Daw reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 281 Reddit reviews across 28 subreddits and 46 posts to rank the best Daw brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/musicproduction, r/sounddesign, r/mixingmastering, r/linuxaudio, r/synthesizers. Top-rated brands include Reaper (4.5/5), Ableton Live (4.4/5), Bitwig Studio (4.7/5).
Stats
Reviews281
Subreddits28
Posts46
Brands46
Products0
281 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Reaper
4.5
(61)
"Hands down /reaper its the best I like it more than pro tools."
"Reaper is great and probably the best if you want a lightweight stable DAW with as little as possible limitations."
"I use Reaper. Very easy to learn."
"Reaper is developed with guitar plugins in mind,in my opinion."
"Reaper is my favorite for audio. It’s also an incredibly full featured, powerful, but affordable DAW."
"I'm a Reaper fan. Basically unlimited free trial, only $60 for a license that'll last you a good 3 years."
"For a cost-effective DAW with great features I like Reaper."
"Reaper."
"Reaper is great for editing sound and creating a reaaaally fast workflow"
"Lots of game audio people love Reaper for the region render matrix"
#2
Ableton Live
4.4
(33)
"I was using fl studio for a long time and kind of just thought I was bad at making music, and then I swapped to ableton and instantly started making better stuff"
"It's Ableton, no shot. You can do crazy things with controllers using the Push mode."
"Ableton is a monster of a DAW and Reaper is also great."
"Ableton. Tons of videos. Stock instruments and plugins are more than enough."
"Ableton is mad versatile for literally any kinda music."
"Ableton is hands down the easiest."
"Everyone pretty much uses Ableton though."
"I also prefer Ableton Live over FL Studio."
"Ableton."
"Just get the lite version of Ableton to start."
#3
Bitwig Studio
4.7
(30)
"I wish I’d started using it years ago."
"Bitwig would be my first choice for that job."
"Bitwig is the clear winner IMO."
"Absolutely has to be bitwig."
"For building sounds and really digging in? Bitwig can’t be beat."
"Bitwig is light years ahead for an integrated synthesis laboratory and DAW."
"Bitwig has lots of other cool features for sound design."
"My favorite is Bitwig. It has the most intuitive and ergonomic UI I've ever seen in a DAW."
"Bitwig is light years ahead in terms of sound design."
"Bitwig."
#4
FL Studio
4.0
(20)
"FL Studio and Reaper both run flawlessly under WINE."
"FL Studio. Hands down. The layout and ease of use makes it the best choice for a younger kid."
"FL Studio is free to try and has lifetime upgrades free when you buy it."
"If you don't know how to play keys then i would give the edge to FL just because the piano roll is very quick and easy to use."
"Some years ago I bought FL for 500$ now I can’t use other daw"
"If you're new to daws fl studio is pretty streamlined and heavily pirated if you don't want to break the bank."
"FL Studio's free trial is definitely enough for mixing covers"
"FL studio has FL cloud which includes a subscription to distrokid and access to a bunch of really good plugins"
"I find it easier to start with FL Studio or Ableton Live."
"FL seems more beginner friendly."
#5
Logic Pro
4.3
(18)
"Get logic brah it’s too cheap to go past"
"Logic pro with its easy to use sampler and the multi-affect plugins"
"Logic is by far the best bang for buck, it’s also had free updates for , I think, ever."
"Found Logic incredibly intuitive even as a beginner."
"Ableton live and logic pro are the ones more suitable for your needs"
"I like Logic and FL the most."
"I use logic with my maschine+. Any DAW will work."
"I use logic but it’s kind of expensive just for this."
"Logic is popular with composers"
"Logic Pro or Ableton are the only answers coming from garage band"
#6
Studio One
4.3
(16)
"I use Studio One 6 and love it"
"Presonus Studio one is like a better Logic."
"The perfect DAW would be Studio One because (and the reason I use it) it is like old Cubase."
"I think you can do everything in S1, FL Studio or Cubase."
"I do everything in studio one."
"I use Studio One for all phases."
