# Audacity Software Reviews, Demo & Pricing - 2026 > Review of Audacity Software: system overview, features, price and cost information. Get free demos and compare to similar programs. Source: https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile --- [Home](https://www.softwareadvice.com/) / [Audio Editing Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/) / Audacity Software Advice offers objective insights based on verified user reviews and independent product and market research. When our advisors match you to a software provider, we may earn a referral fee. Overview [Reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/reviews/)[Alternatives](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/alternatives/) # Audacity 2026: Benefits, Features & Pricing On this page - Overview - User Interface - Popular Alternatives - Pros and Cons - Pricing and Plans - Features - User Reviews - Popular Comparisons ## Overview Audacity 4.5 [(466)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/reviews/) Pricing Pricing available upon request Top Alternatives ### About Audacity Audacity is an on-premise audio editing solution, which helps musicians export, modify, import, create and record audio files and soundtracks in multiple file formats including WAV, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, AU, AIFF, and FLAC. The open-source platform enables producers to preview LADSPA, LV2, VST and Audio Unit effects in real-time. Audacity lets audio engineers modify a soundtrack's pitch or tempo and create voiceovers for podcasts or DJ sets. Musicians can cut, copy or paste audio tracks, monitor volume and use the device toolbar to manage multiple playback or recording devices. Additionally, artists can remove background noises and manipulate soundtracks using various keyboard shortcuts according to requirements. Audacity enables professionals to record live audio using a microphone and analyze sound frequencies. The product is available for free and support is extended via FAQs, documentation, forums and other online measures. ## Audacity User Interface ## Popular Audacity Alternatives Main Product Audacity 4.5 [(466)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.33Ease of use - 4.79Value for money - 4.09Customer support - 4.41Functionality Pricing Available upon request Alternative Product [Riverside](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/riverside-profile/) 4.8 [(231)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/riverside-profile/#reviews) Ratings Breakdown - 4.76Ease of use - 4.72Value for money - 4.58Customer support - 4.67Functionality Pricing Starting at $24.00 per month Alternative Product [ReMasterMedia](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/remastermedia-profile/) 4.7 [(86)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/remastermedia-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.79Ease of use - 4.77Value for money - 4.75Customer support - 4.58Functionality Pricing Starting at $0.50 one time Alternative Product [Logic Pro](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/logic-pro-profile/) 4.8 [(152)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/logic-pro-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.36Ease of use - 4.48Value for money - 4.29Customer support - 4.68Functionality Pricing Available upon request Alternative Product [Adobe Audition](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/adobe-audition-profile/) 4.6 [(245)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/adobe-audition-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.25Ease of use - 4.27Value for money - 4.12Customer support - 4.57Functionality Pricing Starting at $19.99 per month Alternative Product [Adobe Premiere Pro](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-editing/adobe-premiere-pro-profile/) 4.7 [(569)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-editing/adobe-premiere-pro-profile/reviews/) Ratings Breakdown - 4.03Ease of use - 4.13Value for money - 4.21Customer support - 4.67Functionality Pricing Starting at $20.99 per month ## Audacity Pros and Cons We analyzed 466 verified reviews for Audacity to find out what actual users really think. Select to learn more Comprehensive Editing Toolset Audacity provides a wide range of audio editing features, including multi-track support, effects, and format conversion. Users can easily cut, mix, and enhance audio, making it suitable for podcasts, music, and basic sound design projects. Its flexibility and compatibility with various file types make it a practical choice for both beginners and experienced editors. Fully Featured And Free Audacity is completely free to use, offering robust functionality without any cost or trial limitations. Users appreciate that it rivals paid software in features, making it accessible for those on a budget or just starting out. Its open access encourages experimentation and learning without financial barriers. Versatile Recording Capabilities With Audacity, users can record directly from microphones or other sources, manage multiple tracks, and apply enhancements like noise reduction. The software is valued for its ability to handle voiceovers, podcasts, music demos, and even digitizing old recordings, all while maintaining good audio quality. Outdated And Cluttered Design Many users find Audacity's interface old-fashioned, cluttered, and not very intuitive. The arrangement of tools and icons can be confusing, especially for new users, and the lack of customization or modern aesthetics makes navigation less appealing and sometimes overwhelming. Steep Learning For Beginners Getting started with Audacity can be challenging, particularly for those new to audio editing. Users often rely on third-party tutorials due to limited or outdated documentation, and mastering the basics may feel overwhelming without external guidance. ## Audacity Pricing and Plans Starting price: Pricing available upon request Free Trial Free Version Basic Pricing available upon request No plan information available ## Audacity Features - Popular features found in Audio Editing Audio Manipulation Audio Mixing Audio Recording Plug-in Integration Video Editing - More features of Audacity Audio Capture Audio Editor Batch Processing Configurable Workflow Content Library Data Import/Export Drag & Drop Instrument