# Audacity Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra > With the help of Capterra, learn about Audacity Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Audio Editing products and more. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/214605/Audacity --- # Audacity Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on June 3, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Users](#users)[Pros and Cons](#pros-cons)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Audacity ## What is Audacity? Audacity is an easy-to-use, open-source multi-track audio editor that is used to record and edit audio. ## What is Audacity used for? [Audio Editing](https://www.capterra.com/audio-editing-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 466 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 90% Neutral 8% Negative 2% Pros & cons Versatile audio editing toolkit Free, full-featured audio software Outdated and confusing interface Contact vendor for pricing Free trial not available Free version not included Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Audacity?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=https://www.audacityteam.org/&name=Audacity) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Audacity 4.5 (466) VS. [4.8 (232)](https://www.capterra.com/p/10004414/Riverside/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.3 (466) Ease Of Use 4.8 (152) Value For Money 4.8 (331) Value For Money 4.7 (131) Customer Service 4.1 (238) Customer Service 4.6 (104) ## Audacity alternatives [4.7 (86)](https://www.capterra.com/p/216442/ReMasterMedia/reviews/) Starting price $6.50 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Logic Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/214597/Logic-Pro/) [4.8 (152)](https://www.capterra.com/p/214597/Logic-Pro/reviews/) Starting price $199.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/214597/Logic-Pro/) [Adobe Audition](https://www.capterra.com/p/214606/Adobe-Audition/) [4.6 (245)](https://www.capterra.com/p/214606/Adobe-Audition/reviews/) Starting price $33.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 94% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/214606/Adobe-Audition/) [Adobe Premiere Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/) [4.7 (569)](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/reviews/) Starting price $20.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/233456/Adobe-Premiere-Pro/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/214605/Audacity/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Audacity Overview ### What problems does Audacity solve? Audacity solves fast, low-cost audio cleanup and editing problems, including background noise, rough cuts, timing fixes, format conversion, multitrack layering, and voice recording from one tool. Podcasters, teachers, marketers, YouTubers, voiceover artists, and musicians use it to produce demos, lessons, interviews, and video audio without expensive software or high-end hardware. Answer based on 414 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Audacity? Audacity is most used by freelancers, creators, and small business leaders who need affordable audio editing for podcasts, voiceovers, music, and marketing content. Producers, writers, designers, and photographers use it to clean recordings and export assets, while students, consultants, and pastors rely on it for learning, presentations, and sermon production. Answer based on 466 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is Audacity built for? Audacity is built primarily for small businesses, which make up 82% of reviewers, with its strongest industry presence in Information Technology and Services at 8%. It also serves Music at 7%, Entertainment at 6%, and some enterprise and midsize teams. The main use case is audio editing. Answer based on 466 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Audacity? Audacity includes core audio manipulation tools like audio editing, multitrack recording, and audio mixing. Common features include noise reduction, EQ and compression effects, clip cutting and timing adjustments, batch processing, and import/export in multiple audio formats. Plugin support and waveform or spectral views extend editing and analysis tasks. Answer based on 337 reviews Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does Audacity integrate with? Audacity integrates with 6 third-party tools mentioned by reviewers, most often alongside FL Studio for recording, mixing, mastering, and audio export workflows. It is also used with iMovie, AVS Video Editor, VSDC Video Editor, WellSaid, and Video Creator for video editing, voiceovers, and finishing audio tracks. Answer based on 60 reviews Getting Started and Support ### How easy is it to onboard and train a team on Audacity? Audacity is fairly easy to onboard for beginners handling basic audio edits, thanks to a simple interface and available video training. Reviewers say hobbyists, students, and first-time editors can get started quickly, while teams using advanced features or users without audio experience often need extra time, self-guided tutorials, and practice. Answer based on 106 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Audacity offer, and how do users rate the experience? Audacity offers email/help desk, an FAQ/forum, and a knowledge base. Users often describe support as community-led and generally useful for troubleshooting, with forums and documentation helping solve common issues. Some users report outdated help articles, a steeper learning curve for beginners, and slower, less consistent guidance for complex problems. Answer based on 17 reviews Features and Usability ### How good is Audacity for recording