"I personally use PreSonus Studio One 5. Reaper is also good and it’s online."
"I personally use PreSonus Studio One 5. I used to use Logic X way back."
"For me generally the best and the most compound is Studio One."
"Presonus Studio One now has native Linux support."
#7
Cakewalk
4.2
(10)
"[Cakewalk](https://www.bandlab.com/products/cakewalk?lang=en) is free, and very similar to most other DAWs."
"Second this, Cakewalk is excellent."
"Cakewalk."
"Cakewalk, Reaper, or Bitwig."
"Been using cakewalk for years, has everything I need and I can spend money on better hardware instead."
"I used Cakewalk by BandLab. It works for everything I use it for."
"I can definitely recommend Cakewalk"
"Free Daw: Cakewalk"
"I've been using Cakewalk by Bandlab, but rumor is that it won't be free soon."
"I think Cakewalk (DAW) is free?"
#8
Cubase
4.6
(7)
"I've been using Cubase for 20 years or so."
"If there is one daw where I can do everything from production to master without any kind of friction is Cubase."
"I use cubase for everything."
"I use Cubase for production and mixing."
"Cubase works for my band."
"I mix/master currently just in Cubase."
"I bought cubase recently to complement Bitwig for tracking bands."
#9
GarageBand
4.1
(7)
"Legitimately garageband. mac is best but i started messing around on garageband on my ipad around that age and it is insanely accessible."
"GarageBand."
"If you have an IPhone then GarageBand. Very user friendly and under rated."
"GarageBand? It’s free, and has like 75% of the abilities that Logic Pro has."
"GarageBand then move to logic when more advanced"
"If they have access to Apple devices, then GarageBand."
"GarageBand."
#10
Reason
4.1
(7)
"Reason is an amazing daw overall."
"Reason is as modular as bigwig. It’s way more powerful than people realize once you get into the patching."
"If just using stock plugins, then reason+ is the best imo."
"I got started with the free version of reason that came with my MPK mini."
"Reason for the soundbank with Ableton as the controller."
"I kind of like Reason myself."
"Hi might enjoy Reason as it is the only one that attempts to actually model a physical setup."
#11
Pro Tools
4.0
(7)
"If you want to or have to work in linear media, you need to use ProTools as a professional."
"Pro Tools is an all-rounder"
"If you plan on doing a lot of collaboration, you might want ProTools."
"Pro Tools HDX is killer but expensive."
"Pro Tools is just the industry standard for mix engineers."
"I personally prefer Pro Tools, Ableton, Fl Studio And Logic, Start with Garage Band and make your Choice towards which one fits your needs"
"Pro Tools is not better than most DAWs, it just enjoys an entrenched user base in the industry."
#12
Ableton
4.2
(5)
"Paid? Ableton."
"I picked up Ableton 12 suite for this reason."
"The only DAW which really sucks for mixing is FL."
"I like to use different DAWs because their workflows are better in my opinion for specific purposes."
"Typically composers and Producers user Ableton for composing and Ableton for mixing!"
#13
Maschine
3.8
(5)
"Use maschine 3"
"As a starter id recommend maybe sticking with machine software itself."
"The actual Maschine software is dope."
"I seem to remember trying out Maschine software version a while ago... seemed pretty good to me."
"I had an maschine mikro and tried to use it with both ableton and FL studio. The workflow is okay but not great imo."
#14
LMMS
3.4
(5)
"Music - LMMS
Audio - Audacity."
"Me personally I love LMMS for the DAW cause it's free."
"Use LMMS its not the best but its free and beatwise."
"I love Lmms but have tons of problems with getting plugins to work."
"Lmms is really easy and free."
#15
Renoise
4.3
(4)
"Not sure what type of music you make but maybe look at Renoise? Amazing for any electronic type music."
"I use Renoise for my VST work because I can play with the keyboard and I like the tracker style for sequencing."
"Renoise is my fav, would probably do pretty good for vaporwave."
"Renoise"
#16
Apple GarageBand
4.0
(4)
"GarageBand"
"GarageBand is pretty basic but also amazing"
"Garage band. Very user friendly."
