We've tested the most popular options to help you choose the best audio editing software. And if you've got a Mac, it's worth giving the free. X is the best and Y is garbage' arguments. We tested 10 Mac photo editing programs for over 50 hours by comparing editing capabilities. We imported the same group of photos to each software and applied the same edits. Each program's ease of use was an important factor in our recommendations, as we the best programs should be powerful yet easy to learn.
- Best Free Photo Editing Software For Mac App Store
- Free Editing Software For Mac
- Best Video Editing Software Mac
- Best Free Editing Programs For Pc
- Best Free Photo Editing App For Macbook Air
Apple computers have long been aimed at the creative professional, particularly when it comes to photo and video editing. Unfortunately, industry-leading packages like Adobe Premiere, After Effects, and Apple’s own Final Cut Pro aren’t cheap.
Fortunately, there’s a selection of capable free video editing apps for Mac to sink your teeth into. Some are made for beginners, while others will satisfy seasoned video editors with their impressive feature sets.
- Master PDF Editor is a simple free PDF Editor for Mac that can be used to edit PDF files for free on Mac. It adds a watermark to the PDF file. Features of Master PDF editor for Mac: You can choose this software to change text in PDF, and move text location. You can also choose the option to insert line, image, text, pencil, rectangle, and ellipse.
- Here's the best free software that can handle most (or all) of what paid software packages can accomplish. There's no reason to spend a fortune on video-editing software for your Mac or PC.
- Regardless of what you intend to use the best photo editor for Mac to do, you can be able to find one that will suit your needs. From the leisure photographers to professionals in the field of web design and digital drawing, all can find an ideal app they can use in their Mac.
These are our favorite free video editors for Mac.
15 Best Video Editing Software 2018. Because there are so many good options out there, to make it easier for you, in this article, we have divided the video editing software into several categories.
1. iMovie
Summary: A free, consumer-grade video editor. It’s well-optimized for Apple hardware and suitable for most personal projects.
iMovie is free for anyone who owns a Mac. Plus, the iOS version is free to all iPhone and iPad owners. The software is aimed at consumers who want to quickly create videos with footage stored in their Photos library. To facilitate this, iMovie uses a simplified timeline editor that doesn’t allow for multitrack editing.
Despite the linear editing and basic UI, iMovie is a highly optimized piece of software that can handle 4K video and green screen compositing. It also supports picture-in-picture video and slow-motion/fast-forward visual effects. iMovie can generate titles, drag-and-drop transitions, and motion graphics like 3D globes and travel maps.
The app comes with built-in music and sound effects that are ready to go. It can generate Hollywood-style trailers using footage that you supply. Additionally, the app allows you to export directly to YouTube and Vimeo at up to 4K resolution.
Download:iMovie (Free)
2. DaVinci Resolve
Summary: A powerful, professional-grade video editor that lacks the color grading tools the developers are famous for.
The Studio version of DaVinci Resolve costs nearly $1,000, but the basic version is completely free. Better still, it includes the same high-quality image processing abilities as the pricier version. You get a powerful video editor, some of the best color correction capabilities around, and even support for external hardware panels to enable faster editing.
There are limitations, of course. The main one is that Resolve can only output in SD, HD and Ultra HD, which is likely more than enough for most users. Also, the app places limits on some of the advanced grading and tracking tools. However, these restrictions are mainly in place to convince professional users to upgrade.
The app might have quite a learning curve, but DaVinci Resolve is one of the most powerful video editing suites on the planet and you get a lot for free. See our comparison of DaVinci Resolve and HitFilm ExpressHitFilm Express vs. DaVinci Resolve: The Free Video Editor BattleHitFilm Express vs. DaVinci Resolve: The Free Video Editor BattleWe pit HitFilm Express vs. DaVinci Resolve and compare to see which one wins the free video editor battle.Read More for more on how it stacks up.
Download:Da Vinci Resolve (Free)
3. OpenShot
Summary: A free and open source video editor with an impressive list of features. However, the interface is outdated and may put some users off.
OpenShot is a cross-platform open source tool that’s been around since 2008. It’s built with the aim of providing a stable, free, and accessible video editor. The project receives several major updates per year, in line with the expectations for an open source project with a small team.
