Even though my best picks here are completely free but it does not mean that you have to compromise in making music out of these digital audio workstations, You can use third-party plugins, instruments VSTs MIDI files controllers, and samples and loops to create music on these software applications.
Best Free DAWs For Music Production Windows Mac & Linux
What Is A DAW?
The word DAW stands for, Digital Audio Workstation, it is a software application that can be used on Windows PC, Mac, and Linux to make music and to do music production. These days Daws is also available for Android and Chromebook systems but they are not with too many features that a quality and professional level creator needs to do music production.
These DAWs are used to do each and everything related to Audio recording of any kind, for editing vocals music samples, and loops as well as mixing and mastering music tracks and songs.
Nowadays, these DAWs are used by every studio whether it is a professional studio or a home-based studio of a hobbyist person.
Which Is The Easiest DAW?
Digital audio workstations whether these are free DAWs or not are designed for sound engineers, and sound engineers understand and know well how to make music, even though every DAW has a different workflow and user interface and this needs some time to become known with it.
Every person and music producer has a different workflow or a pattern of work, for this reason, people find DAW easier and other DAW difficult to work, otherwise all the DAWs are built for making and producing music.
And the other reason if you are a complete beginner and do have not any knowledge of sound engineering or music production then it is obvious that you feel every DAW is difficult for you. when you will understand the things you have to do for making a song then you would work with any DAW after spending some initial learning time with it.
What Are the Best Free DAWs Or Paid DAWs?
DAWs are software applications, more is neither the best and not the worst, it all depends on your needs and requirements that make the software the best or worst for you.
Mostly paid DAWs to try to provide their users everything they might require while music making like built-in samples and loops packs drums and other instruments one shots as well as instruments and effects VST plugins and audio recording and editing features.
But freeDAWs mostly have a limited stock of samples and loops instruments and effects plugins, and sometimes they completely miss some of these items.
Even some free DAWs do not have recording and editing features.
But it does not mean that you can not create a good song using a free DAW, now there are many DAWs that are fully capable of doing anything like a premium paid DAW and now you can download effects and instruments for free from the internet as well as many platforms offers you to download and use their samples and loops for free, so only thing these days that can limit your production of music is your thinking.
Which Is The Best Free DAW?
I think like music producers software developers also try to do their best and create software to help people for doing their work easily, but every person has his or her mind and thinking so the outcome of every person looks different and has some different capabilities of doing same work differently.
So here I will not just you the one best DAW, instead, I will provide you a list of the best free DAWs you can try them all one by one and then pick the one best that will according to your workflow, and you will feel comfortable using it.
Tips For Choosing A Digital Audio Workstation For You
Here are my tips for you for selecting a DAW or digital audio workstation whether you are a complete beginner or just want to switch just for a change or you are searching for a little bit easier piece of software, you should follow the thing mentioned below.
If you have a budget to spend for your music production software, You can buy a digital audio workstation for you because they are not bad, they try to provide you with each and everything that developers have in their minds to you like a range of effects and instruments VST plugins samples and loops and all useful options and features because they are charging money and if they do not give you these things why would you spend your saving on them.
If you are low on funds or like me do not want to spend money buying software packages, you can try free DAWs many of them are no less than their paid rivals. they have every kind of feature that paid DAWs to have these days. Even some free DAWs are slim-down versions of their paid counterparts, these Free DAWs are mostly slimdown by removing instruments and effects plugins and samples & loops banks, but as you another there are a lot of instruments and effects plugins available for free and as well as you can also download music samples and loops for free and you can use these instruments and effects plugins and samples on many of these free DAWs, so like me if you have decided to use a free DAW to produce your music you have all kinds of freedom and flexibility to make music using a free DAW.
You also have noticed in Google search or on YouTube there are a lot of audio tech reviewers who have their personal favorites and suggesting you different DAWs for different reasons, but I suggest you must watch them for your information but never leave a software DAW you are comfortably making music with, yes you can try other software I am not putting restrictions on you.
