Check Audacity Review and 10 Best Alternatives for Win/Mac

Every music and podcast recorder wants the best audio quality, and thankfully, Audacity is free to use, even for beginners. The program has the best features for audio recording, playing, and modifying, but its recent update weakened the privacy of its owners, most especially for Mac users. With that said, let’s look at the recommended alternative for Audacity for Mac and Windows and which is the best fit for you.

The Real Review After Using Audacity

Audacity is a free and open-source audio editor with powerful features. Many music enthusiasts see this software as one of the best go-tos for quicker audio editing, and it won’t fail to show the best outcome. But the real question is, ‘Is Audacity safe?’ With the recent updates, the audio editing app changed its privacy policy which mentions invasive data collection on the user’s desktop and sharing the user data with buyers and other apps like third parties and state regulators. Many users find the new update uncomfortable and are not too pleased with the changes, so this is the best time to look for an alternative to Audacity for Mac and Windows.

You can start with the basic steps below if you are a beginner. You can get started with audio editing or start recording with Audacity.

How to Edit Audio in Audacity

Step 1.Launch Audacity on your computer and head to the File menu. Hover your mouse over the Import function and click the "Audio" button. Alternatively, open your local folder and drag and drop the audio file to Audacity’s interface.

Step 2.To trim audio, pick the sound portion you want to keep, then go to the Edit menu and click the "Remove Special" button. From its submenu, click the "Trim Audio" button. You can undo the edit anytime.

Step 3.If you wish to split the audio into two or multiple clips, begin by choosing the point of the audio you want to split. Then, open the Edit menu and click the "Clip Boundaries" button. Click the "Split" button, and you will see the split from the timeline.

How to Record Audio in Audacity

Step 1.Go to the Edit menu and click the "Preferences" button. The recommended settings for Audio I/O is Recording Channels [Mono (1)]. Click the "OK" button to save. Then on the Quality menu, set Default Sample Rate to 22050 HZ, and save the changes.

Step 2.Once you have set up the microphone, click the "Recorder" button. Then, click the "Stop" button after recording. To save the output, go to the File menu and click the "Export As" button. Follow the prompts to save the file.

Top 10 Audacity Alternatives

In reality, Audacity for Mac is still the best for audio recording and editing, but it is not for everyone. So, even with some issues with the updated software, people will still use the application. But if you are looking for a better Audacity alternative, browse the recommended options below.

1. AnyRec Video Converter

For the best audio editing, this Audacity alternative gives the best result! AnyRec Video Converter is well-known for its multi-functional interface, providing advanced video and audio editing settings. Some of its great functions are an audio recorder, audio sync, compressor, and volume booster. AnyRec Video Converter offers a free trial version available on Windows and Mac.

2 Adobe AU

This Audacity alternative is one of Adobe’s Creative Suite products and the most popular audio editor. Adobe AU is an excellent choice for audio recording and editing, but it is also best for mixing heavy music and editing multi-track sessions and podcasts. You can easily erase background noise, add audio overlays, and clean up unwanted sounds with Adobe Audition, even in its free trial version.

Features:

• Editors enable to add chapters and album art.
• Wide range of free sound samples and effects.
• Work with other Adobe products like Pr and After Effects.
• Feature limitless multi-track design and analysis tools.

3. GarageBand

GarageBand is an outstanding Audacity alternative for Mac users, offering an easy-recording interface packed with essentials. For music recorders and pros, this app is the best way to capture audio on your computer. At the same time, it provides the easiest way to learn piano, guitar, and other musical instruments on your computer. GarageBand is initially made for entry-level music production, but it can be powerful for audio editing and recording.

Features:

• Free and fairly versatile audio app.
• Provide standard editing tools and effects.
• Great alternative for podcasts and voiceovers.
• Support fine-tuning and recording songs with digital instruments.

4. Wavosaur

Wavosaur is a free Audacity alternative for Windows which handles multi-track audio files without trouble. It supports the most popular audio formats, so it is a good choice if you always use MP3 and WAV files. Unlike other audio editing apps, Wavosaur does not have an installer, making it easier to download and launch the app. You can use this solution free of charge, but only exclusive to Windows OS.

Features:

• Support Virtual Studio Technology plug-ins.
• Excellent converting batches of audio files.
• Offer basic functions such as splicing songs.
• Open for plug-ins to add sound effects.

5. Ocenaudio

Ocenaudio is a cross-platform Audacity alternative perfect for creating music from scratch and simple audio projects. As the app focuses on simplicity, users can easily navigate the interface to apply effects, fine-tune music, increase audio volume, and use multi-track for mixing.

Features:

• Completely free to download and use on Windows, Linux, and Mac.
• Real-time preview for edited audio.
• Wide and excellent selection of filters.
• Uses spectrogram and file analysis.

6. Ardour

This Audacity alternative has the best collaboration of musicians and programmers to provide a set of functions for audio editing in Ardour. It helps mix recordings in various music genres, and compared to Adobe Au, it is easier to create and edit music.

Features:

• Easily plugin microphone for voice recording.
• Offer tools to trim, cut, split, stretch, and transpose audio.
• Easy learning curve than other audio editors.
• Smooth experience with responsive tools for any edits.

7. Reaper

Reaper is an affordable Audacity alternative for Windows and Mac. It has a complete package for all your needs, including a production tool for voiceover, vocal, and other projects. Reaper is an efficient solution that offers powerful performances and presets like effects and samples.

Features:

• Support over 200 tracks and digital instruments.
• Improve the program with free updates.
• Users can personalize with thor-parties and plugins.
• Multi-channel audio recorder and mixer with customizable UI.

8. Logic Pro

Logic Pro is Apple’s proper DAW or Digital Audio Workshop that brings excellent performance on any Mac device. The Audacity alternative for Mac makes it simpler and more enjoyable to fine-tune music without compromising editing options.

Features:

• Over 1,000 audio tracks to use as samples.
• Unlimited digital instruments and effects.
• Work well for editing audio as a hobby or professional project.
• Suitable for Mac devices with newer M1 chips.

9. Studio One

Studio One is the easiest pick for an Audacity alternative because of its mature workstation. Unlike Audacity, this audio recording software provides simple features to compose music and capture the best audio on your device without unnecessary clicks on your mouse.

Features:

• Provide chords and patterns as composition tools.
• Support live performance with features.
• Fast and smooth workflow for audio-related activities.
• Enable to rearrange menus and dialogs for customization.

10. TwistedWave Online

If you don’t want to use desktop software like the previous tools, Twisted Wave Online can also be your Audacity alternative. The browser-based tool allows you to drag and drop audio files from your local folder and finish editing them in minutes.

Features:

• Allow users to edit mono files with five minutes of length for free.
• Best for computers with low-end specifications.
• Automatically save the project when the browse is accidentally closed.
• Totally free and easy to navigate for audio editing.

FAQs about Audacity Review and Alternative

• 1. Is Audacity free?

  Yes. Audacity is a free and open-source multitrack audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac, and Linux users.

• 2. What is the drawback of Audacity?

  Some limitations of Audacity are unknown and unfixed bugs that cause instability, limited mixing features, and some aspects are not user-friendly.

• 3. Can I use an online audio editor as an Audacity alternative?

  Yes. Some recommended free online editors are VEED, Kapwing, TwistedWave, and AudioMass.

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