OpenShot’s feature list has grown over the years to include great support for a variety of formats, keyframes for animation, and unlimited video/audio tracks. It also packs in transition and compositing support, titles, and a heap of extra features you’d expect from a modern video editor.
Past criticisms have panned OpenShot’s reliability, but it’s still worth a shot for free.
Download:OpenShot (Free)
4. Shotcut
Summary: A capable open source editor with an interface that’s superior to OpenShot.
Here’s another free, open source, cross-platform video editor. Shotcut’s feature list is just as impressive as OpenShot, but Shotcut features a great-looking interface. It more closely resembles a pro-tier application than a free one.
The app supports a wide range of video files and formats, including 4K, ProRes, and DNxHD. Shotcut also includes great support for working with audio, an impressive list of video effects (including compositing and transitions), and a flexible UI.
Of note are support for advanced features like 5.1 surround sound, three-way color correction, and a huge number of video and audio filters. There’s even a full set of official Shotcut video tutorials you can watch to get you up to speed with the editor.
![For For](/uploads/1/2/6/1/126122691/558831262.png)
Download:Shotcut (Free)
Best Free Photo Editing Software For Mac App Store
5. Blender
Summary: Not a purpose-built video editor, but it’s a powerful tool for free.
Blender is a free 3D modeling and compositing app used in some high-profile productions. Yet many don’t realize Blender is also a capable non-linear video editor, provided you’re willing to take the time to learn.
You can use Blender to cut and splice video, mix and sync audio, or apply adjustment layers, transitions, and filters. You probably won’t edit a whole film together in Blender, but for basic editing tasks it might suffice.
Blender isn’t the easiest system to learn, but underneath the hood is a powerful non-linear video editor. Check out Daniel Pocock’s quick guide to editing video in Blender and the official Blender video sequencer manual to learn more.
Download: Blender (Free)
6. Lightworks
Summary: A powerful editor with plenty of features, but some seriously restrictive output options make the free version feel more like a trial.
Lightworks is one of the most powerful apps on this list. I’d happily recommend it above all other packages if it wasn’t so restrictive for the free user. The free version includes video effects, multicam editing, and titling, as well as the usual multi-layered timeline approach you’d expect from a comprehensive editor.
Unfortunately, rendering (exporting your project) is limited to 1080p output on Vimeo, and 720p output to YouTube. You can also render to Lightworks Archives, but you lose H.264, MP4, or even DVD export options.
So while the toolkit is vast, Lightworks isn’t a very appealing free editor unless you’d like to thoroughly try it out for free and upgrade at a later time.
Download:Lightworks (Free, premium version available)
7. Avidemux
Summary: A capable freebie, but lacking in polish and features.
Avidemux made our list of the best Linux video editors7 Free Open Source Video Editors for Linux7 Free Open Source Video Editors for LinuxVideo editing on Linux is constantly improving. A good selection of open source video editing software is now available to Linux users, and we've got seven of the best for you to check out.Read More. Though it’s basic in nature, it works well for simple editing tasks. The app supports a wide variety of input and output formats. The project undergoes several updates a year, with development continuing at a steady pace.
Thankfully, the team maintains parity among all three major versions, so you won’t miss out on any features if you opt for the Mac package.
Free Editing Software For Mac
Avidemux is best reserved for simple tasks like cutting a video down to size, applying video or audio filters, and transcoding. If you’re willing to dig a little deeper, you’ll find a highly capable script editor to automate many of these common tasks.
Be sure to check out the Avidemux wiki for learning materials, and the Avidemux forum can help in case you get stuck.
Download:Avidemux (Free)
Mac Video Editing on a Budget
So which is the best video editor for you? iMovie is probably the best all-rounder. It’s free, easy to use, and carefully optimized for Apple hardware. There are plenty of features in it to satisfy beginners and mid-tier users. However, it lacks the raw power to compete with Final Cut or Premiere Pro.