audio? Audacity works well for recording voiceovers, podcasts, audiobooks, and simple multitrack audio on desktop computers. Content creators, educators, and small studio users like the direct recording tools, noise reduction, and track controls, though remote recording, some advanced production needs, and occasional device reliability issues can limit more demanding workflows. Answer based on 116 reviews Features and Usability ### Is Audacity easy to use for beginners? Audacity feels approachable for basic audio editing, especially for recording, trimming, and exporting voice files. Beginners, students, and creators often learn core tasks quickly through the simple layout and shortcuts, but the plain interface, limited built-in guidance, and some less intuitive editing actions can make the first setup and deeper features harder to grasp. Answer based on 113 reviews ## Who uses Audacity? Based on Capterra reviews from the past 3 years Company size Based on 105 reviews 100% 75% 50% 25% Smallbusiness Midsizebusinesses Enterprise Top job functions Based on 105 reviews Creative & Design 25% Creative & Design 25% Administrative 12% Education & Learning 11% Marketing 9% Others 42% Top industries Based on 105 reviews Entertainment 25% Music 21% E-Learning 18% Marketing and Advertising 18% Other 18% ## Pros and Cons Versatile audio editing toolkit 93% positive reviews out of 256 Most reviewers describe audio editing as comprehensive, offering essential tools for recording, editing, and enhancing sound. Davide M Indie Game Developer, 1 employee. "Audacity has tons of featuers, including recording your audio files, generating sounds, tracks editor with many options to choose from and even the support for program extensions." Outdated and confusing interface 44% negative reviews out of 101 Some users comment user interface appears dated, cluttered, and challenging for beginners to navigate or customize. Rilwan B Product Designer, 11 - 50 employees. "The interface of the software feels a bit outdated and it can be hard to navigate sometimes, especially for a new user." Free, full-featured audio software 94% positive reviews out of 81 Most reviewers find pricing a major advantage, highlighting Audacity’s free access and extensive capabilities. Community-driven open source platform 93% positive reviews out of 27 Most reviewers appreciate open source status, valuing ongoing updates, cross-platform support, and collaborative improvements. ## Features Features with the highest number of reviews are displayed first. Those that have no reviews appear next, sorted alphabetically. Audio Editor 4.6 (266) 71.43% of 266 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important You get a versatile audio editor with tools for cutting, splicing, noise removal, effects, and multi-track editing. Users think editing is intuitive and powerful, supporting both beginners and advanced needs, though some note a learning curve for new users. Audio Mixing 4.4 (217) 65.44% of 217 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important It helps you mix multiple tracks, adjust levels, and add effects like reverb and fade. Reviewers appreciate the intuitive workflow, ease of combining audio, and flexibility for podcasts or music, but some say it’s less advanced than professional mixing software. Audio Capture 4.5 (205) 67.32% of 205 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Audacity offers you the ability to record from microphones, line inputs, and computer audio. Reviewers indicate it’s easy to set up, supports multiple devices, and delivers high-quality recordings, though some mention occasional noise or complexity with certain setups. Media Library 4.1 (135) 51.85% of 135 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Audacity gives you basic media management, letting you organize, save, and access audio files easily. Some reviewers say it’s helpful for storing and retrieving projects, but others feel the library is limited compared to other audio editors and lacks built-in samples. Data Import/Export 4.6 (126) 69.84% of 126 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important With this capability, you can quickly import and export audio in many formats like MP3, WAV, and OGG. Reviewers appreciate the broad compatibility, simple drag-and-drop, batch exporting, and that these options are available for free without paywalls. Instrument Management 4.0 (126) 50.00% of 126 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Store & track information about musical or laboratory instruments including their calibration history, certificates, images, and more Audacity 21 features Audacity offers you the ability to record from microphones, line inputs, and computer audio. Reviewers indicate it’s easy to set up, supports multiple devices, and delivers high-quality recordings, though some mention occasional noise or complexity with certain setups. You get a versatile audio editor with tools for cutting, splicing, noise removal, effects, and multi-track editing. Users think editing is intuitive and powerful, supporting both beginners and advanced needs, though some note a learning curve for new users. Edit audio tracks with effects, filters, modulation techniques, etc. It helps you mix multiple tracks, adjust levels, and add effects like reverb and fade. Reviewers appreciate the intuitive workflow, ease of combining audio, and flexibility for podcasts or music, but some say it’s less advanced than professional mixing software. Record and edit recorded audio and/or video Software's ability to perform similar action on multiple similar files simultaneously Configure existing workflows to meet your organization's needs Centralized repository to store content and