Management Interactive Content Issue Management Media Library Multiple Format Support On-Demand Recording Preview Functionality Project Management Project Tracking Project Workflow Synchronous Editing User Management ## Audacity User Reviews Overall Rating 4.5 Ratings Breakdown 5 62% 4 28% 3 8% 2 2% 1 0% Secondary Ratings Ease of Use 4.3 Value for money 4.8 Customer support 4.1 Functionality 4.4 VR Verified Reviewer Media Production 201-500 employees Used monthly for more than 2 years Review source Reviewed December 2023 Great Editing media application ever 5 Overall i use this software for more than 10 years and i'm satisfied Ratings Breakdown 5 Ease of use 5 Value for money 4 Customer support Previously 5 4 Functionality Previously 5 Pros: The most i like from Audacity is the software is easy to use and its free Cons: There nothing i least like from the Audacity Read More Deepak M. Verified reviewer Education Management Self-Employed Used weekly for more than 2 years Review source Reviewed June 2021 Review of Audacity audio software 5 Audacity has been extremely useful in several projects, including the making of short films, YouTube videos, voice overs for various applications, etc. It can be used by different people with varying levels of expertise and can solve many simple problems in audio manipulation with ease. Ratings Breakdown 5 Ease of use 5 Value for money 5 Functionality Pros: The product is easy to use and lean in terms of disk space. At the same time, its features are quite adequate for most audio applications. Some of its features, such as the noise removal tool, are truly revolutionary and greatly enhance audio for various projects. Cons: Laying of multiple tracks is a bit difficult. It will help if the software provides drag and drop features in moving individual tracks. Reasons for switching to Audacity Audacity is considerably cheaper than Sound Forge and provides much better features in noise reduction, addition of flanging, changing of pitch without affecting speed of the audio clip, etc. Various add-ins available from those associated with the project as well as independent operators makes the software very versatile and robust. Read More Tibor K. Verified reviewer Entertainment 2-10 employees Used weekly for more than 2 years Review source Reviewed October 2022 High quality audio capture 3 Audacity is a very good app especially for companies like ours where we deal with a lot of audio editing, once it is properly configured and understood how it works it captures high quality audio directly from the built in audio channel, thus eliminates static or background noise often generated by other apps that records from external speakers Ratings Breakdown 3 Ease of use 5 Value for money 4 Customer support 3 Functionality Pros: It is one of the best audio capture app as it able to use direct channel audio capturing, the sound is then very clear and without static. Once a sound is captured it can be saved in any of the more popular audio formats. It is a free app and also has a fairly good support community forum where you can get help. Cons: It also requires the integration of other apps such as Soundflower for direct audio capturing therefore makes it a bit complicated to setup and to understand especially for beginners. Audacity also has to be configured properly to capture the sound from Soundflower. Also the user interface is a bit outdated, more like old school style, also does not have too many functionality. Most people only use it for direct audio capture and not much else Read More Debora T. Verified reviewer Animation 11-50 employees Used weekly for more than 2 years Review source Reviewed December 2022 One of the best softwares for audio edition and recording. 5 My overall experience with audacity is a satisfactory one. Ratings Breakdown 5 Ease of use 5 Value for money 5 Customer support 5 Functionality Pros: What I like the most about this software is that Is not expensive compared to other audio softwares. Cons: I really didn’t dislike anything on this software. Reasons for switching to Audacity Because the other two softwares weren’t meeting my expectations. Read More Gustavo B. Verified reviewer Marketing and Advertising 2-10 employees Used monthly for more than 2 years Review source Reviewed April 2022 Great For Simple Taskes 5 My experience has always been positive. Most of the time I need to handle some arrangements for any piece of sound, I look forward to employing this great tool. Ratings Breakdown 5 Ease of use 5 Value for money 4 Customer support 5 Functionality Pros: Audacity does offer a super lightweight tool to manage short pieces of audio. It does import sounds hassle-free, provides a good waves diagram system to check pieces of sounds and handle music samples effortlessly. Cons: I don't find particular cons about this free and easy to use software. It might be a little more capable in terms of the features, but it does provide a solution for simple audio tasks, and it does deliver. Reasons for choosing Audacity Audacity does provide an easy interface for simple audio tasks, it is free, easy to use, and provide good results for the purposes it has been made. Read More Jeremy D. Verified reviewer Media Production 2-10 employees Used monthly for more than 2 years Review source Reviewed February 2022 Audacity: Excellent for Free, But Pros Will Demand More 3 I first tried Audacity way back in the early 00's and, while appreciating its feature set, never found it a compelling choice compared to Sound Forge or Wavelab. Mind you, it is totally free and will do the job for most amateur editors. Ratings Breakdown 3 Ease of use 5 Value for money 4 Customer support 4 Functionality Pros: Audacity is extremely feature-rich for a free audio editor. This has made it immensely popular with beginners and podcasters looking for a free solution to get started. Audacity is a great place to start to learn audio editing. Cons: Audacity suffers from one of the ugliest graphical user interfaces out there. Contrast is poor, the blue-on-grey aesthetic is exhausting, and the icons are straight out of a clipart site from 1998. Performance can be spotty on some Macs. Reasons for choosing Audacity Audacity is free, and if money were a concern, I'd purchase it. Otherwise, stick with Adobe Audition, Steinberg Wavelab, or Sound Forge. Read More Joel