Also when you meet your other music producers' friends, when they come to know about The DAW you are using many of them will say the DAW you are using is a piece of crap, some will also say free DAWs are not good and they are just time waste, do not listen to them because your listeners do not care what software digital audio workstation you are using listeners listening to the lyrics and taking the feel of cool vibes of music that you have created, so do not care about what others are saying about your DAW selection.
I will also suggest you install all the best free DAWs you have not tried yet from the following list, then keep one or more you like to work with and uninstall the rest from your computer.
I think this is enough guidelines for your DAWs selections lets start our list of best free DAWs.
It also does not matter on which platform like Windows Mac & Linux your music production software works, I suggest that it is enough that the music production software you choose is working on the operating system.
List Of Best Free DAWs For Music Production Windows Mac & Linux
Here is the list of best free DAWs for Windows Mac & Linux for music production and the making of music, these are my top picks but not in a particular order, so I will recommend you download and try all of them one by one and try them and get the one you are comfortable with.
LMMS
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It is an incredible piece of software in my opinion it is one of the best free DAWs because of the ease of use, it has all the basics that are required to make music, and it is also elementary to use especially for beginners they can start and make music on it quickly as I did, It is an open source and community-driven software.
LMMs come with a small bunch of audio samples and one shot especially I like its drum one shot using them you can start making beats right away. It has everything around the song editor where you get beat sequencer sample track plugin automation and other things, I like its bars and grid view of the song editor that makes it easy to align & sequence your stems of vocal and other audio samples. It is available on Windows Mac & Linux.
It also has a built-in mixer with a lot of effects plugins in it although it is pretty basic but does the job done, and it also allows you to bring in third-party effects and instruments so you can use them too.
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Limitations & Draw Backs
I think the only limitation I have noticed is the missing of the audio recording and audio editing ability, you have to use other software like Audacity with it to record and edit any audio file for your projects then bring them into LMMS to add them to the tracks of your song.
If the switching between the applications It is a good software DAW for making music.
Watch LMMS Tutorial
Audacity
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It is not a DAW because it is mentioned as an audio editor and multi-track audio recording software on its official webpage, But it is a lot more than just an audio editor, you can mix multiple audio tracks on it and enhance audio files using Audacity. you can add all kinds of Effects plugins to Audacity. but it only works with 32-bit VST & VST2 plugins.
It Does not have Asio support so it can not run Instruments plugins, but many people are using it as their main DAW because they work only with samples and record audio through it as well. Audacity is available for Windows Mac & Linux, and like me, many other people not only use it for recording audio they also use it for missing and mastering there are a lot of people using it as their main DAW and they consider it one of the best free DAWs.
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Limitations In Audacity
Because it is an audio editor and recorder so it does its job pretty well, but unlike digital audio workstations it does not have a step sequencer or piano roll editor in it.
Similarly, Audacity does not have midi support.
Watch Audacity Tutorial
Tracktion VaveForm Free
Whenever Tracktion release a new version of Waveform they release the older version as Tracktion Waveform Free. the free version is every time a little bit slim down version of their paid premium DAW, but mostly from the side of plugins and samples & loops, I my opinion it is not a big compromise because you are getting a premium DAW just without plugins and samples & loops although it has a smaller bank of them included and also allow you to use any kind of plugins and samples & loops.
For Tracktion's Waveform free its developers claim that it is the world's only free DAW that is fully functional and available across platforms like Windows Mac and Linux. The free version is fully functional and never gives you water marks and timeouts, no track limits no exports under issues no third-party plugins restriction no saving a projects restrictions, the music you create with Waveform free is yours and you can upload and sell it wherever you like to upload and sell it. this is also in my opinion one of the best free DAWs available for Windows Mac & Linux.
Limitations On Tracktion Waveform Free
As I have noticed that it only allows you to bring in samples and loops in mp3 format.
And similarly, it on supports 64-bit plugins, but both limitations in my opinion are not the deal breakers. because what you are getting in Tracktion Waveform free is a fully functional DAW that is equivalent to its paid counterpart. And like paid version free version is also available for Windows Mac & Linux.
