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Table of contents:
Key takeaways:
- Audio recording software ranges from simple, AI-powered editors to complex digital audio workstations (DAWs).
- To choose the best software, consider factors such as resolution, audio formats, multi-track recording, and editing features.
- The right choice depends on your primary use case: podcasting, music production, voiceovers, or simple editing.
- For podcasters and video creators, an all-in-one platform like Riverside can streamline your workflow from recording to post-production.
High-quality audio starts with your audio recording software, but picking the right one can feel overwhelming.
In my 10+ years as a podcaster, I’ve tried many different audio recording software. Here are 8 of the best options, with picks for every skill level and budget.
What to consider when choosing audio recording software
Before diving into the options, it helps to know what you’re looking for. To keep things simple, let’s start by clarifying what features to consider:
Audio formats and quality
For professional uses like podcasting, you should record in an uncompressed format like WAV. It captures the full fidelity of your audio, with no data loss. Look for software that supports 16-bit depth and 48kHz sample rate recording to ensure pristine, studio-quality sound.
If you're just capturing a quick interview for market research or brainstorming, a compressed format like MP3 (at 44.1kHz) might be good enough. You’ll sacrifice some audio detail, but it takes up less space and is easier to share.
You can learn more about audio formats in our lossy vs lossless audio formats guide.
Audio cleaning
Whether it’s background noise, echo, pauses and silences, or other audio imperfections, almost every recording needs some cleanup. Basic tools let you manually adjust gain, EQ, and remove noise. The best audio recorders (like Riverside!) use AI to automate these tasks, saving you hours in post-production.
Record multiple channels
If you’re recording multiple audio sources at once, like a podcast with guests, or a song with instruments, multitrack recording is a must. Each audio source is captured on a separate track, giving you complete control during editing.
Editing features
Some recording software includes editing features to streamline your workflow. This can include tools for adding sound effects, trimming, and merging files. They can also help clean up your audio.
With traditional timeline editors, this can be a very time-consuming process. Modern platforms speed things up with text-based editing, and AI-powered tools.
8 Best free and paid audio recording software and DAWs
SWant to read more about the best audio recording software? Here’s a more detailed breakdown of my top picks.
Riverside
Price: Free plan available, paid plans from $15/month
Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Rating: 5/5 (G2)
Best for: Studio-quality audio, remote recording and fast AI editing.
Riverside is your best bet if you’re looking for affordable but professional-quality audio recording software. You get high resolution with uncompressed audio in up to 48kHz. (You can also record video in 4K).
If you’re recording remotely, local recording ensures your internet connection won’t affect recording quality. You’ll also get separate tracks for each participant, making it easier to cut crosstalk.
The built-in editor works with separate tracks too. With text-based editing, you edit using your transcript. Any changes you make automatically show up in your recording. Also, cut filler content, remove background noise, set the pace, and more all in a few clicks with AI.
And if you really want to perfect your audio, you can try the automatic audio enhancement or try an EQ filter.
Key features:
- Local recording: All files are captured directly on your device for great sound quality regardless of your internet connection.
- High-quality sound: Record in up to 48kHz sample rate/16-bit audio resolution and export uncompressed WAV audio files.
- Separate audio (and video) tracks: Save each participant’s recording as a separate track for easier editing.
- Media board: Insert podcast intros, outros, music, and more while recording to cut down on editing time.
- Magic Audio: One click and every recording will sound like it was made in a professional studio, regardless of your microphone or environment.
- AI Voice: Use text-to-speech functionality to generate audio that sounds just like you thanks to an algorithm trained to replicate your voice.
- Multiple remote participants: Record with up to 9 co-hosts and guests.
“I love how Riverside makes me feel like I’m in the room with my guests, even when we’re across time zones, sipping tea from different corners of the world. Riverside gives me clean, reliable audio + video that lets me stay in the moment instead of babysitting tech. The platform feels like it’s built for storytellers, those of us who need both substance and style.”
Debbie-jean Lemonte – Host of “A Cup of Honest Tea” podcast
Audacity
Price: Free
Compatibility: MacOS, Windows, and Linux
Rating: 4.5/5 (G2)
Best for: Free audio recording and editing.
Audacity is a free, open-source audio recording program. It’s versatile enough to let content creators of all skill levels capture and edit professional audio.
This recording software lacks some of the advanced features of other digital audio workstations, and it doesn’t include any form of automation. But, while everything has to be done manually, it’s still a good starting point since it’s reliable and free.
