January 1, 2019

Best DAW 2023: Which Digital Audio Workstation Works Best For You?

Rob Mayzes

Mastering engineer, mixer and educator | CEO of Mastering.com

Your DAW is one of the most important pieces of your home studio.

But there are tons of options to choose from. How do you know which one is right for you?

This quick guide will help you zero in on the perfect DAW. Just select the features you’re looking and you’ll see the best option(s) for you.

So if you want to stop searching and start making music, you’re in the right place!

Get industry-quality every time (steal this framework)

I’m guessing you’re here because you want to make your mixes sound professional.

We put together a brief training that covers a totally new approach to music production. Until now, everyone has been teaching production totally backward.

Just click below to watch.

But if you just want to learn all about DAWs specifically, keep reading.

The 11 Best DAWs of 2023

First, think about what your goals are.

Do you spend more time writing music, or mixing music? Do you want a DAW that does one specific job well or an all-rounder?

Once you’ve figured out what you’re looking for, you can choose the best DAW for you.

The DAWs on this list are curated to fit all your needs.

Once you’ve picked a program, stick to it. Learn it inside out. Use the stock plugins. The better you know your DAW, the better your music will be.

To make it even easier,

What price range are you looking for?

What are you using your DAW for?

What genre will you be working on?

Want to see my favorites?

Logic Pro X

ARVE Error: src mismatch

provider:    youtube
url:         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QQN_UFVpbk&index=6&list=PLEEVAiK8zmk9muxr8Z72R6lHf22183PrS

src:         https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/7QQN_UFVpbk?list=PLEEVAiK8zmk9muxr8Z72R6lHf22183PrS
src gen:     https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/7QQN_UFVpbk

An extremely popular piece of software. And super beginner friendly too! Although Logic Pro is great for composing and producing music, I love using it for mixing too. The stock plugins that come with Logic Pro X are perhaps the best stock plugins of any DAW. This one is my personal go-to DAW! Pros -Beginner friendly -Extremely versatile -Great for writing music -Great for recording, mixing, and mastering Cons -Audio editing isn't as robust as in some other DAWs You should buy it if: You want a creative DAW that's great for writing, recording, and mixing. Learn more about Logic Pro X here: Apple Logic Pro X

Cockos Reaper

This DAW is powerful and budget-friendly (it's a steal at $60 for a personal license). It's one of my personal favorites. You can customize the layout and functionality of the software to suit your workflow. It's super beginner friendly and there are tons of tutorials online. If you're just getting started, Reaper is easy to learn and just as powerful as any other DAW. It also has all the major features you'd expect from a premium DAW, so it's popular with professional producers too. Pros -Beginner friendly -Full-fledged DAW at a low price -Customizable interface to match your workflow -Good stock plugins, especially for sound design -Super powerful routing Cons -As far as DAWs go, it's really new. So it's features aren't going to be as flexible or detailed as some other DAWs'. You should buy it if: You want a full-fledged DAW at a low price, or you're a sound designer looking for a clean, clear-cut program. Click here for more information

Studio One 5

This DAW has become increasingly popular over the last few years, with good reason. It is now one of the most commonly used DAWs. It combines the best of both world from electronic-focused DAWs like FL Studio and more audio-focused programs like Pro Tools. It's drag and drop formula makes building tacks quick and easy. And the update to version 5 introduced new features like clip gain envelopes, a score view, and a streamlined "Show Page" that makes liver performances a cinch. Features like Chord Track and Pattern Mode make Studio One an amazing DAW for composing. And it's high-quality stock plugins and intuitive interface make it great for mixing as well. Pros -Extremely Versatile -Tons of features for writing and composing -Great stock plugins -Customizable interface to match your workflow Cons -Interface can easily become cluttered if you aren't careful You should buy it if: You want a creative DAW that's great for writing, recording, mixing, and mastering.

Ableton Live

Top electronic music producers around the world use Ableton Live. Although it lacks some advanced editing and mixing features, it can seamlessly integrate into your live sets. If you use this DAW, check out these workflow tips to speed up your writing. Pros -Beginner friendly -Incredible MIDI and automation Features -The session view makes writing fun and fast. -Great stock plugins Cons -Audio editing isn't as robust as in some other DAWs You should buy it if: You're a live dj, electronic musician, or want to be able to write music non-linearly. Learn more here: Ableton Live 10 Standard

Harrison Mixbus 32c

Mixbus is the perfect DAW for analog lovers who want a more affordable, digital alternative to bulky consoles. Harrison have been making inline mixing consoles since the early 1970's, and they've got it down to a science. From Herbie Hancock to Smashing Pumpkins, countless hits have been created using Harrison's hardware. Mixbus takes the iconic sound and workflow from their consoles and puts it in your computer.