Da Vinci Resolve, on the other hand, is surprisingly-feature rich. It offers multi-track editing and a huge number of professional-tier features to play with. Blender is open source and powerful, but is bogged down by complexity. Shotcut and Openshot are pretty evenly matched, so why not test drive them both? And if you’re looking for something specific to 4K video editing, check out VideoProc.
If you want a simple video conversion app instead of a full-fledged video editor, try these top macOS video convertersThe 7 Best Video Converter Apps for macOSThe 7 Best Video Converter Apps for macOSNeed a Mac video converter app? Here are the best options for easily converting any kind of video on macOS.Read More. And if you need to edit images as well as video, check out our lists of free and paid image editors for MacThe 8 Best Free and Paid Image Editors for MacThe 8 Best Free and Paid Image Editors for MacHere are the best free and paid Mac image editors, whether you're a professional professional or amateur shutterbug.Read More and free Mac photo editorsThe 8 Best Free and Paid Image Editors for MacThe 8 Best Free and Paid Image Editors for MacHere are the best free and paid Mac image editors, whether you're a professional professional or amateur shutterbug.Read More too.
Image credit: Gustavo Devito/Flickr
Explore more about: iMovie, Mac Apps, Video Editing, Video Editor.
- For me, Video Editor MovieMator is the best! It helped me from easy to medium level. Now I use the Pro version to make more fantastic videos (has become my hobby).
The interface of Video Editor MovieMator is the most intuitive and clear one among the 6 apps you talked about and it's perfect for beginners.
iMovie doesn't accept some video formats, FinalCut and Premiere are not that easy to pick up. Compared with them, I would choose MovieMator which is easy, functional and can create films of high quality. - As privacy/security expert I have to warn against Filmora. a) the free download includes UNSTATED limitations and nowhere will the firm tell you what they are, nor have they responded to inquiries. b) the fine print states they monitor use of the software. They do not use the term meta data, but imply it so that they can better understand usage and make the product better. HOWEVER, they partner with the Red Chinese (Army - which owns 51% of all Chinese corporations), presumably coders, which means this software could have a back door used by Chinese Intelligence. Again, the firm declined to address this question. They understood I am a published author in my area of expertise, and still remained silent. I do not take that as a good sign that they actually care about the customer, but it does imply they don't want people to know the answers. They are either a badly run company, or something worse is afoot.
- For Mac or Windows users, there is a free online service called Video Grabber. It always helps me edit video by adding basic effects. Its interface looks very elegant. If this is what you need, maybe it worth a shot to look at.
- Nice list but most of them don't run as expected. Shotcut closes frequently, KDEnlive doesn't even open a window and gives an error message after start.Da Vinci is nice! Didn't know about the free option.Blender is stable, lightning fast and can be used for nearly everything in media business (Modelling, Rendering, making Games, making Movies and so on).One recommendation: Natron is a video compositor software like blender or da vinci. It's not just for video editing. Very promising open-source project!
- Mac users should try Hitfilm Express. Great features, cross-platform (Mac & Win), and free.
- Mac users should also try HitFilm Express. Great, cross platform (Mac & Win), free.
- You can download the freeIMOVEfrom:then updated it to the latest version automatically it will update and you will have
the latest version of iMove free without having to pay the $14.99 usd- You just earned yourself a place in heaven
- aww thanks
- Doesn't work any more. The linked file is an updater which, when you launch it, says
'ALERT: iMovie 9.0 or later is required to install this update.'dc
- this article was written in 2012 ! So don't be a smart ass Dima when posting your remarks at the end of 2015
- I own a mac but iMovie costs money to download, how can I get this for free?
- Sure its free..you can download it at:And the updated it to the latest version..
Works like a charm..Cheers .... :)- I'm having problems. After I download it and run it, it says 'Imovie 9.0 or later is required.'
- Me too! Have you figured out a way to get it to run or update?
- I'm having this problem too! Have you figured out a way for it to work or update?
- None of these apps are actually on the app store except for iMovie
??? - I HAD iMovie on my iMac, but after a hd crash, I reinstalled the latest version of the OS (OS X El Capitan) and if I want to reinstall iMovie I have to pay 15 euro :(
- From where did you downloaded iMovie and what version of OS X you have (name or numeric version or both[better])?
