Open Source Cubase AlternativesTop Music Production Apps & Digital Audio Workstations like Cubase

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

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Cubase alternatives are mainly Digital Audio Workstations, but if you're looking for Music Production Apps or Audio Editors you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Linux + Open Source. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Cubase.
Cubase iconCubase
  85
  • ...

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

More about Cubase
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Cubase alternatives page was last updated Nov 13, 2024
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Alternatives
  1. LMMS icon

    LMMS

     605 likes
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    Cross-platform digital audio workstation supporting lossless audio and VST plugins. Features include music looping, sequencing, and MIDI support. Provides an ad-free, privacy-focused, portable experience without registration, working offline with extensibility through plugins and add-ons.

    91 LMMS alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

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

    Properties

    1.  Customizable

    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.  Portable
    8.  Audio Recording
    9.  Music Sequencer
    10.  Works Offline
    11.  Support for MIDI
    12.  No registration required

    LMMS VS Cubase

     
    Comments about LMMS as an Alternative to Cubase
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    Mar 28, 2019
    5

    It has a lot interesting functions.

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    Jul 29, 2020
    3

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

    Most Recent Comment
    puikheid
    Negative •Nov 13, 2024
    0

    It's not a linear DAW and barely has any feature overlap.

    Show more comments
    3 of 6 comments
    Cubase Icon
    LMMS icon

    • Most users think LMMS is a great Cubase alternative.

    • LMMS is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Cubase.

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

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

    Ardour

     230 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

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Ardour 6

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    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 VS Cubase

     
    Comments about Ardour as an Alternative to Cubase
    Guest
    Positive •Nov 6, 2023
    0

    It's great. Complete tool!

    Guest
    Positive •Dec 23, 2016
    -2

    Opensource, available on Windows, Mac, and Linux, you can import PT projects, create your own model, and use it as a completed DAW for your computer. Enjoy !

    Cubase Icon
    Ardour icon

    • Most users think Ardour is a great Cubase alternative.

    • Ardour is Paid and Open SourceCubase is Paid and Proprietary
  4. Zrythm icon

    Zrythm

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

    91 Zrythm alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • CY flagCyprus
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Zrythm screenshot 1

    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 VS Cubase

     
  5. Bespoke Synth icon

    Bespoke Synth

     27 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

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    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 VS Cubase

     
  6. Qtractor icon

    Qtractor

     50 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

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • PT flagPortugal
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Qtractor screenshot 1

    Qtractor Features

    1.  Support for MIDI
    2.  Support for VST Plugins
    3.  Music Sequencer
    4.  Multitrack editing

    Qtractor VS Cubase

     
  7. FamiStudio icon

    FamiStudio

     22 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

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Wine
    Version 1.4.0

    FamiStudio Features

    1.  Support for MIDI

    FamiStudio VS Cubase

     
  9. Rosegarden icon

    Rosegarden

     58 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

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • BSD
    Rosegarden screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Music Looper
    2.  Support for MIDI
    3.  Piano Roll

    Rosegarden VS Cubase

     
  10. Radium icon

    Radium

     29 likes
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    Radium is a music editor with a new type of interface.

    72 Radium alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • NO flagNorway

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Radium 6

    Radium Features

    1.  Music Sequencer
    2.  Support for VST Plugins
    3.  Dark Mode
    4.  Piano Roll
    5.  Modular System

    Radium VS Cubase

     
  11. 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

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • NL flagNetherlands
    • European Union flagEU

    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 VS Cubase

     
9 of 23 Cubase alternatives