If you prefer the layout of a console to a typical DAW, check out Mixbus. There are two versions for different budgets. The standard Mixbus software will run you about $115. Mixbus 32c offers more mixing tools for about $447. Pros -Sounds Terrific (analog emulation adds great color to the tracks) -Great for Recording and Mixing -Great Workflow (for people who have used consoles before) Cons -Not Beginner Friendly (especially for musicians who haven't used analog gear) -MIDI Features could use some quality of life improvements

Cubase Pro 10

Cubase has been around for a long time and remains popular to this day. It's innovative, trustworthy, and stable. Tons of composers for tv and film swear by it. It's got a powerful workflow for anyone who's mostly focused on writing music. But it still has all the bells and whistles you'd want for mixing and editing. Pros -Great stock plugins -Great stock instruments and samples -One of the oldest DAWs around, so it's flexible and stable Cons -Workflow isn't particularly beginner friendly You should buy it if: You want a creative DAW that's great for writing, recording, mixing, and mastering. Learn more here: Steinberg Cubase Pro 10 Recording Software

FL Studio

Another affordable DAW that's extremely popular among electronic music producers. FL Studio is easy to use and has some great composition features. With easy to use automation and a flawless piano roll, FL is wonderful for writing MIDI. But it isn't so great for working with audio. The cheapest version doesn't support audio recording, so you'll need to pay more if you want to track guitars or vocals. Pros -Beginner friendly -Incredible MIDI and automation features -Unmatched piano roll for writing music digitally -FL's patterns make it easy to write and arrange songs Cons -Some production techniques require weird workarounds -There are redundant features, which can make it more confusing to use You should buy it if: You're an electronic or hip hop musician Learn more here: Image Line FL Studio 20

Pro Tools 12

This is perhaps the most popular DAW in the professional world. For professional mixing and editing, this is the industry standard. A lot of people have a love/hate relationship with Pro Tools. It's extremely powerful, letting you knock out complex edits in a matter of seconds. But it looks clunky and outdated. It's not a beginner friendly program. The stock plugins are generally good, but it lacks a stock multiband compressor - this isn't a huge issue though. The stock compressor can still be used for sidechain compression and parallel compression.

Pros

-Industry Standard DAW -Great Recording Quality and Features -Unmatched Editing Capabilities -Great for Mixing and Mastering

Cons

-Not Beginner Friendly -Not Good for Writing Music -Outdated Interface You should buy it if: You want to work as a professional audio engineer, recording, editing and mixing other people. Learn more here: Avid Pro Tools

Bitwig Studio

This little-known DAW is great for music production and live performance. Founded by ex-Ableton engineers, Bitwig Studio shares a similar concept based on 'clips'. It has a great modular synthesis environment and networking features. But the most exciting feature of Bitwig isn't actually available yet. Bitwig aims to let users work on the same project simultaneously while using different computers. Who knows if/when that feature will be released, but it's a good reason to keep an eye on Bitwig. Pros -Powerful modular environment for creating effects and sounds Cons -As far as DAWs go, it's really new. So it's features aren't going to be as flexible or detailed as other DAWs'. -The main selling point (working on a project simultaneously using different computers) isn't available yet. You should buy it if: You're an experienced electronic musician who wants a digital modular setup. Learn more here: Bitwig Studio 2 Music Production and Performance Software

Propellerhead Reason

This is the perfect piece of software for electronic music producers that love the look of analog equipment. The bundled virtual instruments are powerful and versatile, and Reason comes with some great collaboration tools. Pros -Patching allows you to create complex sounds and effects -Great stock instruments Cons -Outdated interface -Audio editing isn't as robust as in some other DAWs You should but it if: You're an electronic or hip hop musician looking for an awesome set of instruments. Learn more here: Reason 10

MOTU Digital Performer

Despite being one of the oldest DAWs available, Digital Performer has only recently made its way from Mac to Windows. Like Cubase, MOTU is a favorite of composers for film and tv. And its recent integration of some of Ableton's best ideas will help it stay that way for a long time. Unlike some of the others, they have a 30-day free trial available, so you can give it a whirl. Pros -Great stock plugins -Great stock instruments -Ableton-like clips view for nonlinear writing Cons -Automation could be better You should buy it if: You want an all in one audio solution for producing music Learn more here: MOTU Digital Performer 10

Mixcraft Pro Studio

This affordable option has gathered some serious fans over its lifetime. It's simple, user-friendly, and easy to use. Pros -Beginner friendly -Inexpensive -Solid stock plugins and instruments -Comes with Melodyne Cons -Some of the included plugins are available for free already You should buy it if: You want a full-fledged DAW at a low price Learn more here: Mixcraft 8 Pro Studio

UPDATE: Learn about 7 DAW mistakes that can really hold you back in our recent video:

Conclusion

Here are the 11 best DAWs available in 2023 (in no particular order):

Logic Pro X
Pro Tools
Studio One
Ableton Live
Cubase Pro
Propellerhead Reason
FL Studio
Cockos Reaper
Bitwig Studio
MOTU Digital Performer
Mixcraft Pro Studio

Next Steps

If you want to dig deeper into music production and learn what it actually takes to make mixes that sound pro…

And you’re an intermediate or advanced producer…

Be sure to check out the free masterclass:

Enjoy!

Best DAW 2023: Which Digital Audio Workstation Works Best For You?

Get industry-quality every time (steal this framework)