Audacity’s interface looks dated, and the learning curve can be steep. But under the hood, it’s powerful, with robust editing tools and features you won’t find in some newer apps.
Key features:
- Batch and multitrack processing: Record multiple voices or instruments.
- Open-source software: Free to use and regularly updated, with a large library of third-party plugins.
- Easy audio arranging: Import, mix, and combine audio tracks easily.
- Multiple file formats: WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP2, MP3, and Ogg Vorbis files will meet most needs.
- High-quality sound options: Record in 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit audio.
- Spectrogram view: Can visualize frequencies for detailed audio analysis.
“Having worked with industry-standard software, I appreciate Audacity's straightforward approach to audio editing. However, it lacks some advanced features found in high-end professional suites.”
Hans A. — Research and Development Editor
Adobe Audition
Price: $22.99/mo, free trial available
Compatibility: MacOS and Windows
Rating: 4.4/5 (G2)
Best for: Professional audio restoration and post-production.
With advanced sound removal, noise reduction, and audio leveling tools, Adobe Audition offers you full control of your audio.
It requires a bit of a learning curve, but offers you a versatile interface with two different modes. You can edit on a typical multitrack timeline, or you can use the waveform and spectral displays. The waveform view shows your audio peaks and is best for working on amplitude., The spectral display looks at frequency and is ideal for identifying and removing noise.
It’s also worth noting that since Audition is part of the Adobe suite, you can use it for editing audio from Premiere Pro and other Adobe software. This makes it a good choice for editing video audio.
The drawback with Audition is its cost and ease of use. While it’s got a relatively intuitive interface, its huge selection of features may overwhelm beginners. It’s a better choice for professionals or someone who already has some editing experience.
Key features:
- Variety of effects: From sound removal to pop elimination and pitch shifting, there’s a huge choice of audio effects.
- Advanced audio restoration: Audition’s restoration tools are second to none and allow you to surgically remove unwanted sounds without damaging the original audio.
- Adaptive noise reduction: This removes constant background noise throughout an audio clip.
- Customizable workspace: Choose what panels you want on display to create a workspace that suits your needs.
- Integration with Premiere Pro: Send audio from your Premiere Pro timeline directly to Audition for more advanced editing and mixing than Premiere Pro can provide.
“I like the road, unified suite across photo, video, design, and web with tight ecosystem handoffs between other Adobe apps. I don’t like how pricing keeps trending up, and the renaming to Creative Cloud Pro adds complexity while pushing the higher tier for full AI access.”
Luca P. — CTO and Growth Marketer full stack
GarageBand
Price: Free
Compatibility: MacOS
Rating: 4.3/5 (G2)
Best for: Free music creation on Mac
GarageBand is a free app that lets you record audio on iPhone, iPad, and Apple computers. Overall, it’s one of the best free audio recording software for Mac users who are beginners to recording. I see it as a direct stepping stone to Apple's professional-grade DAW, Logic Pro.
It’s easy to use, and the tool makes it simple to create music with or without an instrument. You can even use the Drummer feature to enable a professional-level backing rhythm in a variety of styles.
GarageBand was designed for musicians, which explains why it comes with many virtual instruments like guitars, pianos, and keyboards. But the software also offers a lot of customizability. Users can create separate tracks for intros and outros, advertisements, music, and even voiceovers.
Key features:
- Third-party plug-in support: Option to purchase apps for additional instruments, effects, or editing features.
- Easy to use: Streamlined interface makes the tool a breeze to learn and use.
- Social sharing: Easily share clips to popular social media platforms.
- Visual EQ: 8 color-coded bands arranged from treble to bass make equalization easy and precise.
- Complete sound library: Comes with a massive collection of royalty-free loops and built-in virtual instruments, including synths, keyboards, and orchestral sounds.
“The thing I like the most about Garageband are the integrated synths, the sounds are really top notch and it doesn't feel like a free software.”
NerdyPunk L. – Verified User, G2
Reaper
Price: 60-day free trial; one-time purchase is $60 for individuals, $225 for a commercial license
Compatibility: MacOS, Window, Linux
Rating: 4.5/5 (G2)
Best for: Budget-friendly, highly customizable audio editing.
Reaper is a professional-level software that provides a lot of bang for your buck. But it isn’t for beginners. You’ll need a bit of experience if you plan to use it as your primary audio recording software.
