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

The best free alternative to GarageBand is LMMS, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to GarageBand and loads of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to GarageBand are AudioTool, Cakewalk, Bespoke Synth and Zrythm.

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GarageBand alternatives are mainly Music Production Apps, but if you're looking for Digital Audio Workstations or Audio Editors you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Windows, Android, Online, Linux, Free, Mac + Free and Open Source. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to GarageBand.
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Alternatives list

  1. LMMS icon

    LMMS

     630 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

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Flatpak
    LMMS screenshot 1
     
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    8
    114
    Comments about LMMS as an Alternative to GarageBand
    Top Positive Comment
    TheBeast
    13

    More of a learning curve but a great program if you can take the time to learn it.

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    19

    Incredibly more complex, not recommended for beginners

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    it's for electronic music production, not music recording

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Show more comments
    3 of 8 comments
    GarageBand Icon
    LMMS icon

    • Most users think LMMS is a great GarageBand alternative.

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

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

    • LMMS is Free and Open SourceGarageBand is Free and Proprietary
    • LMMS is Customizable, Privacy focused and LightweightGarageBand is not according to our users
  2. AudioTool icon

    AudioTool

     79 likes
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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.

    76 AudioTool alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    AudioTool screenshot 1
     
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    34
  4. Cakewalk icon

    Cakewalk

     74 likes
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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...

    115 Cakewalk alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Cakewalk screenshot 1
     
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    MAGIX Music Maker icon
    MAGIX Music Maker

    Create songs, soundtracks, and beats with 1,500+ sounds, 64 audio/MIDI tracks, and a mixing console featuring effects and synths, catering to new and experienced musicians. Industry-standard CD burning and a user-friendly interfa...

    https://www.magix.com
    Learn More
  7. Zrythm icon

    Zrythm

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

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Zrythm screenshot 1
     
  8. Carla icon

    Carla

     36 likes
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    Carla is an audio plugin host, with support for many audio drivers and plugin formats. It has some nice features like automation of parameters via MIDI CC (and send output back as MIDI too) and full OSC control.

    44 Carla alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Carla screenshot 1
     
  10. Soundtrap icon

    Soundtrap

     8 likes
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    Soundtrap is a freemium online cross-platform digital audio workstation for browsers that allows users to create music or podcasts.

    45 Soundtrap alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    the studio
     
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    2
    23
    Comments about Soundtrap as an Alternative to GarageBand
    Guest
    Positive
    1

    I don't know it just seems to be a good app of garageband.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    the drums in there are total abominations. double-time swing is impossible. apart from that, it is awesome for dubstep, lo-fi hiphop and everything besides jazz and other genres better portrayed live than imitated.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    GarageBand Icon
    Soundtrap icon

    • Most users think Soundtrap is a great GarageBand alternative.

    • Soundtrap is Freemium and ProprietaryGarageBand is Free and Proprietary
  11. Melodic Mind icon

    Melodic Mind

     8 likes
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    Mobile-first platform with integrated DAW, stem separation, songwriting, synthesizer, real instruments, music theory, practice toolkit, vocal training, chromatic tuner, progress tracking, and unique gamification inspired by anime quests, all in a free public beta.

    52 Melodic Mind alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Melodic Mind screenshot 1
    Melodic Mind screenshot 2
    Melodic Mind screenshot 3
     

    • Melodic Mind is the most popular SaaS alternative to GarageBand.

    • Melodic Mind is Freemium and ProprietaryGarageBand is Free and Proprietary
  12. Qtractor icon

    Qtractor

     52 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

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Qtractor screenshot 1
     
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    6
  13. DaVinci Resolve Fairlight icon

    DaVinci Resolve Fairlight

     12 likes
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    Every track includes real time equalization and dynamics processing to sweeten and fine tune your mix. This is in addition to your six real time track effects, making Fairlight far more powerful than other digital audio workstation software!

    13 DaVinci Resolve Fairlight alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    DaVinci Resolve Fairlight screenshot 1
     
  14. Draw.Audio icon

    Draw.Audio

     8 likes
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    Explore sound art with an innovative, free musical sketch-pad offering a synthesizer, sequencer, and drawing tools. Underpinned by the Web Audio API, it enables music recording, editing, and playback without ads, all in a seamless web-based interface for creative expression.

    53 Draw.Audio alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    Draw.Audio screenshot 1
     
  15. FamiStudio icon

    FamiStudio

     24 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.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Wine
    Version 1.4.0
     
12 of 60 GarageBand alternatives