Top 10 DAWs in 2022 | Free & Paid
When entering the world of music production, it's really hard to choose the perfect Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). There are many amazing DAWs available in 2022! There are many paid DAWs as well as many free DAWs. This is a list of some great DAWs available right now (both paid and free). If you're on a budget, I would recommend you to check out the list of amazing free DAWs here.
So, without wasting any time, let's talk about some amazing DAWs available in 2022!
1. FL Studio
Price: $99/$199/$299/$499 - Lifetime Free Updates
Platform: Windows/Mac
FL Studio from Image-Line is a popular choice among beatmakers and home-studio producers all over the world. The best thing about this DAW is its user-friendly interface. Also, unlike other DAWs, it is very affordable and provides lifetime free updates to all its users. Yes, you don't need to pay them for any future updates (even the major updates). You only need to pay once (depending on the edition you choose) and you will receive all the future updates for free. Also, it's very easy to learn and there are a ton of tutorials and support available online! So, if you are looking for a user-friendly DAW, FL Studio is perfect for you!
Check Pricing On Imag-Line Website.
2. Ableton Live
Price: $99/$449/$749
Platform: Windows/Mac
Just like FL Studio, Ableton live is also a popular choice among home studio producers. Its user interface is also great for everyone. You can learn it easily. However, unlike FL Studio, Ableton does not provide free upgrades. You have to pay for every major upgrade (for example, upgrading from Ableton live 11 to Ableton live 12). Apart from that, it's an awesome DAW and you may not regret buying it!
Check the price on Ableton's website here.
3. Pro Tools
Price: $299 Per Year
Platform: Windows/Mac
Pro Tools from Avid is known as the "industry standard" in the music industry. Many recording studios, producers, and mixing engineers use Pro Tools. The reason behind this is its awesome integration with Avid's hardware and its support for the different audio formats. Most of the professional audio hardware is compatible with Pro Tools. However, its pricing system is not very budget-friendly (especially for small producers and home studios). Pro Tools is a subscription-based software. To keep using Pro Tools, you need to keep paying a monthly or an annual fee. If you do not pay, you cannot use it. Apart from that, Pro Tools is a great piece of software, especially if you're planning to use analog hardware.
Check the price on Avid's website here.
4. Logic Pro
Price: $199.99
Platform: Mac Only
Logic Pro is a Digital Audio Workstation from Apple. Just like Pro Tools, Logic is also considered the industry standard. The main highlight of this DAW is its awesome integration with Apple's hardware. This main highlight is also its greatest weakness. The problem is that it does not support any other operating system. It only works on Apple's hardware. So, if you're a Mac user and if you're looking for a great DAW, you should definitely try Logic Pro. It's quite affordable and its upgrade price is also relatively cheaper than other DAWs.
Check the price on Apple's website here.
5. Cubase
Price: $99.99/$370/$559*
Platform: Windows/Mac
Cubase is also a popular choice in the music industry. If you're looking for something that fits somewhere between Ableton and Pro Tools, Cubase is a great choice. It's a great choice for intermediate producers. Also, it's packed with amazing quality plugins from Steinberg. So, that's a plus point. Just like Ableton and Logic, you need to pay for major upgrades.
*Check the latest price on their website here.
6. Reaper
Price: $60/$225*
Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux
Reaper has a soft corner in the heart of every producer. We can easily say that reaper is a perfect choice for everyone. The fact that it's cross-platform makes it more user-friendly. You can run it on Linux too! Most of the DAWs do not work on Linux. Its user interface seems too basic at the start. However, it's very customizable and that's why producers love it. It's a feature-rich DAW that can easily compete with other DAWs. Also, it's free for 60 days and you can buy a discounted license for $60 if you cannot afford the full license. Note: There is no feature difference between both licenses.
*Check the latest price on their website here.
7. Studio One
Price: Free/$99/$399*
Platform: Windows/Mac
Studio One is an awesome DAW from PreSonus. It comes with some awesome plugins from PreSonus. Also, it has a free version, Studio One Prime (with some limitations) which you can use forever. However, its user interface may seem a lot cluttered, especially for new users. Apart from that, once you get a hang of it, it's a great DAW.
*Check the latest price on their website.
8. Cakewalk by Bandlab
Price: Free
Platform: Windows Only
Cakewalk by Bandlab is my favorite free DAW available in the market! It has everything you need to start producing awesome music. Although it's free, it has a lot of features and can easily compete with other professional DAWs. Under the hood, it's based on Cakewalk SONAR. Cakewalk SONAR was bought by Bandlab and now it's free! The only problem is that it's available only for Windows. Also, the user interface may seem intimidating for beginners.
9. Bitwig Studio
Price: $99/$399*
Platform: Windows/Mac/Linux
Bitwig Studio is an amazing cross-platform DAW. Its user interface is also quite colorful and attractive. The best thing about this DAW is that it's cross-platform. So, you can use it on Mac, Windows, or Linux! It's very easy to learn which makes it perfect for everyone.
*Check the latest price on their website here.
10. Garageband
Price: Free
Platform: Mac Only
Garageband is the younger brother of Logic Pro. Its user interface is very similar to Logic. Technically, it's the free version of Logic, just with a different name. It's perfect for anyone who wants to make music on a Mac. Yup, just like Logic, it's not available for any other operating system. However, it's quite powerful and comes with some amazing sounding instruments and effects plugins. Also, it's very easy to learn and there are a ton of tutorials and support available online.