The interface isn't intuitive, and those new to using digital audio workstations (DAWs) might feel overwhelmed by all the advanced features. But if you know what you’re doing, Reaper offers plenty of granular editing capabilities and incredible customizability.
Overall, it's a powerful tool for multi-channel audio recording, mixing, and mastering with a surprisingly lightweight performance.
Key features:
- Full automation capabilities: Automate your mixer and device controls.
- Totally customizable user interface: Easy to set and save your user settings.
- Multiple recording inputs: Record and overdub audio and MIDI.
- Dozens of audio formats: Supports WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC, and more.
- Non-destructive editing: Apply effects and make edits without permanently changing your original audio files.
- Generous licensing model: You can try it with a fully functional 60-day trial then purchase a lifetime license for just $60.
“Every action within the software can be mapped to a keystroke. You can customize your screen to include these actions as buttons so that you don't have to reach for your keyboard or go layers deep in your menus. The main weakness that Reaper has is that it doesn't come with any virtual instruments and the sampler is pretty basic.”
Bryan M. – Marketing Strategist
Voice Record Pro
Price: Free (optional one-time $8.99 fee to remove ads)
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Rating: 4.7 (Google Play) and 3.9 (Apple App Store) out of 5
Best for: Mobile recording for capturing high-quality audio on the go.
If you’re looking for a mobile app to record audio on your iPhone or Android, Voice Record Pro is a great choice among voice recorder apps. The full-featured software is available for free, but you can also pay a small, one-time fee to remove ads from the bottom of the screen.
Voice Record Pro is best suited to recording high-quality voice memos and interviews. The customizable settings offer you a level of control typically found in desktop software. You can easily adjust reverb and echoes, split and merge your audio, and insert sound clips. All the basic editing features are also included.
Key features:
- High-quality recording: Record WAV files in up to 48 kHz.
- Add effects and filters: Adjust reverb, equalizers, and echoes.
- Silence detection: The tool doesn’t save silent audio, so you don’t have to worry about long pauses in interviews.
- Basic in-app editing: Do things like splitting, merging, and inserting sound clips.
- Multiple export options: Export formats include email, SMS, Google Drive, Dropbox, and YouTube.
- Comments: Easily add notes to recordings for later.
- Unlimited recording length: Record for as long as you need. The only limit is the available storage space on your device.
“This little app is hands down the best voice recorder I've ever known so I just had to say that. Fully customizable... It’s like Audacity with the many options of Reaper and the FX of Garageband.”
Sy9689 – App Store Reviewer
Sound Forge Audio Studio
Price: One-time purchase for $59.99
Compatibility: MacOS and Windows
Rating: 4.3/5 (G2)
Best for: Voice overs and detailed audio editing.
As a recorder, Sound Forge is known for its speed, precision, and very high-quality recording capabilities. It’s also a powerful tool for detailed audio editing, restoration, and mastering.
The best part is that Sound Forge Audio Studio is intuitive and easy to use. The instant record button gets things started easily, and settings are easy to adjust. When you’re done, you can easily cut, move, and edit audio with only a few clicks. Even those who are new to capturing and editing audio can use the software’s wizardFX suite to create a clean recording that sounds professional.
- Professional recording quality: Record and edit in ultra-high resolution audio up to 32-bit/384 kHz.
- Dedicated audio restoration tools: Includes a suite of tools for digitizing and restoring audio from old vinyl records or tapes by removing clicks, pops, and other unwanted noise.
- Undo/redo functionality: Experiment with edits without permanently altering the original file. A History panel tracks all changes in a session making reverting changes easy.
- VST plugin support: Can easily expand the software’s capabilities by adding third-party VST effects.
“It's very user friendly and comes with some good plug-ins like Spectralayers Pro and Melodyne, in addition to many standard EFX plug-ins. There seems to be a never-ending amount of upgrades they try to sell you several times a year, though.”
Verified User in Entertainment
Ableton Live
Price: Intro: $99; Standard: $439; Suite: $749
Compatibility: MacOS and Windows
Rating: 4.7/5 (G2)
Best for: Professional music production and live performance.
If you’re a musician, Ableton Live's advanced DAW is a great choice. The app was created for artists and musicians, and it provides advanced creative control of audio files.
The Session View lets you skip around on the timeline while composing or recording, giving you ample space for improvisation and creative experimentation. This non-linear approach means you can add clips as you see fit and edit without moving the cursor back to the beginning each time.
