Best Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) for Mac
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Compare the Top Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) for Mac as of March 2026
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What are Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) for Mac?
Digital audio workstations (DAW) provide users with interactive platforms and interfaces for recording, producing and editing audio files. Compare and read user reviews of the best Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) for Mac currently available using the table below. This list is updated regularly.
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1
DJ.Studio
DJ.Studio
DJ.Studio is a professional DAW built specifically for DJs. Create DJ mixes, mashups, radio shows, and video mixes faster and with more control on your laptop. Use the timeline editor to fine tune transitions, layer tracks, and shape your mix exactly how you want. Harmonize analyzes tempo and key to build smooth, harmonic playlists in seconds. Stem separation lets you isolate vocals, drums, bass, and melody for creative mashups and clean transitions. Add effects, samples, and third party VST plugins to develop your signature sound. Prepare full DJ sets in advance, test different track orders, and perfect every drop before you perform. Import tracks from music libraries like rekordbox, Serato, Traktor, VirtualDJ, Engine DJ, Mixed In Key and iTunes. Export high quality audio or video, or send your mix to Ableton Live. DJ.Studio gives you speed, precision, and full creative control.Starting Price: $99 -
2
Adobe Audition
Adobe
A professional audio workstation. Create, mix, and design sound effects with the industry’s best digital audio editing software. Audition is a comprehensive toolset that includes multitrack, waveform, and spectral display for creating, mixing, editing, and restoring audio content. This powerful audio workstation is designed to accelerate video production workflows and audio finishing — and deliver a polished mix with pristine sound. Meet the industry’s best audio cleanup, restoration, and precision editing tool for video, podcasting, and sound effect design. This step-by-step tutorial guides you through the robust audio toolkit that is Adobe Audition, including its seamless workflow with Adobe Premiere Pro. Use the Essential Sound panel to achieve professional-quality audio — even if you’re not a professional. Learn the basic steps to record, mix, and export audio content for a podcast — or any other audio project.Starting Price: $20.99 per month -
3
GarageBand
Apple
GarageBand is a fully equipped music creation studio right inside your Mac — with a complete sound library that includes instruments, presets for guitar and voice, and an incredible selection of session drummers and percussionists. With Touch Bar features for MacBook Pro and an intuitive, modern design, it’s easy to learn, play, record, create, and share your hits worldwide. Now you’re ready to make music like a pro. -
4
Audacity
Audacity
Free, open source, cross-platform audio software. Audacity is an easy-to-use, multi-track audio editor and recorder for Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux and other operating systems. Developed by a group of volunteers as open source. Audacity can record live audio through a microphone or mixer, or digitize recordings from other media. Import, edit, and combine sound files. Export your recordings in many different file formats, including multiple files at once. Supports 16-bit, 24-bit and 32-bit. Sample rates and formats are converted using high-quality resampling and dithering. Support for LADSPA, LV2, Nyquist, VST and Audio Unit effect plug-ins. Nyquist effects can be easily modified in a text editor – or you can even write your own plug-in. Easy editing with Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete. Also unlimited sequential Undo (and Redo) in the session to go back any number of steps. Real-time preview of LADSPA, LV2, VST and Audio Unit (macOS) effects. Plug-in Manager handles plug-in installation.Starting Price: Free -
5
PreSonus Studio One
PreSonus Audio Electronics
Record, produce, mix, master, and perform all from a single, intuitive application. Designed with ease of use at its core, Studio One® 5 is your creative partner from studio to stage. The Start Page provides what you need to begin your creative process, including a dashboard with all your songs, projects, and shows, plus a personalized user profile that allows you to add custom metadata to all your creations. Test out remix ideas or just capture a synth riff without affecting your arrangement or creating a new session. Patterns reinvent step sequencing, letting you effortlessly create drums, basslines, and synth leads using variable sequence lengths, unlimited variations, and more. Edit multitrack drums blazingly fast thanks to advanced transient detection, slicing, and time-stretching. -
6
Reaper
Cockos
