Best Digital Audio Workstations for Linux in 2026

The ranking

1. 1
   

   REAPER

   A full DAW with a 60-day evaluation, a DRM-free license and builds for Windows, Linux and macOS. The interface is plain by default and offers less guidance than consumer DAWs.

   Best for Low-cost recording on every desktop

   WindowsLinuxmacOS·Paid

   90.5of 100

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2. 2
   

   Bitwig Studio

   An electronic music DAW that runs on macOS, Windows and Linux. Its Essentials tier lists 51 instruments and effects, and the paid tiers are Studio, Producer and Essentials, with a free trial.

   Best for Electronic sound design on Linux

   macOSWindowsLinux·Paid

   86.5of 100

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3. 3
   

   Ardour

   A free, GPL v2 DAW for Linux, macOS and Windows with MIDI editing and plug-in hosting. Its interface takes time to learn, and it is less focused on electronic music than FL Studio.

   Best for Free multitrack recording on Linux

   LinuxmacOSWindows·Free and open source·Open source

   80.0of 100

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4. 4
   

   LMMS

   Free, open-source DAW under GPL-2.0 with a piano roll, 16 built-in synths and SoundFont support, on Linux, Windows and macOS. Its support is community-run, and it has less commercial plugin depth than the paid DAWs above it.

   Best for Free open-source beat making and synths

   WindowsmacOSLinux·Free and open source·Open source

   74.0of 100

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5. 5
   

   Waveform Free

   The free edition of Tracktion's Waveform software for Mac, PC and Linux, with a free download and training videos. The paid Waveform Pro edition and the content sold on the same site go further.

   Best for Free audio software on Mac, PC and Linux

   WindowsmacOSLinux·Free plan, paid upgrades

   70.5of 100

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