assets With this capability, you can quickly import and export audio in many formats like MP3, WAV, and OGG. Reviewers appreciate the broad compatibility, simple drag-and-drop, batch exporting, and that these options are available for free without paywalls. Assemble applications and processes by dragging over and arranging pre-built components Store & track information about musical or laboratory instruments including their calibration history, certificates, images, and more Allow the audience to interact or engage with the content Identify and respond to unexpected problems or failures (ie. "negative events") Audacity gives you basic media management, letting you organize, save, and access audio files easily. Some reviewers say it’s helpful for storing and retrieving projects, but others feel the library is limited compared to other audio editors and lacks built-in samples. Includes a variety of messaging formats including industry-specific (EDIFACT, HL7, X12) Record the audio of phone conversations for quality assurance purposes Preview materials before finalizing projects Plan and coordinate all the resources, costs and time needed to execute assignments Monitor the progress of projects from start to finish Create, manage, or update project workflows. Manage user accounts, profiles, roles, permissions, and other details across applications, devices or networks Features 4.4 (466) 4.4 Based on 466 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.8 (331) Value for money 4.8 (331) 4.8 Based on 331 reviews ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.1 (238) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.1 (238) 4.1 Based on 238 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.5 Based on 466 reviews Filter by rating 5(290) 4(130) 3(39) 2(7) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent Jeremy H. Host and Owner Entertainment ### "A great free product with very little bloat" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 May 8, 2026 I have been an Audacity user for over a decade and have enjoyed using it. My biggest issue is the additional unnecessary updates as well as usage policies that the company has implemented over the years Pros The amount of tools available for free to help any creator edit quality audio with so much ease of use Cons The background data use can be a strain on even a beefy system. If it was made clearer what data is being used in the background as well as alerting when the data strain may cause a application crash Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AH Anne H. Senior Learning Designer and Developer Insurance ### "Audacity - Free High Quality Audio Editing Tool" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 23, 2026 It creates high quality audio. It is easy to edit and costs way less than its competitors. It has a good variety of audio tools to enhance your audio. Pros Audacity is affordable and provides great value for free. The audio editing tools are incredible and produce high quality, professional recordings. Cons It took a few minutes to find the tool and download it, but once it was installed it was pretty straight forward. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RD Ruth D. Designer Publishing ### "Record yourself or convert audio with the best! " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 March 22, 2026 I have used Audacity for many years to record/narrate audio and convert from wav to mp3. It is easy to trim audio from different clips to put together. It’s great to use! Pros Great tool for recording audio for promotion, commercials and audiobooks. Easy to use and is updated frequently with new features. Cons Sometimes the settings aren’t set for the best sound and should have more tutorials available to use. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AU Anonymous User Voice Actor Motion Pictures and Film ### "Great lightweight choice for sound editing." 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 March 14, 2026 Never had any issues installing Audacity or running it, be it on an old laptop or a brand-new PC. It just works. Pros I really appreciate how lightweight Audacity is. You don't get bogged down with needless updates every time you launch. The interface is clean and intuitive, and it has a suite useful of features. Cons There's honestly not much to dislike about Audacity for basic sound editing and design. I've used it for years. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CG Carly G. Curriculum designer and trainer Food & Beverages ### "Free quick and simple audio editing tool" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 December 5, 2025 Overall my experience with audacity is quite positive because what I needed was just a simple, basic, straightforward, audio, editing, tool that also allowed me to record. It didn’t have all extra knickknacks and bells and whistles, but it’s a powerful audio editing software that I recommend other people who are looking for something simple. Pros I used audacity as a free tool for editing and creating audio. It’s an amazing free tool that allows you to do the basics of audio editing and recording. What I like is it does allow you to pinpoint exactly where you want to edit certain things without having to constantly stop and play to find where you want to edit. It was also really easy to install and quickly edit what I needed. Cons It is just a basic editing software so the features are quite simple and straightforward which some people may not like because they want some more editing features. So if you’re looking for something basic to edit, audio, audacity is for you. But if you are looking for something with a lot more flair to it, then audacity wouldn’t be your choice. