18 Best Free Audio-Recording Software [2024]

If you’re looking for the best audio-recording software for a PC, then you should consider Movavi Screen Recorder. This application is a professional audio recorder software that provides a host of features through a simple, easy-to-use interface. Once you’ve recorded your audio, you can use the app to make edits to your recording.

Key features:

• Get crisp, clear sound in your videos by reducing ambient noise and other unwanted sounds your mic picks up
• Record music, speech, and audio effects in high quality to enhance videos
• Trim and clip recordings in a snap with a built-in editor

Audacity is a multitrack audio capture software, which means it allows you to record multiple, separate audio tracks. The app is free and open-source, which means you can study the source code and even use it in your own projects. It also allows you to create your own plugin effects, though you can always just use the tools included.

Key features:

• Record external or system audio

• Apply effects onto recorded audio

• Read and use the source code

Ableton Live is one of the best audio-recording software for many professional musicians. It’s a powerful tool that lets you record, edit, and play audio, which is perfect for people interested in creating and performing music or other forms of live audio.

Key features:

• Record multiple takes and choose your favorite

• Wide range of tools to edit and add effects to your audio

• Play audio recordings while you perform live

GarageBand is one of the most famous audio-recording programs available. With a smooth, professional interface, the app lets you easily record and edit audio. If you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, you’ll enjoy how the app syncs between versions on a Mac laptop or desktop, iPad, and iPhone.

Key features: 

• iCloud sync lets you work on multiple devices on the go

• Easily export audio to your Music app

• Multiple tools to help record and edit audio

WavePad is one of the best audio-recording software that works on a range of devices, from Windows and Mac desktop computers to Chromebook laptops to mobile phones. The interface is basic and easy to use and allows you to edit your recorded audio in a number of ways, from simple splitting and trimming to more complex processes like amplification and equalization.

Key features:

• Range of audio-editing tools

• Edit multiple audio files simultaneously

• Add effects to your audio

• Remove unwanted sounds

Ardour is a powerful open-source audio capture software available on a number of operating systems. This app is aimed at industry professionals, from producers recording live music to composers to podcasters and beyond. While it’s not a tool for beginners, if you know what you’re doing, you’ll enjoy having a range of professional tools at your fingertips.

Key features:

• Video import and audio extraction tool

• Source code is available to view and use

• Ability to record non-destructively or destructively

• Wide range of audio-editing tools, effects, and plugins

Ocenaudio is an easy-to-use audio-editing tool available on all major platforms. It prioritizes simplicity and speed, which means it might have fewer editing tools than other applications but should be less likely to run slower or crash.

Key features:

• Based on the Ocen Framework library

• Tasks that take time are run in the background, keeping the app responsive while editing audio

• Select, listen to, and edit multiple portions of an audio track at the same time

• View recorded audio files as spectrograms

If you’re a budding podcaster that uses Windows 11, then AudioDirector might be the best audio-recording software for you. It’s been built specifically to optimize voice recordings and comes with a powerful suite of tools to achieve just that.

Key features:

• Enhance voice recordings with artificial intelligence

• Remove unwanted sounds from recorded audio

• Quickly apply edits made on one audio file to others

• Add music and sound effects to your recorded audio

Adobe^® Audition^® is a multitrack audio-recording and editing application that comes with Adobe^® Creative Cloud^® suite of apps. While the powerful set of tools in the app let you create, record, and edit audio, Adobe^® Audition^® really shines when used with other apps in the Creative Cloud^® suite, like Premiere^® Pro.

Key features:

• Multiple ways to view audio tracks

• Good at cleaning and restoring recorded audio

• Integrated with other Adobe applications like Premiere^® Pro

If you’re someone who loves recording audio but hates being stuck in a studio, then GoldWave might be the best audio-recording software. This application turns your laptop into a professional audio-recording studio.

Key features:

• Customize keyboard shortcuts

• Process, convert, and edit large numbers of audio files in one go

• Visualize audio in different ways while analyzing and editing

• Record audio from different sources, including unusual ones like cassette decks or turntables

• Take out vocals from a song

If you use an Apple laptop or desktop and are looking for the best audio-recording software, you might want to consider Audio Hijack. The app is designed to capture computer audio, be it from apps, web browsers, or calls.

Key features:

• Capture computer audio from applications, calls, web streams, and other sources

• Increase the volume of audio

• Quickly tweak recorded audio and export it to a different app for further processing

• Broadcast your audio live to internet radio services worldwide

• Route audio to servers for livestreams

Wavosaur might be the right audio capture software for people who really are just looking for the basics. Made by a tiny team, the app is completely free. While it only offers a few basic features, it aims to do the basics well.

Key features:

• Basic audio-editing and processing tools

• Install and use VST plugin effects

• Create and export audio loops

RecordPad is a basic PC audio-recording software. The app has a range of tools that help streamline professional audio recording, but it lacks any editing capabilities.

Key features:

• Record and export audio

• Voice activation allows you to only record when someone is speaking

• Keyboard shortcuts that still work while you use other programs

• Can integrate with other programs

If you want to start a podcast but don’t have a studio and would prefer not to download bulky software, then Riverside.fm might just be the audio-recording solution for you. With this tool, you’ll be able to host, record, and share professional video and audio podcasts and interviews, all in your browser or on the mobile app.

Key features:

• Records audio and video locally for each participant

• Uploads audio and video while recording

• Video and audio tracks are kept separate

• Transcribe audio with artificial intelligence, with support for dozens of languages

• Simple audio- and video-editing tools

Zynewave Podium is a digital audio workstation only available on Windows computers. With this app, you’ll be able to record audio, including from USB instruments, and edit it.

Key features:

• Plug instruments into your laptop or PC via USB and record

• A range of freeware plugins that can enhance your recording and editing capabilities

• The ability to split the app into multiple windows

If you want to record voice notes, check out Lucky Recorder. With a simple, easy-to-use user interface, even technophobes will be able to record and share simple audio recordings in no time.

Key features:

• Record and share audio recordings

• Playback audio recordings

Reaper is a powerful, compact audio-recording software that puts the power in your hands. It comes with all the audio-editing tools you’d expect from professional software, but is efficient enough to be installed on and run from a portable USB drive or a network drive. You can even expand and improve the app if you have the technological ability to do so.

Key features:

• Supports a wide variety of external and digital devices and plugins

• Can be modified and improved by those with know-how

• Powerful suite of professional audio-editing tools

Sound Forge Audio Studio is an audio recording, editing, and mastering software used by top professionals in the podcast and voice-over industry. The app is designed to be simple and easy to use, prioritizing a smooth experience while recording.

Key features:

• Separate recording control panel

• Multiple channels

• Create specific, complex actions that can then be executed with one click

• Edit in and for surround sound