Watch Tracktion Waveform Tutorial
Cakewalk By Bandlab
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It has many cool features like a cool pro channel strip with every track, you can load different effects like saturation reverb distortion, and others on it and save them you can use this strip that you have saved to the other tracks of the same project. this feature allows you to save a lot of your time.
Cakewalk also comes with some great instruments plugins like Guitar AMP sim that is called TH3 a base guitar plugin and it also has a good drum kit plugin, the samples and shot that cakewalk drum has, are initially very dry sounding but you can give them a cool vibe by using distortion saturation and reverb effects.
If you are a beginner in music production you may feel its interface is a little overwhelming and a lot of features coming in from every section you open but soon you become known to it, then it will not remain an issue.
You may also feel its layout is a little bit old-fashioned but when you become used to it this will not also remain an issue.
The cakewalk registration process is also a kind of boring for me, I have downloaded it and installed Cakewalk but it was not activated, and for making it activated and start in functions you will need to get the registration code file, for that, you have to install Bandlab assistant you easily get it installed on your computer but it will not appear properly if you do not have a computer monitor with FullHD resolution, I change my display mode from landscape to portrait mode to run Bandlab assistant then download the registration code file, and installed to Cakewalk but once you activated the DAW you do not need Bandlab assistant again and again and you get the great and free piece of software for making music. It is Windows only digital audio workstation and is currently not available for Mac & Linux. It is also a fully functional music production software and one of the best free DAWs.
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Limitations And Issues With Cakewalk
You will feel that its user interface and layout are a little bit old-fashioned, and on the other hand, it is a a kind of overwhelming especially for beginners, but once you become used to it this will not remain a big issue.
It is Windows-only DAW.
When you download and install Cakewalk, it will not be an activated copy, you have to install BandLab Assistant for activating Cakewalk.
At least I have faced the issue although BandLab Assistant has opened on my system but because I have a computer monitor with 720p resolution so start button of BandLab become hidden under the taskbar, so I have converted my display to portrait mode to open BandLab Assistant and then activated my Cakewalk.
despite this little, when you install and activate Cakewalk, you get a premium-level DAW for free.
Watch CakeWalk Tutorial
Sound Bridge
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It is a free DAW but it made me confused in the beginning because when you do a Google search for SoundBridge you will find that it is mentioned as the best free DAW but when you open its webpage they ask for a donation to unlock it, and after installation, you also get the message for donation each time you open the software, but it does not make any kind of limitation or restriction in its usage, You can use it fully unlocked and function.
Soundbridge is available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions for Windows and Mac. It also has some great effects and instruments plugins included especially I like its great sound and sleek drum kit, as well as you can also bring in all kinds of 3rd party plugins for effects and instruments but I think it only supports 32-bit plugins you can check 64 bit for your verification and usage.
another thing I have noticed is that after installation when you logged in and skip the donation dialog you will realize that you become stuck in the middle and know where to go also its learning curve is a little bit longer than other software DAWs here in the list, but on the other hand, it has nearly all features that any paid DAW has so I suggest you give Soundbridge a try I think there are huge chances that it will become your main DAW. Due to its capabilities, I have included it in my list of best free DAWs that are available for Windows & Mac.
Limitations And Issues On SoundBridge
Although it is a sleek and Modren-looking DAW when you open it for the first time you will become confused that where to go and the other thing is that it is a difficult and little bit longer period to learn, but once you become used to it it will not remain an issue.
I have also noticed that SoundBridge only supports 32-bit plugins. I love its drum plugin.
Another annoying thing I have noticed is that whenever you will open it you will get a donation message every time to remove the message you have to pay the donation. you can but you can use it completely unlocked without paying the donation and the message will not distribute to you once you skip it for the whole session. I think it is ok because only for showing the donation message they are giving you a great DAW for free.
Watch Sound Bridge Tutorial
Reaper
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It has a large range of effects included in it but reaper does not have any instruments included. but you can use 3rd party instruments and effects plugins whenever you want so it is not a big deal.