- iMovie is not free anymore and doesn't come with iLife. Hasn't been in 2 years. Wtf you are talking about.
- Honestly, I've still yet to figure out how to get iMovie to do anything, but I haven't tested it in the past few months. I find that, for a VERY basic editor, QuickTime actually fulfills my needs, which is literally just syncing audio and footage. Just something to keep in mind for beginners looking for baby steps.
- I didn't even realize that I had iMovie on my Mac. Thanks
- my iMovie keeps on crashing..
- iMovie is TERRRIBLLE. Do not get Apple made programs for your computer. Apple is making all their money from iPhones, so they've pretty much stopped making things. Adobe is pretty much taking over, so get their stuff. I updated my laptop and iMovie doesn't even exist anymore..
- iMovie Agreed IT IS TERRIBLLE!!!
- I bet you just don't know how to use it because its great!!
- it's hard to get to know this program as the stupid, frigging thing crashes every time you open it. iMovie = FAIL
- How come we have to pay for iMovie now? (just a random question) Just sometime ago I downloaded a free version?
- I'm having problems uploading videos to iMovie . Any video I have on file is not an option, I was going to try loading the file to the iMovie selections but not sure that will resolve it….
- Lightworks is just out for Mac users yay my windows is too slow for the program finally my mac can be put to good use.
- I tried most of this software and I have to say that
- iMovie isn't free
- Blender is 3D modeling software so use it for video editing is a little bit hard
- Kdenlive requires all KDE packages installed, and I prefer something other
- Jahshaka is something from another reality, it's hard to learn
- VLMC looks good and simple but it's PRE-ALPHA now, so it's buggy
- I haven't try Avidemux because I can't find any working dmg
My choise is VideoPad, it's simple and can do anything I want.
Shame on you cause I spent whole day to test all this things - at first I was shocked thet you put imovie on number 1 . Then I realized this article was written in 2012 . Imovie 13 wasn't born yet :)
- Great article! Saw the amount of work you put into this and thought I'd just say thanks man! Very helpful.
- iMovie isn't free
- iMovie should serve most of mac user well
- Imovie ha sa lot of bugs. Impossible to share your movie on your pc.
- Daniel do you love me?
- iMovie for me is the best.
- A pal was trying to get info related to this editors a couple weeks ago.will def forward him this link!!
- Can't wait for Lightworks. The Windows version is nice.
- Didnt know you could edit video in blender
- I edit my wrist in a blender
- OOOps ! ..for mac , sorry :)
- its okay
- Don't worry it's all good. Free mp3 player for mac.
- You forget Novacut , it's in dev ; kickstarter funded
The cutting workflow is very good,
works with ubuntu 12.04qin works : the multitrack sound and multicam,so it's a project to follow :D - I can't believe all these software are free! They look so professional , I'm starting to move from win to Mac so this kind of article are attractive and useful for me.
- KDEmlive on Mac is a pain in the ***.
- I don't have a mac but my uncle does and I remember us trying out loads of different video editors to compare them to the full priced equivalents (premiere pro, final cut pro, sony vegas) and I remember us trying out the first three. The limitations of iMovie may be a downfall for enthusiastic video buffs but for the novice it's great and also it's pre-installed, even better! Blender was also a pretty good one, as I recall you could import your 3D modelling into the video suite for some nifty animation. CineFX I think was probably our favourite, pretty easy to use and was like an advanced iMovie, loved every second of using it! hope this helps anyone :)
- Mmm.. maybe I should try Jahshaka looks really cool.
- I have Lightworks on my desktop and it really is nice, but my computer just isn't powerful enough to run it very well. I guess a lot of it has to do with only having 3gb of RAM, but the video card and processor aren't all that great either. Hopefully my new computer (which hasn't arrived yet) will be able to run it (and everything else) better.
Best Video Editing Software Mac
A Recording Studio for Your PC
There has never been a better time to buy digital audio workstation (DAW) software. Twenty years ago, to record a music album at a professional level, you needed a sizable mixing console, several eight-track digital records (such as ADATs or DA-88s), and a good selection of outboard compressors, reverb units, and other effects, plus a two-track deck to mix down to. In other words, you were looking at about $10K to $15K worth of gear to start—and that's before you got to microphones, speakers, and other accessories.
