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Best Free Alternatives to Adobe Audition
Stop paying $22.99/mo. Discover professional-grade tools that won't break your budget.
Category: Audio EditingVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
Reaper
FREEBest Overall Professional Alternative
Why we like it
Extremely lightweight and fast; fully customizable; supports unlimited tracks and VST3 plugins; DRM-free with a single license for all your machines.
Keep in mind
The interface is utilitarian and requires a 'setup' period to match your workflow preferences.
Audacity
FREEBest for Simple Waveform Edits
Why we like it
Industry-standard free tool; now supports non-destructive editing and real-time VST effects; massive community library for tutorials.
Keep in mind
UI is dated; multitrack capabilities are less fluid than Audition or Reaper.
Tenacity
FREEBest Privacy-Focused Audacity Fork
Why we like it
A fork of Audacity that removes all telemetry and networking; cleaner UI; preserves the classic workflow without privacy concerns.
Keep in mind
Slower development cycle than the main Audacity project.
DaVinci Resolve (Fairlight)
FREEBest for Audio-to-Video Post-Production
Why we like it
Professional-grade mixing and mastering engine built into a free video editor; advanced 'ADR' tools; world-class 3D audio support.
Keep in mind
Very heavy system requirements; excessive if you only need to edit a basic podcast.
Descript
FREEBest AI-Native Podcast Editor
Why we like it
Edit audio by editing text; 'Studio Sound' AI removes background noise and improves mic quality instantly; includes 'Overdub' voice cloning.
Keep in mind
Subscription-based; focuses on speech rather than complex sound design or music.
Ocenaudio
FREEBest Lightweight Modern Editor
Why we like it
Incredibly fast even with large files; real-time preview of effects; very clean, modern interface compared to Audacity.
Keep in mind
Lacks the complex multitrack session management found in Audition.
Ardour
FREEBest Open Source Professional DAW
Why we like it
Full-featured professional workstation; excellent for recording, mixing, and mastering; supports advanced video-sync workflows.
Keep in mind
The ready-to-run installer requires a small donation; very technical interface.
Hindenburg Journalist
Best for Radio & Journalists
Why we like it
Built specifically for voice and storytelling; 'Auto Level' feature ensures consistent loudness without manual compression.
Keep in mind
Limited creative effects for anything other than broadcast and spoken word.
Auphonic
FREEBest AI Sound Engineer
Why we like it
Web-based; automatically handles leveling, normalization, and noise reduction; brilliant for 'fire and forget' podcast mastering.
Keep in mind
Limited manual control; not an editor in the traditional sense (mostly for processing).
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