# REAPER Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is REAPER the right Audio Editing solution for you? Explore 60 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/214602/Reaper/reviews --- REAPER 4.8 (60) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/214602/Reaper/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of REAPER Ease of use 4.3 Customer Service 4.3 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews TC Tyler C Project LeadDesign, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: Less than 6 months. “Reaper is loaded with features and is highly modular with 3rd party integrations for the most part being painless“ November 22, 2025 Gordon S MusicianEntertainment, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Basically, they are not compatible. If my system starts to back up whilst i reaper, (which it does frequently when recording) Reaper crashes.“ December 10, 2025 Gordon S MusicianEntertainment, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The community around reaper makes it easy to find help and also give your opinions and help if its requested.“ December 10, 2025 Isaac A IT SpecialistConstruction, 501 - 1,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The main challenge I encounter with Reaper is that the piano roll can easily become cluttered when working with complex Midi tracks.“ December 15, 2022 AM Adam M ComposerMusic, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It does everything I need to for my music recording sessions and even video editing!“ October 3, 2023 Jeremy D OwnerMedia Production, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “REAPER's interface can be very intimidating, with extremely small, hard-to-read fonts, and no included instruments or sounds.“ December 20, 2022 Isaac A IT SpecialistConstruction, 501 - 1,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “This synth offers a number of different parameters that I am able to adjust and create quite unique sounds, control oscillator waveform, filter and envelope settings.“ December 15, 2022 Délcio R Video and sound producerMusic, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I don't have a thing to complain yet. But sometimes it just has some bugs. But maybe this is a problem with my computer memory.“ December 1, 2022 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 60 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Gordon S. Musician Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Not a grim Reaper by any means" December 10, 2025 5.0 I love it. I was a CuBase user for many years and started using Rewaper after about 12 years. I am sticking wiith it. For ny one interested its very cheap compared to the others. Pros Very Easy to set up compared to other DAWS, very intuative, and is updated very frequently. The quakity of the output is great. The community around reaper makes it easy to find help and also give your opinions and help if its requested. Cons This isn;'t really an issue with reaper but its compatibity with my cloud back up software/system. Basically, they are not compatible. If my system starts to back up whilst i reaper, (which it does frequently when recording) Reaper crashes. I have to set the auto save to do its thing every 3 minutes to sto ensure I don't loose my work. Alternative,y I switch of the clod system when I record longer sessions. Switched from [Cubase](https://www.capterra.com/p/214601/Cubase/) Reaper is much easier to use, just as good qualitywise but is updated so uch more frequently and is much much cheaper Review Source TC Tyler C. Project Lead Design Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Don’t Fear the Reaper " November 22, 2025 5.0 I’d recommend it to others and id certainly use it again. One of the most feature-loaded DAW software kits I’ve tried. Pros Reaper is loaded with features and is highly modular with 3rd party integrations for the most part being painless Cons The UI was a bit confusing at first, but there was plenty of online material to guide once I started looking. Alternatives considered [Adobe Audition](https://www.capterra.com/p/214606/Adobe-Audition/) Reason for choosing REAPER More bang for my buck, and easier to use overall Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Life coach / Shaman Professional Training & Coaching Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Reaper of wallet" November 25, 2021 4.0 May if monthly low cost fee I MAY not mind using. Or even a whole selection of overall understanding feature breakdown wouldn't been too bad. I liked certain features, but it was too confusing what and how to use. Pros I enjoy the hovering over the setting and education of what it would do. As well the sound quality captured is good. Cons It surprised me when the app inform me that I would be charged within the 3rd time using it. I hate how money hungry it seem. As well there was no outline to study what or how to use anything. Switched from [GoldWave](https://www.capterra.com/p/234816/GoldWave/) Looking for a good programming that can help fully explain what and how. As well not losing wasted work. Review Source DM David M. Chair, Admin Team Religious Institutions Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Reaper is the best DAW at any price" August 31, 2024 5.0 I love it. It's made it possible to record at home with a minimal investment. Pros Price and feature set; learning curve; community Cons The frequency of updates is a little concerning. I'd rather see fewer and more significant updates. Switched from [Logic Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/214597/Logic-Pro/) Price point, flexibility, moved from Apple to PC Review Source KS Kevin S. Producer Music Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Better Than Protools!" February 3, 2024 5.0 It does everything I need it to do as a professional producer. Pros It’s not a RAM or resource hog, like Protools. Cons I wish the keyboard commands were easier to program. Switched from [Pro Tools](https://www.capterra.com/p/214607/Pro-Tools/) Protools has employed annual fees. It also has insane system requirements. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Aid Worker Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "best workhorse with unlimited possibilities " May 26, 2022 4.0 open to unlimited possibilities and customer centric. Pros I was a bit hesitant to try out or even think that i could switch to using Reaper as my main DAW. I think i lean more towards mainstream softwares if there is anything like that. Just like many DAW users, the frustrations of freezes and crashes compelled me to look for alternatives. I am indebted to my friend who recommended Reaper. Firstly, Over the years, I have accumulated a lot of 32 bits ‘legacy plugins’ which have given a unique identity to my work. Unfortunately, they could not integrate them well with most DAWs. No problem at all with Reaper. Secondly, I had enough trial period with Reaper both for getting comfortable with it and proving the much hype about it. This thing rarely crashed. I finally decided to buy it at only $60. Lastly, expect updates and more updates. They never stop coming. I am very at home with Reaper. Cons It is both the good and the bad. I generally like sort of a mainstream platform without a lot overboard customization. However, i like the ability to customize actions in Reaper. The learning curve can be steep but well worth it. Switched from [Cubase](https://www.capterra.com/p/214601/Cubase/) Reaper is very stable and flexible to work with. Review Source AM Adam M. Composer Music Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Absolutely Fantastic DAW for Musicians" October 3, 2023 5.0 It's incredible and versatile. It does everything I need to for my music recording sessions and even video editing! Pros It does absolutely everything any other DAW boasts about through the community-driven plugins and scripts. It's a little tricky to get into at first, but with the wealth of tutorials online, it's easy to learn and begin producing music. Cons The steep learning curve is a lot to take in at first, but honestly, the available resources online make learning a breeze if you're willing to put in the time and effort to learn the program. Switched from [Cubase](https://www.capterra.com/p/214601/Cubase/) Cubase is incredibly expensive and doesn't offer any special features that Reaper doesn't. Reaper is affordable and easy to install. Review Source AM Andy M. Business Owner Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Stability is Reaper's Greatest Asset Compared to Leading Competitors." September 12, 2021 5.0 I would not jump from this music software package to anything else now having seen how far I can reach musically now because I have learned the shortcuts to make music. Pros Reaper's stability is undoubtebly one of it's strongest features compared to other leading competitors. Never in 2 years has it ever crashed! Even the load time and resources used barely affects my RAM. Cons To get the best out of Reaper, follow Reaper's video tutorials on Youtube. You will save your self hundreds of hours of setting up and learning all of the features. I didn't do this and learned the hard way. Alternatives considered [Cubase](https://www.capterra.com/p/214601/Cubase/) Reason for choosing REAPER Reaper's price is totally unbeatable - But well worth the purchase. Support the guys and pay the small amount for the full version, it's totally worth it! Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Fulfilment director Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Reaper offers great flexibility at an incredible price point" June 3, 2021 5.0 Reaper has opened up several workflow improvements and allows better collaboration with other reaper users. VST support is strong and the stability under load improves productivity. Pros Very lightweight, bloat free yet fully featured DAW software that installs and loads really quickly. The sheer flexibility and customisation available is almost overwhelming but offers a tailormade solution for most users. It runs well and seems incredibly stable. Cons Initial options for customisation can appear a little overwhelming and a new, different workflow layout can cause several head scratching moments. The user community is very passionate, knowledgeable and helpful and are happy to guide through the initial acclimatisation process. Switched from [ACID Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/229986/ACID-Pro/) We got fed up with program instability and lack of apparent product development. Review Source Brett C. Producer Music Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Reaper Rocks!" August 21, 2025 5.0 Been using for many years for recording, mixing and mastering. Recently discovered the remote control feature, which comes in real handy when recording from behind the drum kit. Pros Complete audio workhorse. Low CPU impact, customisable, community, detailed. The licence cost is low. Love the remote control option too. Cons Nothing, it is awesome. I can't fault this music making software, it has everything needed for Pro recording mixing and mastering. Review Source JJ Jerson J. Music producer Media Production Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "reaper is one of the best music editing programs available today." January 4, 2023 5.0 thanks to reaper i have grown but as a producer my productions are well accepted by the listeners and artists who frequent my producer note 10. Pros the program has good voice capture good quality effects and I practice super agile and I recommend it to all music producers. Cons Until today, I don't have any criticism because I use it normally and it has made it easier for me in my production work. I love Reaper. Review Source AS Abhijit S. Independent Industrial Design, Design Engineering & CGI Contractor Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The Linux of DAWs" October 1, 2022 5.0 My experience has been overwhelmingly positive with Reaper. There is no going back. Pros Reaper is a beast, in the hands of a poweruser, this software can be very powerful. Reaper is a no compromise DAW that is like a clean slate allowing you to configure the DAW to personal workflows and at the same time giving an insane amount of options and settings to achieve anything imaginable. Cons The learning curve can be a little steep because of the complexity and the depth of the software. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Músico Music Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Calidad superior a un precio imbatible" December 26, 2022 5.0 Pros Es un software que no tiene NADA que envidiar a los más famosos, con mayor customización, fallos casi inexistentes y una gran atención de los desarrolladores, con parches muy a menudo.Todo ello por una fracción ínfima de lo que cuesta cualquier otro DAW. Cons Podría incluir algunos templates de los que partir para configurar la apriencia. Review Source FM Federico M. Studente Music Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Il software dalle prime armi per la musica e la registrazione" October 2, 2023 5.0 Pros Ho cominciato ad utilizzare questo software circa 5 o 6 anni fa, per la registrazione ed il mixaggio di alcuni pezzi e devo dire che mi sono trovato veramente bene non avendo nessuna esperienza per quanto riguarda l'ambito della musica elettronica, il software si presta molto bene nel senso che è molto facile da utilizzare, quindi lo Consiglio vivamente a tutti quelli che si stanno avvicinando al mondo della musica elettronica Cons Nel complesso non c'è molto da segnalare, anche perché è un software fatto molto bene, e nel mio caso diciamo che ho imparato subito a padroneggiarlo, quindi non ho molto da segnalare Review Source FJ Fahmy J. Marketing Automotive Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Best Daw in the world for Beginner " April 22, 2022 4.0 Overall i like this daw so much, i used it everyday, it easy to install and use, user friendly. It help me a lot as a beginner, thanks reaper. !!! Pros Overall i like all the features in reaper, i swear to god this apps is very easy to use Cons The online support is not good as the other features Switched from [Studio One](https://www.capterra.com/p/214600/Studio-One/) Not easy to understand how to used this app Review Source JH Julian H. UX Consultant Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A great, reasonably priced DAW with a generous 30-day free trial" March 1, 2023 5.0 Pros A great, reasonably priced DAW with a generous 30-day free trial. Solves all your audio recording, editing, and mixing needs. Cons Plugin integration is sometimes difficult, though this gets easier with use. Review Source Raul G. Asesor Higher Education Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Mi opinión sobre REAPER" August 13, 2023 5.0 Es bueno el programa y tiene todas las funcionalidades que se requieren para grabar y procesar música con calidad. En fin, es una buena opción. Pros Tiene una agradable interfaz, es fácil de usar y está disponible gratis lo cual lo hace una gran opción. Cons En el área de edición de audio no es tan efectivo como podría ser lo cual denota que este no es su fuerte. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Assembler Biotechnology Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Reap the benefits of REAPER" March 6, 2021 5.0 I'm still getting used to REAPER. The program offers such deep ability for configuration that I find myself forcing my attention to the few basic features I need to mix my audio. It's an amazing program for an extremely low price. I plan to spend more time with it and eventually make it my primary audio workstation. Pros I like that a personal use license for this digital audio powerhouse is only $60. REAPER is ultra-flexible, allowing a myriad of configuration and user interface customization options. You can download skins that will make REAPER look like Logic Pro, Cubase, Pro Tools, and other DAW's. I really like that REAPER reads all of my VST plugins, as some DAW's (Digital Audio Workstations) don't load VST3 plugins, or plugins by certain manufacturers. Cons I don't like the default color scheme of REAPER, but with a wide variety of downloadable skins in the internet, a user doesn't have to settle for REAPER's default appearance. Review Source MM Manase M. Music producer Music Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Best Multitrack DAW for MIDI recording. " March 9, 2021 5.0 I do most of my HD midi oriented sound creation in this software. Pros The easy layout and use and compatibility with most MiDi controllers. Weather YAMAHA, M-AUDIO or AKAI it still rocks fine. Cons The graphics in the layout display are not that amazing. Review Source YY Young Y. Artist Music Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great for beginners" October 28, 2021 5.0 Ive been using it for around 3 years for making music, never disappointed me. Pros Its really simple to use, perfect for beginner artists, many options Cons For its price definetely nothing to complain about Review Source Délcio R. Video and sound producer Music Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Reaper is a professional sound production tool for everyone. I recommend it." December 1, 2022 5.0 My experience has been the greatest. I finally found a professional and easy software to produce, mix and master my sounds, and increase my costumers in my studio. Thanks. Pros One of the great features, is the easy and intuitive interface, and professional commands to manage sound. Great mixing and much more features. This software changed my life, and my costumers are very happy with the results. Thanks to the developers. Cons I don't have a thing to complain yet. But sometimes it just has some bugs. But maybe this is a problem with my computer memory. Beside this, I love it. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer IT Specialist Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful tool for audio manipulation and third party integration." December 15, 2022 4.0 Reaper is a great software though took a lot of investment in time to learn it. The piano roll can be a powerful tool for editing and arranging midi tracks but can represent some challenges. It allows third party integration and automation in Reaper is perfect! Pros One of the standout features of Reaper is its ability to integrate with third-party software and hardware. This includes support for VST plugins, which allow users to add a wide range of virtual of virtual instruments and audio effects to tracks. In itself, Reaper comes with a built-in virtual instrument ReaSynth. Although it is a basic synthesizer, I have been able to use to create a wide range of sounds. This synth offers a number of different parameters that I am able to adjust and create quite unique sounds, control oscillator waveform, filter and envelope settings. Therefore on the side of in built and integrated virtual instruments, Reaper covers all grounds to allow any user to expand capabilities within it. When it comes to audio manipulation, the program allows auto adjustment of volume and panning tracks and ability to align audio clips to a specific grid. Additionally, users can control how the program handles changes to the audio over time like choosing to have the automation changes to be applied smoothly etc. Cons The main challenge I encounter with Reaper is that the piano roll can easily become cluttered when working with complex Midi tracks. This can make it difficult to see and edit individual notes especially when there are a large number of notes in a track. Additionally, the piano roll can be difficult to use for editing the timing of individual notes. This is because the piano roll only shows the pitch of each note, not the pricise timing. Switched from [Acoustica](https://www.capterra.com/p/214610/Acoustica/) Versatile DAW Review Source Jeremy D. Owner Media Production Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A DAW That Challenges Standards" December 20, 2022 5.0 I had to learn REAPER for a gaming audio job, and it was very tough to get used to coming from Pro Tools, Cubase, et al., compared to other DAWs. The right-click mouse selection was particularly painful: no other DAW works like this, and it's hard to see what the benefit of this is. I often would summon a right-click menu instead of a selection and you still use the standard left-click selection for most things, causing more confusion. Despite REAPER's customizability, I could never change this to work like other DAWs. But that being said, REAPER is incredibly fast, light, and reliable. Once I dug into Actions, I immediately missed it on other DAWs. But ultimately, REAPER is a bit too much of an odd duck for me. But I would happily recommend it as a fully professional DAW. Pros REAPER is almost limitless in scope: virtually everything about the app can be customized, with powerful actions (macros) and scripts that can automate complex tasks. The small footprint and low price explains why it has such a large, loyal user base, and the powerful batch tools show why REAPER has wide adoption in the gaming industry. REAPER is definitely a contender for the "best DAW". Cons REAPER's interface can be very intimidating, with extremely small, hard-to-read fonts, and no included instruments or sounds. Furthermore, there are some very counterintuitive functions, like using right-click to select audio clips (trying to change this in Preferences is a real headache that I could never resolve) that will cause headaches for new users. Experienced users will also come across features they need that are missing, with feature requests dating back years. Alternatives considered [Logic Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/214597/Logic-Pro/) Review Source Cristhian Josue J. CEO Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Reaper, when the community makes a daw great." August 28, 2021 5.0 Pros Reaper is the daw you always wanted if you are looking for a great community that will welcome you with open arms, in my opinion, the ability of the developers of this daw to listen to the community is undoubtedly the best of this software. despite its visual ineffectiveness, reaper is the right alternative for Linux users, because this daw bets for simplicity and compatibility with any operating system, leaving aside more visual or unnecessary aspects. Cons Reaper can look intimidating, it looks like software from the '00s rather than a current daw, usually, people who want to give a chance to this daw are novices in the field of music production, so they might be overwhelmed by many aspects of this daw, either the poor quality in the visual aspect, the unpopularity of this daw in the mainstream or simply the prejudices that each person may have. Review Source Simon M. Producer Media Production Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The go-to DAW for anyone starting out - even if you have no budget!" April 5, 2022 5.0 After having used REAPER for over a decade, I can proudly say that it was the best investment I've made in terms of time and money. Starting out with a shoestring budget right out of college, REAPER was the only piece of audio production software I could afford. 14+ years later, it still delivers beyond any other DAW I've used before. For anyone starting out reading this, please go ahead with closed eyes. The software is strong and the community is stronger. There is absolutely no place for regrets! Pros The relatively inexpensive start up costs is what helped with choosing REAPER. The wide array of included plugins, with industry leading levels of customization - this is why REAPER is one of the best in the industry. To top it all off, the ease of setup and use, regardless of the use case, is what makes this the best software out there. From recording to mixing to mastering, every step of the process can be easily accomplished with REAPER - no third party needed. Cons To be honest, REAPER is a little too perfect thanks to its constant update cycle and bug fixes. Add to it a robust community that develops and supports each other, there's nothing left to be desired. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [Audio Editing](https://www.capterra.com/audio-editing-software/)