Best Free Editing Programs For Pc
If you were on a budget, you'd probably stick with a tried-and-true Tascam or Yamaha four-track tape recorder and Alesis compressor, get used to bouncing tracks in mono, make peace with tape hiss, and remember to clean the tape heads every week. And you'd be sharply limited in the kinds of projects you could produce. The only easy multitrack recording you could do at the time was with MIDI, with hardware synthesizers or samplers, and maybe with a Mac or an Atari ST computer attached as a sequencer.
It's an entirely different world now. Software packages that cost a few hundred dollars now deliver hundreds of audio tracks and incredibly flexible editing. Some programs are even free. You can create as many instances of effects plug-ins as you want, including spot-on emulations of compressors that cost several thousand dollars each, and attach them to as many mixer channels as you want. It's all nearly unlimited and 'in the box' now.
Best Free Photo Editing App For Macbook Air
Choosing the Right DAW
From the standpoint of someone recording 20 or 30 years ago, a DAW today is like a giant candy store; it's as if you can do almost anything. For the newcomer, though, it may seem almost hopelessly complex. Choosing the right audio software can be quite difficult. Most of the famous packages like Pro Tools and Logic have been around for decades. They've grown incredibly powerful, and as a result have user interfaces that are as complex as…well, professional mix consoles.
So how to decide? To help with this task, we went out and tested the most popular DAWs. Numerous venerable (and excellent) recording magazines have reviewed these applications many times over the years. That's great for the existing user base of each DAW, but maybe not always quite as clear for newcomers. In each of our reviews, we did our best to approach each product as a whole, rather than devoting the majority of the space to just the latest features that were added in the most recent point update.
Before we get to the specifics, the simplest program for audio editing is a two-track editor; probably the most famous example here is the free Audacity. While Audacity aspires to some extremely basic multitrack recording with overdubs, its real use is as a solid stereo editor. If you're recording a podcast or editing a clip of your kid's piano recital that you recorded on your phone, Audacity is an excellent choice; you can probably start and stop there. If you need something more sophisticated, read on.
It helps to think about the kinds of projects you want to create. Are you planning on producing beats for hip-hop or fully electronic compositions? Do you want to record multiple musicians playing live instruments at once? Will you be using your setup to score for picture , or creating sound effects and dialogue for TV and video games? Do you need to produce fully polished, printed scores, or otherwise prefer to work with musical notes and staves? Do you plan on tuning the pitch of vocal performances? Working out the answers to these kinds of questions up front will help you narrow down your choices.
What Comes With Each DAW?
The good news is all of the packages can we tested can more or less do all of the above tasks, with a few notable exceptions. The trick is that each program has strengths in different areas, and some tasks may be a bit more complicated in one than they are in another. One overarching rule to decide faster is to look at what your colleagues or friends are using, and then choose the same package. That makes it easier to share tips or even projects between each other, rather than being the lone person using a particular product and then introducing session import issues.
Another is to look at what's bundled with each program. Would you prefer a DAW that comes with a ton of virtual instrument sounds, such as synthesizers, sampled violins, guitars, and electric basses? You may want to look at something like Logic Pro X, Cubase Pro, or Studio One, all of which include many gigabytes of sounds and loops. Do you have or plan to buy your own instrument plug-ins you want to use? Reaper is a fully stripped down DAW at an excellent price, and it makes an excellent host for third-party VSTs. It's also great if you're recording a band full of live instruments and don't need much in the way of virtual ones. Do your tastes lean toward the electronic and synthesized realm? FL Studio, Reason, and Ableton Live are inspired choices with plenty of built-in synths, though you can produce electronic music with just about any of these programs.
Often, it comes down to the details and the editing philosophies. Do you prefer pattern-based recording for electronic music? FL Studio is going to have plenty to offer. Would you rather have a 'do-it-all' DAW with a large built-in sound library at a low price? PreSonus Studio One beckons. Do you want to not just be able to bring projects into major studios, but collaborate online and also open sessions directly as you work on them with others? It's impossible to top Avid's Pro Tools for this. Is the music already done, and you work in post-production and want to produce more professional podcasts or videos? Adobe Audition is a prime contender for these tasks. And if you've got a Mac, it's worth giving the free GarageBand a spin, if only because it's more powerful than it ever was and you already own it.
