Best Free DAW
The best free DAW for beginners is GarageBand if you're on a Mac. It's free on the App Store, records up to 255 tracks, and opens in Logic Pro if you outgrow it. On Windows, grab Cakewalk Sonar's free tier or Waveform Free, which also runs on Linux. Pro Tools Intro is free too, but it stops at 8 audio tracks.
Quick picks
Four DAWs are free to download with no time limit, and a fifth comes free with some audio interfaces and controllers.
| Pick | Who it's for | Runs on | Key limit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GarageBand | Mac beginners | Mac | 255 tracks | Free |
| Cakewalk Sonar | Windows beginners | Windows | Premium plugins need a membership | Free tier |
| Waveform Free | Linux users, third-party plugins | Windows, Mac, Linux | No cap listed | Free |
| Pro Tools Intro | Learning the studio standard | Windows, Mac | 8 audio tracks | Free |
| Ableton Live Lite | Interface owners making loops | Windows, Mac | Not sold on its own | Free with hardware |
Free DAW limits compared
What actually holds free DAWs back is track caps and locked plugins, not export quality. Every figure below comes from the maker's own page, linked in each pick's section.
| DAW | Tracks | Plugins | Export | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GarageBand | 255 | Audio Units | AAC, MP3, AIFF, WAVE | Mac only, macOS 15.6 or later |
| Cakewalk Sonar | Unlimited audio and instrument | Core Plugin Suite is members only | Batch export (Task Queues) is members only | 1 Arranger track, TH-U amp sim in demo mode |
| Waveform Free | No cap listed | VST, VST3, AU | No limit listed | Download goes through a sign-up page |
| Pro Tools Intro | 8 audio, 8 instrument, 8 MIDI | 40 Avid plugins plus third-party AAX, per Avid's tier comparison | No limit listed | 4 inputs at once; bigger sessions get cut to 8 per type |
The 5 best free DAWs
Each pick is current on its maker's site, and the limits come straight from that page.
GarageBand
For anyone with a Mac who wants to record vocals, guitar, or loops today. If you sing and play on a Mac, start here.
- Free on the Mac App Store, which lists macOS 15.6 or later
- Up to 255 tracks, per Apple's GarageBand page
- Runs Audio Units and AUv3 extensions once you tick Enable Audio Units in settings, per Apple's user guide
- Exports AAC, MP3, AIFF, or WAVE, per Apple's export guide
- Upgrades to Logic Pro, which opens GarageBand projects and costs $199.99 at the time of writing
It's Mac only, though, so if you ever move to Windows you'll be exporting your tracks as audio files.
Cakewalk Sonar
For Windows users who want a full mixer without paying a cent.
- Cakewalk's FAQ says "Sonar is free to use," with extra features in a paid BandLab Membership
- Unlimited audio and instrument tracks, per cakewalk.com
- The free tier gets 1 Arranger track, restricted ProChannel modules, the TH-U amp sim in demo mode, and no Core Plugin Suite, per the Sonar comparison table
- Batch export with Task Queues is members only, per Cakewalk's export help page
The catch: Cakewalk calls the free version "evaluation mode," and Sonar's download and suggested specs are for Windows only.
Waveform Free
For Linux users, and anyone who wants third-party plugins without a paywall.
- Runs on Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13 or later, and Linux (tested on Ubuntu 24.04), per Tracktion's Waveform Free page
- Takes VST, VST3, and AU plugins
- Includes 14 audio effects, 8 MIDI effects, 11 utility plugins, and 4 instruments
- Tracktion calls it "completely unlimited" and lists no track cap
One snag: the free download sends you through an account sign-up page, and the 30-day trial on that same page is for the paid Waveform Pro, not this one.
Pro Tools Intro
For beginners who want to learn Pro Tools before paying for it.
- 8 audio, 8 instrument, 8 MIDI, and 4 aux tracks, per Avid's Pro Tools Intro announcement
- 4 simultaneous inputs and outputs, with Core Audio, ASIO, or WASAPI interfaces
- 40 Avid plugins, the Xpand!2 instrument, and third-party AAX plugins
- Records at up to 192 kHz
The catch: open a session with more than 8 tracks of a type and Intro saves a copy with only the first 8, per Avid's Intro FAQ. Paid tiers start at $9.99 a month.
Ableton Live Lite
For loop and beat makers who already own, or are about to buy, an audio interface or controller.
Live Lite "isn't sold separately"; its serial comes with hardware and with the Ableton Note app, per Ableton's Live Lite page. The Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen, for example, ships with Live Lite, Pro Tools Intro+, and Cubase LE. Ableton doesn't list Lite's track limits on that page, so check them before you plan a big session. Check your interface's box, too: you may already own a Lite license.
Free trials that aren't free DAWs
FL Studio and REAPER are often called free, but both are paid programs with generous trials.
FL Studio trial
Never expires
Exports full-quality WAV and MP3, but "won't reopen project files," so a saved song stays locked until you buy, per Image-Line.
REAPER evaluation
60 days
Full functionality, then a $60 discounted license for personal use, per reaper.fm.
How to choose a free DAW
Pick the free DAW your computer runs well, then make sure it covers the tracks you'll record at once.
- Start from your operating system. Mac: GarageBand. Windows: Sonar or Waveform Free. Linux: Waveform Free.
- Count your simultaneous inputs. Pro Tools Intro handles 4 at once; with the others, your interface sets the limit.
- Check your plugin format. AU on a Mac, VST3 on Windows, AAX only in Pro Tools.
- Plan the upgrade. GarageBand moves to Logic Pro, Intro to paid Pro Tools, and Sonar to a BandLab Membership.
Paid DAWs worth moving to are compared on the best DAW for beginners and best DAW pages. For the rest of your setup, see what software you need to record music at home and whether you need an audio interface.
FAQ
What is the best free DAW for beginners?
GarageBand if you have a Mac: it records up to 255 tracks, takes Audio Units plugins, and opens in Logic Pro later. On Windows, start with Cakewalk Sonar's free tier or Waveform Free.
Is Pro Tools Intro really free?
Yes, with caps of 8 audio, 8 instrument, and 8 MIDI tracks and 4 simultaneous inputs. Paid Pro Tools tiers start at $9.99 a month.
Is the FL Studio trial a free DAW?
Not really. It never expires and exports full-quality WAV and MP3, but it won't reopen a saved project until you buy an edition, so you can't come back to a song.
Can free DAWs use VST plugins?
Waveform Free runs VST, VST3, and AU plugins, GarageBand runs Audio Units on a Mac, and Pro Tools Intro runs third-party AAX plugins.
Do I need an audio interface to use a free DAW?
Only to record an XLR mic or plug a guitar in directly. A USB mic has its own preamp and converter, so it records without one; see do you need an audio interface.