REAPER's full, flexible feature set and renowned stability have found a home wherever digital audio is used: commercial and home studios, broadcast, location recording, education, science and research, sound design, game development, and more. REAPER's full, flexible feature set and renowned stability have found a home wherever digital audio is used: commercial and home studios, broadcast, location recording, education, science and research, sound design, game development, and more. From mission-critical professional environments to students' laptops, there is a single version of REAPER, fully featured with no artificial limitations. You can evaluate REAPER in full for 60 days. A REAPER license is affordably priced and DRM-free. -
7
Hindenburg PRO
Hindenburg Systems
Hindenburg PRO is a multitrack audio editor designed for podcasters, audio producers and radio journalists. It might look like any other audio editor - but it’s not. The design and features are tailored specifically for spoken-word productions. Work smarter and faster with our easy-to-learn yet robust, field-tested audio editor designed to simplify and automate your spoken-word workflow. Innovative features solve common podcasting & radio challenges: uneven levels, noisy recordings, inconsistent voice sounds, bleeding microphones, distribution to hosts and more. Hindenburg records and edits uncompressed sound to ensure the best audio quality. With video tutorials, live webinars, a vast knowledge base and fast customer support, we’re here when you need us. But more than just support, we offer a thriving community of users who share your love for audio storytelling. Hindenburg’s focus is storytelling. Plug in your microphone and begin telling your story.Starting Price: $8.25/month -
8
FL Studio
Image-Line Software
FL Studio by Image-Line is a world-renowned digital audio workstation (DAW) that empowers musicians, producers, and creators to turn ideas into professional-quality music fast. Packed with over 100 instruments and effects, a massive sound library, and intuitive tools, it’s designed for both beginners and industry professionals. Used by hitmakers like Martin Garrix, Mustard, and Boi-1da, FL Studio has powered countless chart-topping tracks across every genre. Its sleek interface makes it easy to learn while offering deep creative flexibility for experienced users. With Image-Line’s lifetime free updates, producers never have to pay for upgrades again. Starting at just $99, FL Studio delivers everything you need to start making music today.Starting Price: $99 -
9
WavePad
NCH Software
This audio editing software is a full-featured professional audio and music editor for Windows and Mac. Record and edit music, voice and other audio recordings. When editing audio files, you can cut, copy and paste parts of recordings, and then add effects like echo, amplification and noise reduction. WavePad works as a WAV or MP3 editor, but it also supports a number of other file formats including VOX, GSM, WMA, real audio, AU, AIF, FLAC, OGG, and more.Starting Price: $39.95/one-time -
10
Logic Pro
Apple
Logic Pro turns your Mac into a professional recording studio able to handle even the most demanding projects. Capture your compositions and performances — from tracking a live band to a solo software-instrument session — and flow them into your songs. Create and improvise in a whole new way with Live Loops. Control music-making sessions from your iPad or iPhone with Logic Remote. Transform sounds into instruments with Sampler and Quick Sampler. Quickly build drum beats and melodic patterns with Step Sequencer. Live Loops is a dynamic way to create and arrange music in real time. Kick off your composition by adding loops, samples, or your recorded performances into a grid of cells. Trigger different cells to play with your ideas without worrying about a timeline or arrangement. Once you find combinations that work well together you can create song sections, then move everything into the Tracks area to continue production and finish your song. -
11
Nuendo
Steinberg Media Technologies
Ever since its initial release, Nuendo has been a vital tool in creating the soundtrack to many high-profile productions, products and installations. Regular updates with new features, workflow improvements and additional, user-requested functions mean that Nuendo constantly exceeds the expectations of an audio workstation dedicated to audio post, with high end — often unique — capabilities that continue an ongoing revolution in audio and media production software. -
12
Ableton Live
Ableton
Live organizes multiple passes of an audio or MIDI performance into individual takes. Pick the best moments of each performance and combine them to create your perfect take. Or approach sound design in a new way by splicing together random samples from your library. Link two or more tracks to edit their content simultaneously. This makes editing multi-tracked instruments or performances with multiple musicians easy and fast whilst keeping everything in time across tracks. This feature also works for MIDI tracks. Plug in your MPE-capable controller and immediately add bends, slides and pressure for each individual note in a chord. Add subtle expression variations, morph between chords and create evolving sonic textures. MPE stands for MIDI Polyphonic Expression. This way of using MIDI allows MPE-capable devices to control multiple parameters of every note in real-time for more expressive instrumental performances. -