Reaper's workflow is not the fastest among the other best free DAWs but on the other hand, it is not the worst with the competition, you can also do customizations according to your needs.
but the actual thing is you get the fully unlocked DAW. with no tracks limitation, no watermarks no 3rd party effects instruments, and samples restrictions that make it a great DAW for working with. Due to its functionalities, I have included it in my list of best free Music production software applications for Windows & Mac OS X but it is not available for Linux yet.
Limitations And Issues With Reaper
Technically it is not free but they provide you a fully unlocked demo that you can keep on using after the trial period will expire.
It comes with effects plugins but no instruments included but you can add your instruments at any time.
Workflow is not the fastest but not terrible at the same time. I think you should give it a try.
Watch Reaper Tutorial
PreSonus Studio One Prime
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It allows you to add as many tracks as you want and as well as it includes a lot of incredible effects plugins like Empire Guitar Amp, and PreSonus Sample Player Instrument that have a lot of samples in it, actually you get everything from recording to Mixing tracks in it.
One big limitation you may feel is you cannot bring third-party instruments & effects plugins into it.
But on the other hand Studio, One Prime like Studio One Professional has a very quick and fast workflow that is also very easy to use and understand. You can easily do anything you want without too much clicking here and there, as well as you do not need to switch between different screens for doing anything, which makes your workflow much easier and short in time this makes you focus just on your music production and helps you to think more incredible musical ideas. I think PreSonus Studio One is all about this the music making with ease. And because of its quick workflow and other features, I have included it in my list of best free music production software applications. It is available for Windows and Mac but not yet available for Linux.
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Limitations & Issues In PreSonus Studio One Prime
The only limitation I have noticed is that you can not bring in 3rd party plugins, however, it comes with its own set of VST plugins and these plugins do their job well. and with this limitation, you can enjoy a premium quality DAW for free which is known for its fast workflow.
Free DAWs I Have Not Included In My List Here
Here are some Free DAWs I have found them everywhere in blog posts and YouTube videos during my research these Free DAWs deserve to be listed in Best Free DAWs, but due to some reasons I have not listed them in my list of best free DAWs and I have mentioned these reasons in front of their names here.
Pro Tools First, No doubt it was a great tool but no longer available and discontinued.
Ohm Studio, Its website is not working you can download from other sources, but when you try to open it you get a login box and when you try to log in it redirects you to their official website that is not working at least I was become failed to get it started.
Ableton Live Lite, This is a good DAW but it only comes with bundles, when you purchase a hardware device like a Midi keyboard, you will get it on CD in the package with a Serial number, although you can download it from the internet you can not get its Serial key from the internet officially.
Magix Music Maker Free, Although it is a great software and pretty easy to use but it has 16 tracks limitation, and the other thing is you can not sell and monetize the music you have created using magic music maker free you have to buy a paid version of it for this purpose.
Star Gate DAW, this is very much similar to LMMS but it has some limitations like you can not add 3rd party instruments and effects VST plugins, limitations and well as you can not bring in 3rd party samples and loops for making music, that is why I have not included it in my list.
Akai MPC Beats is good for beat making but only focused on beat making it also has tracks limitation as well as you are not allowed to add 3rd party plugins and not allowed to bring in your samples & loops.
Serato Studio, Similar to Akai MPC bests, is also focused on beat making. You can make beats and do DJ edits on Serato Studio. It has the best samples step sequencer drum and other plugins in it but it comes with some limitations also you can not add more than one track four decks and 4 scenes to it in the free version, these are quite a few in my opinion that is why I have not included it in my list.
Note: Actually, I am not putting restrictions on you for using these software applications, I am just not suggesting you, because many of them are not working anymore or are made for some special occasions, and others are just focused on one thing with a lot of limitations, but you are free to try them they might work well for you.
Conclusion
There is no single best or worst DAW in music production, all developers have to try to bring a better platform for you to help you to create your music easily, do not listen to others what are saying, try yourself, and if you feel comfortable with any software to keep it and transform your thinking into music. I have provided you my list of best free music production programs for Windows Mac & Linux, as well as I, have given another short-list of the music production programs that I am not suggesting at the moment, now it is at you which music production software you do choose for your music production.