Free GarageBand Alternatives for Mac

    There are many alternatives to GarageBand for Mac if you are looking for a replacement. The best Mac alternative is LMMS, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to GarageBand and many of them is available for Mac so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Mac alternatives to GarageBand are FL Studio (Paid), Audacity (Free, Open Source), Reaper (Paid) and Ardour (Freemium, Open Source).

    This page was last updated Jul 15, 2021
    1. LMMS is a free cross-platform alternative to commercial programs like FL Studio , which allow you to produce music with your computer.
      show more ▾
      LMMS vs GarageBand opinions
      Some users think LMMS is a great alternative to GarageBand, some don't.
      TheBeast More of a learning curve but a great program if you can take the time to learn it.
      Top positive comment  over 4 years ago

      12
      It does not lag when there’s a ton of sounds playing
      Top positive comment  11 months ago

      2
      Incredibly more complex, not recommended for beginners
      Top negative comment  over 5 years ago

      20
      not as user friendly as garageband
      Negative comment • about 2 years ago

      13
      The GUI seems to try to mimic GarageBand but fails to replicate the ease of usage for those unfamiliar with LMMS.
      Negative comment • over 2 years ago

      2
      Free, has many features, and is easy to get started with. As a plus: it runs on nearly every platform.
      Positive comment • about 3 years ago

      -1
    2. Audacity is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. You can use Audacity to record live audio, convert tapes and records, edit sound files, change the speed or pitch of a recording and much more.

      Warning

      After being bought by Muse Group in April 2021, Audacity has changed its privacy policy and may collect "Data necessary for law enforcement, litigation and authorities’ requests (if any)". It's now considered as a spyware by many.

      show more ▾
      Audacity vs GarageBand opinions
      This alternative is disputed. Audacity is still a legitimate alternative to GarageBand, but it might have issues that some users think are important.
       all • positive • negative      relevance • date
      Can record and add tracks but little beyond that
      Top positive comment  almost 2 years ago

      6
      It's free and easy to use, but doesn't have sample music like FL, good if you are making acoustic music. Not too good for remix or altering acoustic sounds.
      Top positive comment  about 2 months ago

      0
      It's good for recording audio and editing, but doesn't create audio.
      Top negative comment  about 1 year ago

      2
      It's better for editing existing audio than creating new audio.
      Negative comment • about 1 year ago

      3
      you can't create music with Audacity. It's rather about editing sounds. Great for Podcasting
      Negative comment • over 1 year ago

      2
      Audacity is more specifically for music editing rather than creation
      Negative comment • almost 2 years ago

      13
      it is free and easier to use
      Positive comment • about 2 years ago

      0
      Show more comments ▾
      7 of 10 comments
    4. Ardour is a hard disk recorder and digital audio workstation application. It runs on GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows. Ardour's intention is to provide digital audio workstation software suitable for professional use.
      show more ▾
      Most users think Ardour is a great alternative to GarageBand.
    5. Tracktion is a multi-platform software for music production, with a modern graphic user interface.
      show more ▾
      Some users think Tracktion is a great alternative to GarageBand, some don't.

    6. Cross DJ

      • Freemium • Proprietary
      • Mac
      • Windows
      • Android
      • iPhone
      • Android Tablet
      • iPad
      ▼
      ▼
      Mix, scratch, sample, record: rock great parties with top-DJ features. Turn your mobile device into a complete DJ system. Mix your tracks in perfect sync, scratch, add effects, loops and more. Automix your songs for non-stop music. Record your set and share it on SoundCloud.
      show more ▾
      Cross DJ vs GarageBand opinions
      Most users think Cross DJ is a great alternative to GarageBand.
      Does not let you sequence audio files
      Negative comment • about 6 years ago

      1
    8. 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.
      show more ▾
    9. Pro Tools redefined the music, film, and TV industry, providing everything you need to compose, record, edit, and mix audio—in the studio or in the cloud, from anywhere.

    10. FamiStudio

      • Free • Open Source
      • Mac
      • Windows
      • Linux
      • Wine
      ▼
      ▼
      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.
      show more ▾
    11. LinuxSampler - free, open source pure software audio sampler with professional grade features.
      show more ▾
    12. Ohm Studio is the first real-time collaborative digital audio workstation. Start a project, invite musicians and make music together. It's as simple as that. Download the application and join a worldwide online cohmunity of musicians and producers.
      show more ▾
    Showing 10 of 21 alternatives