13
LMMS
LMMS
Compose music on Windows, Linux and macOS. Compose songs, create sequences, mix and automate in one simple interface. Play the notes with a MIDI controller or using your computer keyboard. Consolidate instrument tracks using the Rhythm + Bass Editor. Fine-tune patterns, notes, chords, and melodies with the Piano Roll Editor. Full automation based on user-defined tracks and computer controlled automation sources. Import MIDI files and Hydrogen projects. Built-in support for 64-bit VST instruments via 32-bit VST bridge (Windows 64-bit). Support for LADSPA plugins. Support for VST® Effects Plugins (Linux and Windows). Built-in compressor, limiter, delay, reverb, distortion, and bass booster. Graphic and parametric equalizers included. Built-in spectrum analyzer / viewer. Create music with your computer, making melodies and rhythms, synthesizing and mixing sounds, arranging samples, and much more. -
14
Waveform
Tracktion Corporation
Waveform is a rapidly evolving application specifically designed for the needs of modern music producers. Specializing in creative and inspirational workflows and avoiding features not explicitly needed to allow the app to remain surprisingly fun and intuitive. While other apps try to appeal to broad user groups, for example film score, live sound, performance – we are laser focused on music production. Waveform Pro introduces the Arranger Track, a remarkably simple yet powerful tool for manipulating regions of your arrangement. Simply create an arrange clip in the arranger track to control the entire region of your arrangement. The arranger track has contemporary features such as magnetic movement, commonly found in video editors, that automatically open and close regions of the arrangement based on your selections. Experimenting with your arrangement and song structure has never been easier. -
15
Reason
Reason Studios
Reason is a powerful collection of fantastic instruments, synthesizers and effects for you to create endless amazing sounds and music. Use it as a plugin with your favorite DAW or produce music in Reason standalone. Sound Packs are like musical building blocks that just sound perfect together. Sound Packs are filled with Reason patches (aka presets) that are powerful combinations of various Reason devices, made by world-class sound designers. With new Sound Packs every week, you’ve always got somewhere to turn for some inspiration. -
16
Digital Performer
MOTU
Get inspired, then refine your mix — all in a singular workflow. Digital Performer 11 delivers inspirational features devised to ignite your creative muse, combined with state-of-the-art studio production technologies engineered for the most demanding, world-class recording and production environments. DP version 11 delivers exciting new features like Nanosampler 2.0, Retrospective Audio Record, Articulation Maps, ARA support, MPE Support and dozens of workflow enhancements requested by DP users. ARA2 is a plug-in protocol extension developed by Celemony ™ that allows Melodyne™ (and other plug-ins that support ARA2) to access and analyze audio data in sound files ahead of time, prior to playback being engaged. -
17
Ardour
Ardour
Grab yourself a nice audio interface. Plug in a microphone or a keyboard. Add a track, press record, and you got it. Cut, move, stretch, copy, paste, delete, align, trim, crossfade, rename, snapshot, zoom, transpose, quantize, swing, drag, drop. Import audio or MIDI from your hard drive or the Freesound database. All with unlimited undo/redo. All in the same window. Mute, solo, fader, automate, EQ, dynamics, insert, send, pre-fader, post-fader, sync, monitor, isolate. Floating point fidelity, the most flexible mixer architecture in the industry, hundreds of plugins, and external control surfaces. Ardour's core user group, people who want to record, edit, mix and master audio and MIDI projects. When you need complete control over your tools, when the limitations of other designs get in the way, when you plan to spend hours or days working on a session, Ardour is there to make things work the way you want them to. -
18
Serato Studio
Serato
Unlock your creative potential with the fastest and most intuitive DAW for beat production. Create album-quality beats easily with Studio's powerful features and discover why it is the best beat maker for producers of all levels. Get into your creative zone quickly with Studio’s streamlined workflow and leave the technical roadblocks and frustrations behind. Take your place among chart-topping music producers and use Studio’s renowned built-in sampler to create that next big hit. Stay inspired with free sound packs containing hundreds of unique instruments, drum kits, and samples from world-class producers. -
19
Cubase
Steinberg Media Technologies
Do you want to start creating your own music, bring your production up to a professional level, or streamline your workflow for short deadlines? Whatever you need, Cubase helps you to reach your full creative potential. From Hollywood blockbuster composers and Billboard Hot 100 producers right through to keen beginners, the world of music production trusts the comprehensive feature set, straightforward tools and unrivaled sound of our acclaimed music production software. -