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Shaun D. Producer Entertainment ### "A Solid Piece of Free Audio Editing Software" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 2.0 2.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 July 11, 2025 I have been using Audacity for 15 years to produce the same podcast. For what I need, Audacity is virtually flawless (especially once you dial in the settings for built-in effects). In the last few years, it has offered a robust list of audio processing effects, which has reduced my reliance on third party plugins or third party software/apps. Overall, I have found Audacity reliable and powerful enough for my needs such that I'm unlikely to switch to an alternative platform. Pros 1) It is robust and, once you know how to use it, relatively easy to use, especially if your needs involve small, audio-focused projects like multi-track podcasts, etc. In my case, I use it to process multiple tracks of audio for a commentary podcast in both audio and video format. At this stage in development, Audacity does basically everything I need it to do. 2) The interface is fairly simple and intuitive, and hotkeys are easy to learn. This all makes learning the platform and editing audio a breeze once you know what you're doing. 3) The latest editions of Audacity have moved to a format with fewer individual files, which makes it easier for managing backups. I personally value this because the old format was rather cumbersome. 4) It works with multiple audio formats, stereo and mono tracks, etc. If, like me, you sometimes get audio tracks in a variety of formats because the people you record with aren't necessarily using the same software, this saves a lot of time should I need to convert formats to mp3 or wav. Cons 1) While I have no personally experienced, many of my colleagues in the Apple ecosystem have run into periodic trouble with recording reliably. Occasionally, the solution involves reverting to an older edition, which isn't that big of a deal. Other times, however, it simply won't work. This leads to 2. 2) Since it is primarily free software, support is primarily community based. The community is great, but it has all the weaknesses of any support system reliant on individuals volunteering their time. There is SOME help documentation, but I found that I rely more on 3rd party tutorials than within the existing help documentation (which is sometimes out of date) or Audacity-focused forums. In the grand scheme, I see this as a "you get what you pay for" thing. 3) I've found it unreliable for recording multiple tracks via digital tools such as Skype, Discord, etc. We've found workarounds for this, so I don't see it as a major problem, but it may be a deal breaker for others looking to use Audacity as their primary recording software. 4) If you don't know much about audio editing, the learning curve is a tad steep. However, there are plenty of online tutorials by other users to help work through this. I'm not sure the developers can fix this issue, though. If you're doing the kind of work Audacity is good for, you just have to work through the initial learning curve to get the desired results. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. PR Peter R. Program Director Hospitality ### "Best value audio tools" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 July 2, 2025 Pros Audacity is such a powerful tool for the price! it has a toolset that is more than capable for most amateur audio editing. Cons The vocal isolation tools are limited, and there is no included media library. The interface is maybe a little plain looking. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. TB Travis B. Solutions Engineer Telecommunications ### "Audactity is free?! Awesome! " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 17, 2025 I would say I use Audacity 2-3 times a week and for what I use it for, it makes my tasks easy and quick. Great product! Pros The fact that Audacity is still a freeware is crazy to me. There are so many features and functions that can only be found in paid versions of software. Cons Sometimes, editing can be a bit tricky if you are not familiar with music editing software. For the most part, everything is laid out nicely and labeled to make finding effects pretty straight forward. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AB Angela B. Voice Actor E-Learning ### "Its OK but I DON'T Recommend" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 0/10 June 10, 2025 It is great if you can not afford to purchase other software. It is a good DAW when it works properly. Pros It is free and it works, most of the time. The audio is professional quality. The tools are much more basic than other paid programs making it easier to learn. Cons The bugs were a frequent issue. This caused reliability issues when planning to record while working with others under time crunches. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Steven Craig W. Boss Computer Software ### "Audacity Of The Audacious Music Makers!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 28, 2025 Using audacity I can isolate vocals and music and separate them which is useful for two things: Extracting vocals only, or creating instrumentals. Pretty neat! Pros This is the best music editing program I've ever used to transform my beats easier with uploading the beats .mp3 file into audacity and mastering there! Cons Audacity can only record locally. You cannot record audio remotely using it, which means you'll need a separate tool like Riverside or Squadcast for remote recording if you need that functionality. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. 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