Ardour vs Reaper

Struggling to choose between Ardour and Reaper? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Ardour is a Audio & Music solution with tags like recording, editing, mixing, audio, midi.

It boasts features such as Multi-track recording, Non-linear editing, Unlimited audio tracks and busses, VST plugin support, MIDI recording and editing, Mixing and mastering tools and pros including Free and open source, Powerful features rivaling paid DAWs, Cross-platform - runs on Linux, macOS and Windows, Constantly updated and improved.

On the other hand, Reaper is a Audio & Music product tagged with audio-editing, midi-sequencing, multitrack-recording, mixing, mastering.

Its standout features include Multi-track audio and MIDI recording and editing, Supports VST, AU, DX and JS plug-ins, Customizable interface and shortcuts, Powerful routing and bussing options, Time stretching, pitch shifting and audio quantization, Automation for volume, pan, plugins and more, Supports surround sound mixing, ReaScript for creating custom actions, Theme support for customizing the look, and it shines with pros like Very flexible and customizable, Great value for money, Regular updates and active development, Lightweight and low resource usage, Excellent community and documentation.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Ardour

Ardour

Ardour is an open source digital audio workstation for recording, editing, and mixing audio and MIDI. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows and provides a flexible and powerful multi-track audio and MIDI environment.

Categories:
recording editing mixing audio midi

Ardour Features

  1. Multi-track recording
  2. Non-linear editing
  3. Unlimited audio tracks and busses
  4. VST plugin support
  5. MIDI recording and editing
  6. Mixing and mastering tools

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Powerful features rivaling paid DAWs

Cross-platform - runs on Linux, macOS and Windows

Constantly updated and improved

Cons

Steep learning curve

Limited native instruments and effects

No notation or score editing


Reaper

Reaper

Reaper is a digital audio workstation and MIDI sequencer software for Windows, Mac and Linux. It has a fully featured interface for multi-track audio and MIDI recording, editing and mixing. Reaper is known for its flexibility, customization and value.

Categories:
audio-editing midi-sequencing multitrack-recording mixing mastering

Reaper Features

  1. Multi-track audio and MIDI recording and editing
  2. Supports VST, AU, DX and JS plug-ins
  3. Customizable interface and shortcuts
  4. Powerful routing and bussing options
  5. Time stretching, pitch shifting and audio quantization
  6. Automation for volume, pan, plugins and more
  7. Supports surround sound mixing
  8. ReaScript for creating custom actions
  9. Theme support for customizing the look

Pricing

  • Free Trial
  • One-time Purchase

Pros

Very flexible and customizable

Great value for money

Regular updates and active development

Lightweight and low resource usage

Excellent community and documentation

Cons

Can be overwhelming for new users

Not as beginner friendly as some DAWs

Limited included instruments and effects