20
Pro Tools
Avid
Your talent and artistry know no bounds. Take your sound further with software and hardware that let you focus on what you do best. Meet Pro Tools. Get everything you need to make beats, write songs, record vocals and instruments, and mix studio-quality music that’s ready to be heard across the world’s most popular streaming platforms. Pro Tools makes music creation fast and fluid, providing the GRAMMY® winning DAW toolset and plugins the pros use to create your favorite songs and albums. Build up songs quickly and create more realistic-sounding tracks with easy-to-use MIDI tools. Add loops that auto-conform to your session tempo. And freely create and experiment without stopping playback. Share ideas and work on projects with anyone, anywhere, with Cloud Collaboration. And take your music to any producer or studio around the world, as the Pro Tools session format is the industry’s universal language. -
21
RipX DAW
Hit'n'Mix
RipX DAW is an innovative AI-driven Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) developed by Hit'n'Mix, designed to revolutionize audio editing and music production. It offers advanced stem separation capabilities, allowing users to isolate and manipulate individual components of a track, such as vocals, instruments, and percussion. This feature is particularly beneficial for remixing, sampling, and learning purposes. The platform provides intuitive tools for pitch and tempo adjustment, enabling precise control over audio elements. Users can experiment with different effects, pitches, and keys/scales, facilitating creative exploration. RipX DAW supports time-stretching, stereo panning adjustments, volume control, and EQ modifications, offering comprehensive audio manipulation options. It also includes built-in live effects like Reverse, Delay, and Vibrato, enhancing the creative process. The software is compatible with various audio formats and integrates seamlessly with other DAWs.Starting Price: $98.99 one-time payment -
22
Apple Creator Studio
Apple
Apple Creator Studio is a subscription-based creative suite that brings together Apple’s most powerful professional apps in one package. It includes industry-leading tools like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro for video, music, and image creation. The suite also enhances productivity with premium content and smart features in Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and Freeform. Built-in AI capabilities powered by Apple Intelligence help speed up workflows and spark creativity. Apple Creator Studio is designed to work seamlessly across Mac, iPad, and iPhone for a fluid creative process. A single subscription unlocks unlimited creative possibilities without juggling multiple licenses. Overall, Apple Creator Studio provides a unified environment for creating, editing, and producing professional-quality content.Starting Price: $12.99/month -
23
PreSonus Sphere
PreSonus Audio Electronics
You also get a library of master class videos, collaboration tools, monthly live streams, exclusive Studio One features, industry veteran-authored presets, and tons of loop and construction kit content—and we’re constantly adding more, month after month after month. No hidden fees. No additional upgrade costs. All in PreSonus Sphere. A PreSonus Sphere membership includes a license for award-winning Studio One Professional–the only DAW that lets you record, produce, mix, master, and perform from within a single application. Go from creative concept to final mastered album—even use stems from your songs as backing tracks for your live performance—all from Studio One. PreSonus Sphere is the ultimate toolkit for the modern composer. From simple lead sheets to complete orchestrations, you’ll deliver polished scores fast with award-winning Notion® software.Starting Price: $14.95 per month -
24
Mixbus
Harrison
With dozens of DAWs to choose from, there's only one that is designed to work like a Harrison, with an analog paradigm that embodies form, function, and sound. Where other DAWs use a computer paradigm, MIXBUS grows from Harrison's distinguished 40-year heritage of platinum records and blockbuster films such as Thriller, Graceland, and Spider-Man. Mixbus is the first full-featured DAW with true analog-style mixing. Harrison has a unique history. In the mid-80s, we developed fully-automated, digitally-controlled analog mixer technology which was adopted by premiere film-mixing facilities around the world. When the digital revolution came, we were asked to convert the analog "processor" into a digital processor, while leaving the control surface unchanged. Film mixers wanted the control surface to work and sound exactly like the analog mixer they were using for previous projects. This required us to develop a digital audio engine that operated and sounded exactly like an analog mixer.Starting Price: $93.90 one-time payment -
25
LUNA
Universal Audio
