Best Audio Editing Software: 10 DAWs and Editors Compared for Podcasts, Music and Post-Production

Audio editing software records, cuts, cleans and mixes sound. Some tools are simple waveform editors for fixing a voice recording, while digital audio workstations (DAWs) add multitrack mixing, virtual instruments and plugin support for full music production.

When you publish audio to broadcast or streaming platforms, loudness normalization matters, and the ITU-R BS.1770 loudness measurement standard is the reference most platforms follow. If you publish audio online, also review the W3C guidance on accessible audio and video and provide transcripts. The one external vendor link here points to Audacity. See the full Audio Editing Software category for more.

How We Chose These Audio Editors

We selected the ten audio editing products published in SaaSPodium and grouped them by the job they do best. Prices are the listed starting figures as of October 2026, and billing differs by vendor, with some selling licenses and others using subscriptions.

Ratings were not yet populated for these products, so this guide ranks by use case. Compare them on the dimensions that affect your daily workflow rather than on feature counts alone.

• Editing model: destructive waveform editing versus non-destructive multitrack sessions.
• Platform: Mac only, Windows or cross-platform including Linux.
• Workflow: speech and podcast tools versus music production tools.
• Cost: free, one-time license or subscription.

Audacity

Audacity is a free, open-source, cross-platform audio editor. It is the best starting point for anyone who needs to record, trim and clean audio without paying, including students, podcasters on a budget and small teams.

SaaSPodium lists Audacity as free for Mac, Windows and Linux, from Muse Group.

• Deployment: desktop on three operating systems; see Audacity.
• Strength: no cost and a long history of community support.
• Consider: less polished multitrack workflow than paid DAWs.

Adobe Audition

Adobe Audition is a professional audio workstation aimed at editing, restoration and mixing for video and podcasts. It suits teams already using Adobe Creative Cloud who move between video and audio projects.

SaaSPodium lists Audition as paid with a starting price of $22, targeting small, medium and enterprise teams on Mac and Windows.

• Deployment: desktop for Mac and Windows; see Adobe Audition.
• Strength: fits in a wider Adobe video workflow.
• Consider: subscription pricing over time.

Reaper

Reaper is a flexible, cost-efficient digital audio workstation from Cockos. It appeals to engineers who like to customize their workflow and want cross-platform support without a premium license.

SaaSPodium lists Reaper as paid with a starting price of $60 and support for Windows, Mac and Linux.

• Deployment: desktop on three operating systems; see Reaper.
• Strength: customizable and relatively low priced.
• Consider: expect a learning curve to configure it.

Pro Tools

Pro Tools from Avid is the DAW many studios associate with professional recording and post-production. It suits facilities that must exchange sessions with other studios using the same platform.

SaaSPodium describes it as the industry standard audio production software, with a starting price of $9 for Mac and Windows.

• Deployment: desktop for Mac and Windows; see Pro Tools.
• Strength: broad adoption in professional studios.
• Consider: compare subscription and perpetual options.

Logic Pro

Logic Pro is Apple's full recording studio for Mac. It is a strong choice for musicians and producers who work in the Apple ecosystem and want a complete DAW at a single price.

SaaSPodium lists Logic Pro as paid with a starting price of $199 for Mac and iPadOS.

• Deployment: Apple devices only; see Logic Pro.
• Strength: a complete studio for Mac users.
• Consider: not available on Windows.

Ableton Live

Ableton Live is built for creating, producing and performing music, with a workflow that works well for live sets and loop-based composition. It suits electronic producers and performers.

SaaSPodium lists Ableton Live as paid with a starting price of $99 for Mac and Windows.

• Deployment: desktop for Mac and Windows; see Ableton Live.
• Strength: live performance and idea sketching.
• Consider: check which edition includes the features you need.

Studio One

PreSonus Studio One is a DAW for creating and producing music without heavy menu diving. It suits producers who want recording, mixing and mastering within one environment.

SaaSPodium lists Studio One as paid with a starting price of $99 for Mac and Windows.

• Deployment: desktop for Mac and Windows; see Studio One.
• Strength: an integrated workflow from recording to mastering.
• Consider: compare tiers before buying.

FL Studio

FL Studio from Image-Line is a pattern-based DAW popular with beat makers and electronic producers. It is a good match if you want to sketch ideas quickly and build tracks from loops and samples.

SaaSPodium lists FL Studio as paid with a starting price of $99 for Mac and Windows.

• Deployment: desktop for Mac and Windows; see FL Studio.
• Strength: fast idea-to-track workflow.
• Consider: check edition differences.

GarageBand

GarageBand is Apple's free music creation studio for Mac, iPhone and iPad. It is ideal for beginners, students and anyone who wants to record and arrange tracks without cost.

SaaSPodium lists GarageBand as free on Mac, iOS and iPadOS.

• Deployment: Apple devices only; see GarageBand.
• Strength: free and easy to learn.
• Consider: projects can move up to Logic Pro for more depth.

Hindenburg PRO

Hindenburg PRO is an audio editor designed for podcasters and radio journalists. It suits speech-focused workflows where fast editing and clean, spoken-word output matter more than music production.

SaaSPodium lists Hindenburg PRO as paid with a starting price of $12 for Mac and Windows.

• Deployment: desktop for Mac and Windows; see Hindenburg PRO.
• Strength: built for spoken-word production.
• Consider: not aimed at music composition.

How to Choose Audio Editing Software

Choose by job first: speech, music or post-production. Then filter by operating system and budget, and test a free trial or free tool with your own recordings before you commit.

• Podcasts and interviews: Audacity, Audition or Hindenburg PRO.
• Music production: Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Studio One, FL Studio or Reaper.
• Studio post-production: Pro Tools or Audition.
• Beginners: GarageBand on Apple devices or Audacity elsewhere.

Compare all options side by side in the audio editing directory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free audio editing software?
Audacity is the best free option for most people because it runs on Mac, Windows and Linux and is open source. GarageBand is also free for Apple device users who want music creation tools.

Which audio editor is best for podcasting?
Audacity suits budget podcasters, Adobe Audition fits teams already using Adobe tools, and Hindenburg PRO is designed specifically for podcasters and radio journalists. Try each with a sample episode.

Do I need a DAW or a simple audio editor?
Use a simple audio editor if you mainly record and clean a single voice track. Choose a DAW such as Reaper, Logic Pro or Studio One when you need multitrack mixing, virtual instruments and plugin support.