How Much Do You Want to Spend?
Closely correlated to the bundled instruments and effects is price, and that's a factor that can cloud the issue a bit. Many of the top-tier packages also have less expensive (or even free), feature-limited editions available. It's not as simple as saying 'Reaper is a budget DAW at $60 and Studio One 3 is a professional-level DAW at $399,' because you can also buy the stripped-down (but still pretty feature-rich) Studio One Artist for $99. What do you lose? What do you gain? We try and touch on this as much as possible within each review.
Debut Free is a free screen video recording software for mac. Record videos from your screen or other video devices.
Feb 20, 2018 LightShot is another small Mac app that will allow you to instantly take the screenshots, edit and share them with your friends. You can set a hotkey.
![Mac Mac](/uploads/1/2/6/1/126122691/675456432.jpeg)
Which DAW Is Right for You?
In short, read our reviews (linked below) and try some demos where you can. But otherwise, don't sweat it too much. We spent countless hours testing these products and putting together both the reviews and this guide. Despite the complexity of the software here, we've found it's honestly tough to go wrong. It's not like computers or cameras, where you can clearly see that of the latest crop of products, a few perform well and a few don't perform as well as the leaders. These are all mature, well-established products, each with thousands of fans.
![Mac Mac](/uploads/1/2/6/1/126122691/377434141.jpg)
As a result, more than half of the packages in this roundup score at least four out of five stars. You can get professional-level results with all of them. Each has some specific workflows that work really, really well for some people—hence the endless 'X is the best and Y is garbage' arguments on the internet—but they all can work for just about anyone.
Even so, we single out two DAWs, one on the Mac and one on the PC, for Editors' Choice awards: Apple Logic Pro X, for its absolutely unbeatable value with its built-in instruments and effects plug-ins, and Avid Pro Tools, for its seamless audio editing and suitability up and down the pro studio chain. But we'd happily use any of the programs listed below for new projects. Choose one, learn its secrets, and get to work creating and editing amazing music and audio projects.
Best Audio Editing Software Featured in This Roundup:
Avid Pro Tools Review
MSRP: $599.00
Pros: Still the cleanest audio editing workflow on the planet. Fast 64-bit recording and mixing engine. New cloud-based project collaboration tools. Robust, useful track freeze and commit options. High-end hardware and support policies are tops in the industry.Cons: Lacks built-in pitch correction. No VST plug-in support or instrument track presets. USB dongle-based copy protection. Monthly fee required for new software patches past 12 months.Bottom Line: Avid stays the course with Pro Tools and maintains its status as the standard cross-platform solution for professional audio editing work for music, film, games, and broadcast.Read ReviewImage-Line FL Studio Review
MSRP: $299.00
Pros: Vector-based interface is attractively animated, and supports 4K, multi-monitor, and multitouch configurations. Brilliant loop and pattern-based MIDI composition tools. Visible automation clips are easy to manipulate. Light memory footprint. Free lifetime updates.Cons: Convoluted, inflexible audio recording (in higher-priced versions). Must manually assign instrument tracks to mixer channels. Built-in sound library could use some updating. Lacks notation editor.Bottom Line: If you want to produce some of today's slickest beats, right up to full electronic dance music tracks, FL Studio could be the ideal key to unlock your creativity.Read ReviewAdobe Audition CC Review
MSRP: $20.99
Pros: Strong audio-restoration, sound-removal, and noise-reduction tools. Excellent stereo waveform editor. Useful visualization tools. Adheres to film and television broadcast standards for audio.Cons: Lacks MIDI support. Only available via an expensive monthly subscription.Bottom Line: Audition is a comprehensive audio editor for video post-production, podcasts, and audio restoration. It's expensive for what you get, though, and makes the most sense as a supplement to a video editor or as part of an existing CC subscription.Read ReviewSteinberg Cubase Pro Review