M. Verified reviewer Information Technology and Services 51-200 employees Used monthly for less than 12 months Review source Reviewed May 2021 Power media editting tool for creators 4 The software is rock solid and once you know how to import and modify the content you can do power editing and creation. this software allowed me to capture decades old audio from outdated formats and bring it into the digital world! Ratings Breakdown 2 Ease of use 5 Value for money 5 Functionality Pros: Audacity works across all the media types that I needed. With Audacity I was able to reconstruct audio recordings based on multiple takes that I had on old cassettes for a music project. The ability to edit with extreme precision to capture outtakes and re-assemble them into a fluid final cut was amazing. Cons: The UI isn't as pretty as other solutions and it take time with the manual to understand how to use the software. Not a show stopper, but given how much this software can do, it was worth the extra effort to understand the basics. Reasons for switching to Audacity Needed a more complex solution for the level of editing and creation I needed. Read More JF Juan F. Verified reviewer Outsourcing/ Offshoring 1001-5000 employees Used monthly for less than 2 years Review source Reviewed December 2023 Easy audio editor to start learning 5 Ratings Breakdown 4 Ease of use 4 Value for money 4 Functionality Pros: It is easy to use. I saw a 5 minutes video and started using it for some audio cleanup. Cons: I'm not sure if it integrates to adobe, and I ended up moving to adobe audacity. I liked the UI/UX better. Reasons for switching to Audacity I couldn't find a good way of cleaning up my audio on sony vegas. Read More KO Katherine O. Verified reviewer Writing and Editing Self-Employed Used weekly for more than 2 years Review source Reviewed January 2025 Amazing free audio recording app for dialogue 5 I wouldn't be without it. Excellent. You can view the soundwave as more spaced out or tighter together. There’s an icon to click to see the entire recording in one go. This is useful when you’re looking to see if there’s any particular section that had a louder volume than the rest. You might then choose to locate it, select it and choose amplify and put in a negative number to reduce the volume. When you’re going through you may want to take out tiny aspects of background noise, or maybe there’s a very audible out breath on your part to take out. View the soundwave as expanded so that you can select a small section to delete. I like the shortcuts. Press spacebar to play from the last place you clicked on the soundwave. Press x to get the cursor to locate at the current location in the recording. Control R to repeat the last effect. R to record. You can have multiple tracks. You can have stereo tracks or mono. Ratings Breakdown 4 Ease of use 5 Value for money 2 Customer support 4 Functionality Pros: Free audio editing. I make self-help recordings for myself, and potentially for others in the future. Cons: You can't import MP4s. I import those into Total Recorder, change to an MP3 and then import into Audacity. Something minor. I would like a keyboard shortcut when I place a label (temporary) on the soundwave to toggle back to editing the track. I haven't managed to find one yet! I am assuming the following would be the same with any audio recording app, but there is a difficulty which occurs when recording speech audio. The same would apply if you were recording an instrument. If you’re recording on more than one occasion, even in the same room with the same mic, the recordings don’t necessarily sound the same. There may be differences in temperature, you might have curtains open or closed etc, you may be further away from the mic. Therefore, even with the flexibility of audacity, it is advisable to try to record something through from start to finish and not rely on having to come back and for example insert a sentence. Read More JG James G. Verified reviewer Religious Institutions 2-10 employees Used weekly for less than 2 years Review source Reviewed March 2025 Great Free Open Source Software 5 It has been wonderful. They keep up with the updates to operating systems and the functionality never suffers. Ratings Breakdown 5 Ease of use 5 Value for money 5 Customer support 5 Functionality Pros: Open source audio editing software that works great! The fact that it is open source and free for use is beneficial. Also the flexibility of importing different audio files is great. Cons: Nothing, the program works great. It has all the bells and whistles that you see in other programs that cost a lot of money. For general audio editing this program is great. Read More Showing 1 - 10 of 466 Reviews [See All Reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/reviews/) ## Audacity Popular Comparisons [Logic Pro vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/logic-pro/)[Adobe Audition vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/adobe-audition-profile/vs/audacity/)[Adobe Premiere Pro vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-editing/adobe-premiere-pro-profile/vs/audacity/)[Pro Tools vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/pro-tools/)[Cubase vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/cubase/)[Studio One vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/studio-one/)[Live vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/compare/115617-Live/vs/117915-audacity/)[Riverside vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/riverside/)[ReMasterMedia vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/remastermedia/)[FL Studio vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/fl-studio/)[SOUND FORGE vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/sound-forge/)[REAPER vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/reaper/)[WavePad vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/wavepad/)[VEGAS Pro vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/vegas-pro/)[Anchor vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/compare/117915-audacity/vs/242142-Anchor/)[Descript vs Audacity](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/vs/descript/) [Compare All Alternatives](https://www.softwareadvice.com/audio-editing/audacity-profile/alternatives/) ## See what companies are saying about Software Advice