Designed for seamless integration with Apollo audio interfaces, LUNA is our free Mac‑based recording application that lets you do music recording, audio editing, composition, sound design, and more, all in real time, and with big analog studio sound. Far beyond plug‑ins, LUNA extensions are built into the fabric of LUNA's mixer, giving you authentic analog sounds without having to manage multiple plug‑in windows. Create with precisely emulated analog summing from legendary Neve and API consoles. These optional LUNA Extensions will transform a clean, sterile mix to sound as if it was mixed on a classic analog desk. Get the punch and rich textures of magnetic tape on any audio or instrument track, as well as your master fader and buses, with optional Studer A800 and Ampex ATR-102 LUNA Extensions. You can also sculpt warm analog tape tones with the included Oxide Tape Machine Extension. -
26
Hydrogen
Hydrogen
Very user-friendly, modular, fast and intuitive graphical interface based on QT 4. Sample-based stereo audio engine, with import of sound samples in .wav, .au and .aiff formats. Support of samples in compressed FLAC file. Pattern-based sequencer, with unlimited number of patterns and ability to chain patterns into a song. Up to 192 ticks per pattern with individual level per event and variable pattern length. Unlimited instrument tracks with volume, mute, solo, pan capabilities. Multi layer support for instruments (up to 16 samples for each instrument). Time-stretch and pitch functions via rubberband cli. Require the rubberband-cli package. Director Window with a visual metronome and song position tags. Export/Import single patterns into song projects. Midi learning via Shift+MouseClick on many gui-cotrollers combined with a midi settings editor. Unique human velocity, human time, pitch and swing functions. -
27
Helm
Helm
Helm runs in GNU/Linux, Mac OSX and Windows. Run Helm as a standalone synthesizer or as an LV2, VST, VST3 or AU plugin. Comes in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. This means you are free to run Helm anywhere without the pains of DRM, you can study and change the source code and redistribute exact or modified copies of Helm. Helm is a software synthesizer. You use it to create electronic music on your computer. Helm is free as in freedom. This means you control this software, it doesn't control you. In terms of money, Helm is pay what you want. So you are free to pay nothing. Any sound that comes out of Helm belongs to the person who played it. You are the copyright holder to any sound you create with Helm. You can turn some modules on and of. They have little power buttons in the top left that you can click to turn them on or of. The SUB module is one of the three sound producers in Helm. It controls a single oscillator that by default plays one octave below the currently played note. -
28
KOMPLETE
Native Instruments
Flagship synths, immersive platforms, unique sampled instruments, and sounds for any genre, production, or performance. KOMPLETE 13 packs the very best Native has to offer into a do-it-all production toolkit that includes brand-new GUITAR RIG 6 PRO, SUPER 8, NOIRE, and much more. From beats, to screen scores, to conjuring underground sounds – KOMPLETE 13 is curated for genre-bending versatility and endless inspiration, whatever you create. Get it all for less with a huge saving on the combined cost of each product in KOMPLETE 13. Revamped, redesigned, and reimagined with new amps, effects, and ways to sculpt your sound. An eight-voice, modern take on vintage polysynthesis. Warm tones and a wide sweet spot. The signature sound of Nils Frahm’s evocative concert grand, captured at its home in Berlin’s Funkhaus complex.Starting Price: $599 one-time payment -
29
dearVR MUSIC
Dear Reality
All dearVR spatializer plugins rely on the advanced dearVR CORE engine, resulting in best-in-class externalization and true-to-life immersion. Create immersive mixes with a true perception of direction, distance, reflections, and reverb. Hear how dearVR MUSIC will add depth and detail to your music, post-production, and VR video production. dearVR MUSIC renders high-quality 3D audio for the most common immersive audio productions. Use the binaural output to listen to your mixes in mind-blowing 3D audio on any earbuds and headphones. The 4-channel Ambisonics format outputs spatial audio for YouTube 360° video soundtracks. You can also use dearVR MUSIC's beautiful virtual environments as conventional reverbs in stereo format, doubling their music production usefulness.Starting Price: $199 one-time payment -
30
Cubasis
Steinberg
Cubasis is a mobile digital audio workstation developed by Steinberg, designed for iOS, Android, and Chrome OS devices. It enables users to quickly capture musical ideas and transform them into professional-sounding songs. The app offers a comprehensive set of features, including a full-screen mixer with professional-grade effects, a wide range of pro-grade plug-ins such as channel strip and studio EQ effects, and flexible routing options via group tracks. Users can perform, record, mix, and share their music efficiently, whether on an iPhone, iPad, Android smartphone, tablet, or Chromebook. Cubasis provides a familiar Cubase design and feel, ensuring a seamless experience for users transitioning from desktop to mobile platforms. The app includes an integrated keyboard, chord, and drum pads, and supports third-party instruments. Additionally, Cubasis allows for easy sharing of tracks through email, Dropbox, and Google Drive.Starting Price: $49.99 one-time payment
