Audacity
A free, open-source audio recording and editing application for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Sources last checked 2026-09-30 · See individual evidence
What is Audacity?
Audacity is an audio recording and editing application. Its official site describes importing, exporting and converting audio, plug-in support and audio analysis, and states that it is open source and free for everyone.
The project publishes installers for Windows, macOS and Linux. It fits podcasters, musicians and anyone who needs to record or clean up audio without a subscription. Test it with your own recordings and any plug-ins you rely on.
Based on official product documentation ↗When to consider Audacity
Typical uses based on its documented tools. Check the requirements of your own project.
- Recording podcasts and voice-overs
- Cleaning and editing audio files
- Converting audio between formats
Strengths & considerations
What it offers
- Records and edits audio and can import, export and convert formats.
- Free for everyone, with source code open to view and modify.
- Installers are published for Windows, macOS and Linux.
What to check
- Check that the plug-ins and file formats you need are supported in your version.
- The official homepage does not describe collaboration or cloud storage features.
- Test restoration and multitrack workflows against your professional requirements.
Editorial guidance, not a hands-on review or a guarantee of compatibility.
Plans & pricing
Listed amounts use the source currency. Check billing commitments, taxes, region and edition limits before subscribing.
Audacity — free
Free
The official site states it has always been and will remain free.
Checked 2026-09-30
Check official plan details ↗Features & capabilities
Verified capabilities may belong to different editions or optional services. Read the plan and source notes.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Open source
- Yes
9 other capabilities have not yet been verified
Unknown means we have no confirmed evidence for this field. It does not mean the product lacks the capability.
- Free trial
- Unknown
- Self-hosted
- Unknown
- Offline
- Unknown
- API
- Unknown
- AI features
- Unknown
- Cloud
- Unknown
- Commercial use
- Unknown
- Beginner friendly
- Unknown
- Professional
- Unknown
Sources & verification
Verification applies only to the fields listed below. An unlisted feature or platform is unknown, not unsupported.
Audacity — official homepage ↗
Homepage describes recording and editing audio, plug-in support, open source code and being free for everyone, with copyright by Muse Group and contributors.
Accessed 2026-09-30 · Verified 2026-09-30
Evidence fields (10)
description · company · pros · cons · useCases · freePlan · openSource · pricingModel · plan:free · feature:audio-editing
Audacity — downloads ↗
Download page lists Windows installers, macOS builds and Linux AppImages.
Accessed 2026-09-30 · Verified 2026-09-30
Evidence fields (3)
platform:windows · platform:macos · platform:linux
Audacity — licence file ↗
Repository licence file states that Audacity is released under the GNU General Public License version 3, with some source files under GPLv2 or later.
Accessed 2026-09-30 · Verified 2026-09-30
Evidence fields (1)
license
Consider these alternatives
Compare all ↗Adobe Audition
Adobe's audio application for editing, mixing, recording and restoring sound, sold as a subscription.
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