Full DAW, browser studio or plugin
"Music software" covers a few different kinds of apps. Pick the kind first, then compare the limits:
| Kind | Examples | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop DAW | GarageBand, Waveform Free, LMMS, Ardour, SoundBridge | Recording, arranging and mixing whole songs |
| Browser studio | BandLab, Audiotool, Sonic Pi on the web | Starting right away on any computer, working with others |
| Specialist app | MuseScore Studio, Hydrogen, Qtractor | Sheet music, drum patterns or MIDI sequencing |
| Synth plugin | Vital, Surge XT | New sounds inside the DAW you already use |
A plugin does not run on its own. Surge XT, for example, needs a host that loads VST3, CLAP, AU or LV2 plugins, depending on your system.
Free limits compared
These are the limits we found on the official pages:
| App | Free limit |
|---|---|
| GarageBand | Free on the Mac App Store, up to 255 audio tracks, macOS 15.6 or later |
| Waveform Free | Described as completely unlimited; some features are sold as expansion packs |
| SoundBridge | 10 tracks, no sampler and no remote recording |
| FL Studio trial | No time limit and no audio watermark, but saved projects do not reopen until you buy |
| BandLab | Membership doubles the Studio track limit; the free limit is not stated |
| Vital Basic | The full synth with 75 presets and 25 wavetables |
The FL Studio trial is the one to watch: you can export finished songs as WAV or MP3, but you cannot go back into a saved project and change it later without a license.
Open source studios
Open source music software is free to use, and you can read and change its code. LMMS comes with 16 built-in synthesizers, Hydrogen is a pattern-based drum machine, Qtractor is an audio and MIDI sequencer for Linux, and Sonic Pi lets you make music by writing code, in the browser or offline on the desktop.
Ardour is open source under the GPL v2 too, but its download page says the ready-to-run builds are paid. If you do not want to pay, you can build it from the source code yourself, and the developers say they do not help with that process.
Looking for a plain audio editor and recorder instead of a full studio? Audacity is in our list of free open source alternatives.
Practice and prepare your audio
- Metronome: a steady click from 20 to 300 BPM with tap tempo.
- Online tuner: tune a guitar or other instrument with your microphone.
- Tone generator: play a test tone from 1 to 20,000 Hz or sweep between two frequencies.
- Trim audio: cut the start and end of a recording, with fades.
- Audio converter: change the format of a file before you import it.
Our guide to musical note frequencies shows the pitch of every note. Need music for a video instead of making your own? See free music for videos.
We opened each app's official page on the date in the table and wrote down only what it says. "Not stated" means the page does not say it.
Frequently asked questions
Is GarageBand free?
Yes. The Mac App Store lists GarageBand as free, and it needs macOS 15.6 or later. Apple's GarageBand page says you can create and mix up to 255 audio tracks.
Can I make music in the browser for free?
Yes. BandLab calls its Studio 100% free and runs it in the browser and in apps for iOS and Android. Audiotool says it is free with no ads and nothing to install, and Sonic Pi has a web version that runs without installing anything.
Does the FL Studio trial expire?
No. Image-Line says the trial never expires and adds no audio watermarks, and you can export songs as WAV or MP3. The catch is that saved project files do not reopen in trial mode until you buy a license.
Is Ardour free?
Ardour is open source under the GNU GPL v2, so you can build it from the source code yourself. Its download page says the ready-to-run builds are paid, without naming the price there.
Which free DAWs run on Linux?
Waveform Free, LMMS, Ardour, Hydrogen, Qtractor and Sonic Pi all list Linux on their official pages. Tracktion says Waveform Pro features are unlocked automatically on Linux.