Reaper is an inexpensive, fully-functioning DAW.

It sort of has an “underground” following of devout users, but doesn’t always get the love it deserves. Plus, it has a bunch of price points for whichever suits your needs. FL Studio has come a long way from a four-channel drum machine to a full-fledged DAW.įL Studio was previously Windows-only, though it has since opened up to Mac users, so it’s a notable choice here.įor electronic music production, FL Studio is perhaps the best DAW for Mac. If you’re interested in music making, you can’t go wrong here. Of course, it’s evolved over the years to be a capable audio editor and mixer, though it still shines primarily as a production tool. Its workflow is one of the most unique out there, really lending itself to making beats quickly. Its cost is attractive as well, particularly for what you get in stock plugins and instruments, making it the best DAW for Mac all around.įL Studio is a standout choice for electronic and hip hop producers. If you’re a producer and songwriter running an Apple machine, consider Logic for your audio needs. The included Drummer instrument for example, which automatically grooves along to your song, is designed to help write music efficiently. Logic is a great all-around DAW, though it leans toward music production and songwriting.

It has an intuitive, attractive interface as well, which is a factor when searching for your first DAW. If you lean more towards the creative side of music production rather than technical, Logic is an obvious choice. One of the biggest advantages Logic Pro has over other DAWs is a massive built-in virtual instrument and audio loop library and excellent MIDI capabilities. There’s actually quite a bit of variety when it comes to price point, and we’ve included all the best DAWs for Mac at various costs. Naturally, another big consideration is cost. Ultimately, operating system shouldn’t be a big consideration, which is great!

Luckily most of the major DAWs out there are cross-platform, so even though this is an article on Mac-compatible DAWs, you likely won’t be limited by the type of computer you use. Fortunately you can always get the job done with just about any DAW, but the workflow and how you get to the end result is going to be something you want to discover for yourself. Some software works best for production and MIDI programming, some works best for recording and editing/mixing audio, and some are all-around. The most important factor to consider when choosing a DAW is the intended use. Whatever software you choose, your options aren’t limited as an Apple user! Things to consider when deciding on a DAW

Best music production software for mac