A List of Free and Affordable DAWs

Migrated from: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19Oj8AdF7hmu_5XLEbaS5pAbmUhSH366jXMuSh4dj1jw/edit?usp=sharing

DAWs

List of low-cost and free DAWs. Data is believed to be correct as of 06 / 2025. Definition of 'Low cost': <~100/EUR

Key

Symbol	Meaning
✔	Supported
-	Partial Support
?	Not stated or non-VST plugins

Mature DAWs

DAW	Cost (€)	MIDI	Audio	VST Instrument	Effects	VSTs	Windows	macOS	Linux	AmigaOS	Link
LMMS	0	✔	–	✔	~6	~6	✔	✔	✔		lmms.io
Rosegarden	0	✔	✔	0	0	✔			✔		rosegardenmusic.com
Ardour	0	✔	✔	✔	0	0	✔	✔	✔		ardour.org
Cakewalk (Bandlab)	0	✔	✔	✔	5	6+	✔	✔			cakewalk.com
HDRec	0	✔	✔	0	4+					✔	amigaos.net/…/hd-rec
Audacity	0	✔	0	?	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔		audacityteam.org
Waveform Free	0	✔	✔	✔	?	15	✔	✔	✔		tracktion.com/…/waveform-free
Garage Band	0	✔	✔	✔	?	4+		✔			apple.com/mac/garageband
Sequel	0	✔	✔	✔	?	18+	✔				steinberg.net/sequel
Mixcraft Home Studio	35	✔	✔	✔	19	14	✔				acoustica.com/products/mixcraft
Reaper	60	✔	✔	✔	3	15	✔	✔	✔		reaper.fm
Renoise	68	✔	✔	✔	?	26+	✔	✔	✔		renoise.com
Ableton Live Intro	79	✔	✔	✔	4	21	✔	✔			ableton.com/en
Bitwig Studio Essentials	99	✔	✔	✔	3	17	✔	✔	✔		bitwig.com
FL Studio Fruity Edition	99	✔	–	✔	35	70	✔	✔			image-line.com
Cubase Elements	99	✔	✔	✔	2	45	✔	✔			steinberg.net/cubase
Studio One Artist	100	✔	✔	✔	5	28	✔	✔			presonus.com/en-US/studio-one.html

Other DAWs of Note (under development)

DAW	Cost	MIDI	Audio	VST Instrument	Effects	VSTs	Windows	macOS	Linux	AmigaOS	Link
Radium	0	✔	✔	✔	?	?	✔	✔	✔		users.notam02.no/~kjetism/radium
ZRythm	0	✔	✔	✔	?	?	✔	✔	✔		zrythm.org
LNXStudio	0	✔	✔	?	?		✔	✔			lnxstudio.sourceforge.io
Beat DJ	9/mo	✔	✔	✔	?	7	✔	✔	✔		soniare.net/beatdj?f=spread