"GarageBand."
#17
Harrison Mixbus
4.7
(3)
"Harrison mixbus 32c."
"Harrison Mixbus is my go-to DAW."
"Mixbus for mixing the final product."
#18
Adobe Audition
4.0
(3)
"Adobe Audition is absolutely brilliant and I've been using for over a decade."
"Personally, I’ve always used Adobe Audition Creative Cloud and it has worked fine."
"I use Adobe Audition because that's what my coach uses and that's what Bill DeWees uses."
#19
MPC
5.0
(2)
"MPC One for sure. I’m not a DAW in the box fan but its by far the best DAW in a box."
"The mpc is the best for this at this current time."
#20
Ableton Live Suite
5.0
(2)
"Ableton is a no-brainer as it really excels with both music and sound design"
"For me Ableton Suite"
#21
Nuendo
4.5
(2)
"Nuendo has the best features for audio post IMO"
"I’m old school, Nuendo."
#22
Bandlab
4.0
(2)
"Honestly BandLab imo."
"Bandlab (browser based, easy to use)"
#23
Ardour
4.0
(2)
"If you have experience with Ardour then everything else should be a cakewalk... Which leads to another DAW you could also try...Cakewalk lol."
"I suggest Ardour"
#24
Bitwig
4.0
(2)
"Bitwig, FL Studio, Ableton Live. They include good instruments out of the box and are fairly easy to learn."
"Gonna be the guy from left field here and suggest Bitwig studio."
#25
Soundtrap
4.0
(2)
"Have a look at Sound Trap"
"I would suggest Soundtrap. It has premade loops that all sound good together."
#26
Tracktion Waveform Free
4.0
(2)
"Free DAW: Tracktion Waveform Free or Bandlab."
"Tracktion Waveform Free (cross platform)"
#27
Universal Audio LUNA
5.0
(1)
"I use Universal Audio LUNA (their free daw aka “recording system”) with two Apollos."
#28
MOTU Digital Performer
5.0
(1)
"MOTU’s Digital Performer is outstanding for film scoring."
#29
Studio One 7
5.0
(1)
"Studio One 7 is ultra easy and can be used by newbies as well as the Pro."
#30
Logic Pro X
5.0
(1)
"Logic Pro X is banging."
#31
Deluge
5.0
(1)
"The Deluge is perfect for this."
#32
Mixcraft
4.0
(1)
"I’m going to suggest Mixcraft. It’s relatively cheap, easy to use and has a lot of options."
#33
Novation Circuit
4.0
(1)
"Novation circuit could be a vibe."
#34
Ableton Live Lite
4.0
(1)
"Ableton Live Lite, so you can actually teach him."
#35
Akai
4.0
(1)
"Before you by any other MIDI keyboards, check out the Akai mini Play MK3."
#36
Samplitude
4.0
(1)
"Personally I prefer Samplitude with a Lynx aes16 sound card."
#37
Pianoteq
4.0
(1)
"Pianoteq. No DAW needed."
#38
LUNA
4.0
(1)
"I've been loving LUNA."
#39
Waveform
4.0
(1)
"I use waveform tracktion, something worth looking into"
#40
Novation Launchkey Mini Mk4
4.0
(1)
"I use Novation Launchkey Mini Mk4 and Ableton Live."
#41
SP404mk2
4.0
(1)
"Sp404mk2, powerful sampler, it has a guitar amp sim, a looper mode, a ton of fx, a playback recording and since the last firmware update you Can generate a wave to make a bassline."
#42
Ableton Live Light
4.0
(1)
"Ableton live light, dm me for free version:)"
#43
Pro Tools Artist
4.0
(1)
"For PC, I would suggest either Pro Tools Artist, or Studio One 7 Pro +."
#44
Cubase Pro 13
4.0
(1)
"Cubase offers a 60 day trial."
#45
Audiotool
4.0
(1)
"Here‘s a fun free one with a great visual approach: https://www.audiotool.com."
#46
Audacity
3.0
(1)
"Audacity is the king."
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