Combined with a powerful suite of built-in instruments and effects, Ableton Live is unmatched for both creating electronic music in the studio and performing it on stage. Beware though: it’s not so easy to fully master its functionalities, and the price for the full suite is very, very steep.
Key features:
- High-quality audio: Record in up to 192 kHz and 32-bit float. Audio is recorded locally in multiple tracks.
- Session view: Can launch and experiment with audio and MIDI clips in a non-linear grid.
- Over 5,000 sounds: Use virtual instruments and audio effects in your recording and even build your own custom ones.
- Advanced warping: Live’s time-stretching algorithms are legendary. You can easily change the tempo and timing of any audio clip without affecting its pitch, making it a powerful tool for remixing and working with samples.
- Powerful automation options: Almost all mixer and device controls can be automated, including stretching song tempo without affecting its pitch.
“It's not simple to make music. It takes effort, time, and knowledge. And Ableton live helps you in achieving the kind of music you want with its incredible interface and workflow. Beware, though: I have experienced glitches when global latency is kept too high.”
Shaktiraj G. – Search Engine Optimization Executive
FAQs on Audio Recording Software
What is audio recording software?
Audio recording software is a user interface that records sounds. These applications capture sound from a microphone or other input and save it as a digital file on your device. Many podcasters use recording software to capture their and their guests’ voices. You can also use audio recording software to import audio clips from other sources and mix and/or manipulate them to match your vision for your project
More advanced versions, known as digital audio workstation (DAW), also include comprehensive toolsets for editing, mixing, applying effects, and producing audio files.
How long can Audacity record?
Audacity has no built-in time limit. You can record for as long as you have available disk space on your computer. However, very long recordings (spanning many hours) can generate huge files that will eventually slow processing time to a crawl, especially on older computers.
Does audio recording software affect sound quality?
The type of recording software you choose absolutely determines the quality of your final product. It all comes down to how much data is gathered. The more information is captured by the recorder, the better the sound. If the tool compresses audio to save bandwidth when transferring data, some of that precious audio data is lost, resulting in a sound that’s not as crisp or clean.
That’s why when choosing your audio recording software, you should look for tools built for recording in uncompressed audio formats like WAV.
How do I make my sound clearer when recording audio?
Choosing the best audio recording software that captures uncompressed audio is just the first step. You should also follow these tips to improve the quality of your recording:
- Use a good microphone and position it correctly.
- Wear headphones.
- Use a pop filter.
- Soundproof your space.
- Record filler audio.
- Speak clearly.
- Limit echoes.
You can also read our full guide on how to record high-quality audio.
What do professionals use to record audio?
Professionals usually prefer DAWs with advanced customization options and editing tools, which is why Reaper and Adobe Audition are popular choices.
For remote interviews and podcasts, many professionals also turn to Riverside due to its flexibility, ease of use, and studio-quality audio.
What is the best software to record and edit audio?
If you’re looking for the all-around best choice, Riverside is a great option. It’s browser-based and easy to use for everyone, from beginners to seasoned pros. And, thanks to local multitrack recording and high-quality audio resolution, your output will always be studio-quality regardless of connection speed.
Riverside also offers plenty of editing tools, like text-based editing, background noise removal, speech cleaning, and AI audio enhancement. And it even generates an automatic transcript of your audio that lets you edit the recording by deleting text.
Ready to give Riverside a shot? Get started with a free account today.
What software is best for music recording?
For music recording, Ableton Live, Reaper, and GarageBand are all great choices, but the best one depends on your goals, budget, and experience.
Ableton Live is an industry leader for electronic music production and live performance. Its clip-based workflow and real-time effects make it a favorite for DJs and producers since it allows for unlimited creativity.
GarageBand is the best free choice for Mac users just getting started. The interface is simple and easy to use but it still features lots of solid virtual instruments.
Reaper is a powerful and affordable option for all genres, being both lightweight and incredibly customizable.
What is the best free audio software?
If you’re looking for a reliable audio software that doesn’t cost anything, there are a few options available:
While best known as a paid platform, Riverside also offers a free tier with high-quality audio and video recording. It’s a good option if you need remote recording features and fast and efficient AI editing.
Audacity is a popular choice since it’s open-source, powerful, and solid for both beginners and pros. However, the interface feels dated and everything must be done manually.
For Mac and iOS users, GarageBand is an incredible free option, especially for music creation. It’s a great starting point and one of the easiest ways to start recording.
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