Ardour vs Mixxx

Ardour: what it's good at

Ardour is a full digital audio workstation aimed at professional recording, editing and mixing, with unlimited tracks, full automation, plugin support and surround capability. It is the most serious open-source DAW available.

• Unlimited multi-track recording
• Full mix automation
• VST, LV2 and AU plugin support
• Non-destructive editing

Mixxx: what it's good at

Mixxx is a complete DJ application with multiple decks, beat detection, key detection, effects and support for a wide range of DJ controllers — an area where the commercial alternatives are usually expensive or hardware-locked.

• Four-deck mixing with effects
• Automatic BPM and key detection
• Supports many DJ controllers
• Broadcast and recording built in

Which should you choose?

Both are free, so the honest answer is that you can install either and decide for yourself — that is the advantage of free software over a paid trial.

Both run on Windows, macOS, Linux. Both are open source, so neither locks you in.

We deliberately do not publish a star rating for either. We have no way to verify a rating that would be honest at scale, and an invented one would be worse than none — so we give you the facts and let you decide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ardour better than Mixxx?

Neither is universally better. Ardour professional open-source digital audio workstation, while Mixxx free DJ software with real controller support. The right pick depends on your platform and workflow.

Are both really free?

Ardour is open source and Mixxx is open source. Both can be downloaded without paying.

Can I install both?

Yes. Since neither costs anything, installing both and comparing them on your own files is usually the fastest way to decide.