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 Walk Band, AudioTool, Cakewalk and Bespoke Synth.

filter to find the best alternatives

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 Mac + Free. 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.
GarageBand iconGarageBand
  264
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Full-featured music studio offering sound library, virtual drummers, and instrument presets available on Mac and iOS. Ideal for all skill levels.

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GarageBand alternatives page was last updated Feb 26, 2025
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  1. LMMS icon

    LMMS

     609 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 GarageBand

     
    Comments about LMMS as an Alternative to GarageBand
    Top Positive Comment
    TheBeast
    Jan 20, 2017
    13

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

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    Jan 15, 2016
    19

    Incredibly more complex, not recommended for beginners

    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Negative Jan 15, 2025
    0

    it's for electronic music production, not music recording

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    3 of 8 comments
    GarageBand Icon
    LMMS icon

    • Most users think LMMS is a great GarageBand alternative.

    • LMMS is the most popular 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
  2. Walk Band icon

    Walk Band

     20 likes
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    Walk Band is a music studio (a toolkit of virtual musical instruments) customized for Android. It contains tons of features including Piano, Guitar, Drum Kit,Drum Machine, Bass, Multi-tracks synthesizer etc. All instruments use the realistic instrument sounds.

    19 Walk Band alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    Walk Band screenshot 1

    Walk Band Features

    1.  Virtual Instrument
    2.  Drum matrix editing
    3.  Stickers
    4.  Piano Roll
    5.  Performance Monitoring

    Walk Band VS GarageBand

     
    Comments about Walk Band as an Alternative to GarageBand
    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive May 4, 2019
    5

    It's basically just like garageband. You can use a MIDI, you can record tracks, you can use some of their tracks as well.

    Guest
    Positive Dec 16, 2017
    1

    Because they sound the same

    thebenmix11
    Positive Sep 1, 2020
    -1

    While it doesn't have all of the functionality of GarageBand, it is the closest equivalent that you can get for android. It has a wide variety of instruments and it allows for loops and MIDI. Very complete.

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    3 of 4 comments
    GarageBand Icon
    Walk Band icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Walk Band is a great GarageBand alternative.

    • Walk Band is Free and ProprietaryGarageBand is also Free and Proprietary
  4. AudioTool icon

    AudioTool

     78 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.

    70 AudioTool alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Online
    AudioTool screenshot 1

    AudioTool Features

    1.  Support for MIDI
    2.  Music Sequencer
    3.  Mix Music
    4.  Browser-based
    5.  Cloud based
    6.  Modular System
    7.  Community-based
    8.  Piano Roll
    9.  Sound Effects

    AudioTool VS GarageBand

     

    • Most users think AudioTool is a great GarageBand alternative.

    • AudioTool is the most popular Web-based alternative to GarageBand.

    • AudioTool is Free and ProprietaryGarageBand is also Free and Proprietary
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  6. Cakewalk icon

    Cakewalk

     70 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...

    114 Cakewalk alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • SG flagSingapore

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Cakewalk screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Support for VST Plugins
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Support for MIDI
    4.  Multitrack editing
    5.  Step Sequencer
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Works Offline
    8.  Virtual Instrument
    9.  Music Looper
    10.  Lossless Audio
    11.  Music Sequencer
    12.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions

    Cakewalk VS GarageBand

     
  7. Bespoke Synth icon

    Bespoke Synth

     28 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.

    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 GarageBand

     
  8. Zrythm icon

    Zrythm

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

    92 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 GarageBand

     
  10. Carla icon

    Carla

     34 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.

    43 Carla alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Carla screenshot 1

    Carla Features

    1.  Support for VST Plugins
    2.  Rack Effects
    3.  Works Offline
    4.  Live Performance
    5.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    6.  Support for MIDI
    7.  Ad-free

    Carla VS GarageBand

     
  11. 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.

    43 Soundtrap alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    the studio

    Soundtrap Features

    1.  Support for MIDI
    2.  Web-Based
    3.  Social media collaboration
    4.  Distribution
    5.  Automatic Looping

    Soundtrap VS GarageBand

     
    Comments about Soundtrap as an Alternative to GarageBand
    Guest
    Positive Jul 23, 2020
    1

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

    Guest
    Negative Jan 8, 2021
    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.

    GarageBand Icon
    Soundtrap icon

    • Most users think Soundtrap is a great GarageBand alternative.

    • Soundtrap is Freemium and ProprietaryGarageBand is Free and Proprietary
  12. Qtractor icon

    Qtractor

     51 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...

    74 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 GarageBand

     
9 of 60 GarageBand alternatives