MSRP: $559.99
Pros: Comprehensive editing and automation support. Robust plug-in bundle. Powerful mixer. Rock-solid stability.Cons: Expensive. Dongle-based hardware copy protection. Bottom Line: Steinberg Cubase Pro is a top-notch digital audio workstation particularly suited to MIDI and virtual instrument composers.Read ReviewAbleton Live Review
MSRP: $749.00
Pros: Inspirational clip-based live and composition workflow. Fast navigation. Powerful automation. Suite version contains plenty of sample material to work with. Cons: No track comping. No notation view. No pitch correction tool. Mixer view could be more robust.Bottom Line: In its latest iteration, Ableton Live is a powerful all-in-the-box solution for composing music, particularly electronic-influenced, but it's not for everyone.Read ReviewPreSonus Studio One Review
MSRP: $399.00
Pros: Fast workflow for music composition and audio recording. Robust included sound sets. Attractive drag-and-drop interface. Powerful free version. Multitouch-enabled on the Windows side.Cons: No notation editor. No easy way to import session data or save I/O templates. MIDI editing is still weaker than the competition. Cluttered mixing console. Bottom Line: PreSonus reinvented the common digital audio workstation in 2008 with Studio One; the latest version is the most inspired yet.Read ReviewPropellerhead Reason Review
MSRP: $399.00
Pros: Versatile array of bundled instruments. Awesome sound set serves as instant inspiration for new electronic tracks. Fast composition workflow. SSL-style mix compression and EQ.Cons: Aging rackmount-and-patch-cable UI idiom. No surround or scoring features. Track editing still lags the competition.Bottom Line: Despite its flaws, it's tough to knock Reason as an all-in-one recording, mixing, and mastering tool, particularly if you're into electronic or hip-hop music and want a tremendous array of sounds and beats right out of the gate. It's still as much fun to use as it has always been.Read ReviewCockos Reaper Review
MSRP: $60.00
Pros: Multi-channel audio recording, mixing, and mastering at a bargain price. Heavily customizable. Fast. Extremely light memory footprint.Cons: No built-in instruments or loops. Uninviting, unintuitive interface.Bottom Line: Reaper offers nearly all of the features and flexibility, if not the ease of use or visual appeal, of powerhouse digital audio workstations like Pro Tools at a fraction of the cost.Read ReviewApple Logic Pro X (for Mac) Review
MSRP: $199.99
Pros: Excellent value. Stunning array of bundled instruments and effects. Terrific interface. No copy protection, unlike many competitors.Cons: A few older plug-ins still need a UI makeover.Bottom Line: Apple Logic Pro X 10.4 is a tremendous update to an already-excellent digital audio workstation, and if you own Logic Pro X, it's free. Read ReviewAudacity Review
MSRP: $0.00
Pros: Free. Lots of editing options ideal for dialogue, sound effects, and trimming music tracks. Supports multitrack audio and batch processing.Cons: Destructive editing only. Multitrack audio support is exceedingly basic.Bottom Line: If you're looking to get started in podcasting or recording music, it's tough to go wrong with Audacity. A powerful, free, open-source audio editor that's been available for years, Audacity is still the go-to choice for quick-and-dirty audio work.Read Review
Best Audio Editing Software Featured in This Roundup:
Avid Pro Tools Review
MSRP: $599.00Pros: Still the cleanest audio editing workflow on the planet. Fast 64-bit recording and mixing engine. New cloud-based project collaboration tools. Robust, useful track freeze and commit options. High-end hardware and support policies are tops in the industry.Cons: Lacks built-in pitch correction. No VST plug-in support or instrument track presets. USB dongle-based copy protection. Monthly fee required for new software patches past 12 months.Bottom Line: Avid stays the course with Pro Tools and maintains its status as the standard cross-platform solution for professional audio editing work for music, film, games, and broadcast.Read ReviewImage-Line FL Studio Review
