Audacity vs Ardour
Both are free audio & music tools. Here is how they actually differ.
Audacity and Ardour at a glance
| Feature | Audacity | Ardour |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Muse Group | Ardour community |
| Licence | Open Source | Open Source |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile | No | No |
| Source code | Public | Public |
Audacity: what it's good at
Audacity is the most widely used free audio editor, handling multi-track recording, editing, noise reduction and format conversion. It is the default recommendation for podcasting, voice-over work and cleaning up recordings.
- Multi-track recording and editing
- Noise reduction and audio repair
- Wide format import and export
- Large library of effects and plugins
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
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We deliberately do not publish a star rating for either.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 Audacity better than Ardour?
Neither is universally better. Audacity the standard free audio recorder and editor, while Ardour professional open-source digital audio workstation. The right pick depends on your platform and workflow.
Are both really free?
Audacity is open source and Ardour 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.