Do you want to start producing music but don't have the budget for expensive software? Don't worry, there are many free digital audio workstations available that provide powerful tools for music creation. In this post, we'll look into the best free DAWs that you can use to start making music in 2024.
We made a chart to compare free DAWs and found out that most of them share similar features. However, some DAWs have better features than others. You can see the chart below:
GarageBand comes pre-installed on all Mac computers and Iphones. It has virtual instruments, loops, and effects that you can use freely. It also supports recording audio and MIDI, but sadly it is only available for Mac computers.
Cakewalk is a free DAW that has advanced features suitable for professional use, such as full-featured mixing console, support for VST plugins, and advanced MIDI editing tools. It also comes with virtual instruments and effects. It also has a feature called VocalSync, which lets you edit the timing of your vocal tracks. Cakewalk has basically all you need for making music at home, and all for free. Only downside for Mac users is that it’s compatible only for Windows.
Tracktion provides a modern interface for music production. It comes with a lot of virtual instruments, effects and themed sound packs. It also supports MIDI and audio recording, and third-party VST plugins. By going through their website, Tracktion seems to have surprisingly many different features for a free DAW.
LMMS is a free cross-platform DAW that provides a range of features for music production. It supports MIDI and audio recording, comes with a range of virtual instruments and effects, and supports third-party VST plugins. LMMS is very similar to Fl Studio which makes it very competitive among the DAWs available.
Audacity supports recording and editing audio, supports third-party plugins, and provides advanced editing tools but does not support MIDI recording. Personally we would use this for example to record podcasts. For music production we suggest trying out some other DAWs on this list.
Ardour supports multitrack recording, MIDI editing, and comes with virtual instruments and effects. Automation is tricky but possible. We would not suggest to use this in live performances. Ardour is available for both Mac & Windows. If you want updates you will have to donate a small amount to get them. Lifetime updates are approximately 40 dollars.
Lastly
All of the free daws have almost the same features. You should pick one that works best for your workflow. Because these DAWs are free, you can easily try out all of them if needed and decide which one works the best for you. Have you tried these before or do you have better ideas? Let us know!