MSRP: $299.00Pros: Vector-based interface is attractively animated, and supports 4K, multi-monitor, and multitouch configurations. Brilliant loop and pattern-based MIDI composition tools. Visible automation clips are easy to manipulate. Light memory footprint. Free lifetime updates.Cons: Convoluted, inflexible audio recording (in higher-priced versions). Must manually assign instrument tracks to mixer channels. Built-in sound library could use some updating. Lacks notation editor.Bottom Line: If you want to produce some of today's slickest beats, right up to full electronic dance music tracks, FL Studio could be the ideal key to unlock your creativity.Read ReviewAdobe Audition CC Review
MSRP: $20.99Pros: Strong audio-restoration, sound-removal, and noise-reduction tools. Excellent stereo waveform editor. Useful visualization tools. Adheres to film and television broadcast standards for audio.Cons: Lacks MIDI support. Only available via an expensive monthly subscription.Bottom Line: Audition is a comprehensive audio editor for video post-production, podcasts, and audio restoration. It's expensive for what you get, though, and makes the most sense as a supplement to a video editor or as part of an existing CC subscription.Read ReviewSteinberg Cubase Pro Review
MSRP: $559.99Pros: Comprehensive editing and automation support. Robust plug-in bundle. Powerful mixer. Rock-solid stability.Cons: Expensive. Dongle-based hardware copy protection.Bottom Line: Steinberg Cubase Pro is a top-notch digital audio workstation particularly suited to MIDI and virtual instrument composers.Read ReviewAbleton Live Review
MSRP: $749.00Pros: Inspirational clip-based live and composition workflow. Fast navigation. Powerful automation. Suite version contains plenty of sample material to work with.Cons: No track comping. No notation view. No pitch correction tool. Mixer view could be more robust.Bottom Line: In its latest iteration, Ableton Live is a powerful all-in-the-box solution for composing music, particularly electronic-influenced, but it's not for everyone.Read ReviewPreSonus Studio One Review
MSRP: $399.00Pros: Fast workflow for music composition and audio recording. Robust included sound sets. Attractive drag-and-drop interface. Powerful free version. Multitouch-enabled on the Windows side.Cons: No notation editor. No easy way to import session data or save I/O templates. MIDI editing is still weaker than the competition. Cluttered mixing console.Bottom Line: PreSonus reinvented the common digital audio workstation in 2008 with Studio One; the latest version is the most inspired yet.Read ReviewPropellerhead Reason Review
MSRP: $399.00Pros: Versatile array of bundled instruments. Awesome sound set serves as instant inspiration for new electronic tracks. Fast composition workflow. SSL-style mix compression and EQ.Cons: Aging rackmount-and-patch-cable UI idiom. No surround or scoring features. Track editing still lags the competition.Bottom Line: Despite its flaws, it's tough to knock Reason as an all-in-one recording, mixing, and mastering tool, particularly if you're into electronic or hip-hop music and want a tremendous array of sounds and beats right out of the gate. It's still as much fun to use as it has always been.Read ReviewCockos Reaper Review
MSRP: $60.00Pros: Multi-channel audio recording, mixing, and mastering at a bargain price. Heavily customizable. Fast. Extremely light memory footprint.Cons: No built-in instruments or loops. Uninviting, unintuitive interface.Bottom Line: Reaper offers nearly all of the features and flexibility, if not the ease of use or visual appeal, of powerhouse digital audio workstations like Pro Tools at a fraction of the cost.Read ReviewApple Logic Pro X (for Mac) Review
MSRP: $199.99Pros: Excellent value. Stunning array of bundled instruments and effects. Terrific interface. No copy protection, unlike many competitors.Cons: A few older plug-ins still need a UI makeover.Bottom Line: Apple Logic Pro X 10.4 is a tremendous update to an already-excellent digital audio workstation, and if you own Logic Pro X, it's free.Read ReviewAudacity Review
MSRP: $0.00Pros: Free. Lots of editing options ideal for dialogue, sound effects, and trimming music tracks. Supports multitrack audio and batch processing.Cons: Destructive editing only. Multitrack audio support is exceedingly basic.Bottom Line: If you're looking to get started in podcasting or recording music, it's tough to go wrong with Audacity. A powerful, free, open-source audio editor that's been available for years, Audacity is still the go-to choice for quick-and-dirty audio work.Read Review