy to use.
Suggest and vote on features
Zrythm Features
1. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsZrythm can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
2. Support for VST PluginsZrythm support third-party Virtual Studio Technology (VST) plugins.
3. Ad-freeZrythm doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
4. Music SequencerRecord, edit, or play back music with Zrythm, by handling note and performance information.
Multiple languages
Audio Export
Mix Music
Support for Audio Units Plugins
Music Mastering
Cakewalk
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free Personal • Proprietary
Audio Recorder
Audio Editor
Digital Audio Workstation
Windows
108 Cakewalk alternatives
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...
Suggest and vote on features
Cakewalk Features
1. Support for VST PluginsCakewalk support third-party Virtual Studio Technology (VST) plugins.
2. Ad-freeCakewalk doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
3. Support for MIDICakewalk includes MIDI hardware and software support to record and import audio.
4. Virtual InstrumentCakewalk uses mainy virtual instruments (piano, guitar, drums, bass, etc.).
5. Music LooperCakewalk supports a grid of musical loops and phrases that you can trigger and manipulate in real time.
6. Lossless AudioCakewalk has lossless audio support, basically studio quality sound.
7. Dark ModeCakewalk supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
8. Works OfflineCakewalk can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
9. Music SequencerRecord, edit, or play back music with Cakewalk, by handling note and performance information.
Multitrack editing
Step Sequencer
Melodyne Intergration
Mix Music
Piano Roll
Music Recording
Customizable
Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
MultiTrack
Comments about Cakewalk as a Alternative to Cubase
Most users think Cakewalk is a great Cubase alternative.
ballOOn Head
Best Freeware with all the professional abilities. Highest Level of Features Like all paid programs but not very stable
Positive comment •
0
AudioTool
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Music Production App
Audio Editor
Online
69 AudioTool alternatives
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.
- - AudioTool is the most popular Web-based alternative to Cubase.
Suggest and vote on features
AudioTool Features
1. Support for MIDIAudioTool includes MIDI hardware and software support to record and import audio.
2. Music SequencerRecord, edit, or play back music with AudioTool, by handling note and performance information.
Mix Music
Browser-based
Modular System
Cloud based
Community-based
Piano Roll
Sound Effects
Qtractor
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Audio Editor
Linux
74 Qtractor alternatives
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...
Suggest and vote on features
Qtractor Features
1. Support for MIDIQtractor includes MIDI hardware and software support to record and import audio.
2. Support for VST PluginsQtractor support third-party Virtual Studio Technology (VST) plugins.
3. Music SequencerRecord, edit, or play back music with Qtractor, by handling note and performance information.
Multitrack editing
Rosegarden
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Linux
BSD
103 Rosegarden alternatives
Rosegarden is a well-rounded audio and MIDI sequencer, score editor, and general-purpose music composition and editing environment.
Suggest and vote on features
Rosegarden Features
1. Music LooperRosegarden supports a grid of musical loops and phrases that you can trigger and manipulate in real time.
2. Support for MIDIRosegarden includes MIDI hardware and software support to record and import audio.
Piano Roll
Customizable
Opinions about Rosegarden as a Alternative to Cubase
Most users think Rosegarden is a great Cubase alternative.
Bespoke Synth
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Music Production App
Digital Audio Workstation
Mac
Windows
Linux
75 Bespoke Synth alternatives
Bespoke is a software modular synthesizer. It contains a bunch of modules, which you can connect together to create sounds.
Suggest and vote on features
Bespoke Synth Features
1. Virtual InstrumentBespoke Synth uses mainy virtual instruments (piano, guitar, drums, bass, etc.).
2. Node BasedBespoke Synth supports node editing, a form of visual programming that gives you full control over the rendering.
Modular connections
Synthesizer
Mix Music
Music Recording
FamiStudio
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Music Production App
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
Wine
31 FamiStudio alternatives
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.
Suggest and vote on features
FamiStudio Features
1. Support for MIDIFamiStudio includes MIDI hardware and software support to record and import audio.