12 Best Voice Recording Software [2023]

Want to record your voice? We've compiled a list of the 12 best voice recording software options (free and paid). The article covers audio editors and a screen recorder for PC.

Our special pick from the table above is Movavi Screen Recorder. It is a unique video and audio capture program that is easy to use and doesn't require any special skills. You can capture your screen activities, make simple edits, save results, and share them with one of the best vocal recording software for a PC and Mac.

Best for: video calls, webinars, and other online events

OS: Windows and Mac

Price: $59.95

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 49 reviews

Taking a video and audio from your computer screen does not require extra hardware or complex programs. With Movavi Screen Recorder, you can record any screen activity and save it in various video formats. Movavi Screen Recorder is best for recording tutorial video screencasts, gameplay, or even simply a video chat with friends. With a frame rate of up to 60 frames per second, you get stunning, high-quality video. You can select one pre-set mode or personalize settings and save the result to any popular video format.

Key features

• Easily capture video chats, gameplay, and other screen activity

• Multi-device recording

• Snap and edit screenshots

• Set your click sound, capture keyboard events, and highlight the cursor

• You can store captured videos in any popular format

• SuperSpeed mode allows you to save videos in a matter of seconds

• Uploads to Google Drive or YouTube to share your creations

Pros

• Includes a webcam

• You can simultaneously or individually record screen and audio

• It saves video in HD and is compatible with multiple formats, including AVI, MP4, MOV, and MKV

• Captures and edits screenshots

• Mouse display during recording

Cons

• Recording time caps at five minutes in the trial version

Download Movavi Screen Recorder

Best for: podcasts, audiobooks, voice-overs, or music

OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: free

PCMag rating: 4 out of 5

Audacity is one of the best voice recorder software. This open-source application for audio editing and recording has gained a cultic following. There are no bells and whistles, but it works and is free. You can even edit soundbites and news stories using Audacity. Aside from recording audio directly into Audacity, you can edit within the application. You can cut, reduce noise, fade in and out, amplify, and import your audio files.

Key features

• Compatible with external microphones

• Mix, cut, and record live audio

• Pitch, reverb, noise reduction, and tempo effects

• File formats supported include WAV, AIFF, MP3, AU, FLAC, and Ogg Vorbis

Pros

• Stereo recording made easy

• An easy-to-use interface for beginners

• Effortless workflow

Cons

• GUI needs improvements

• It doesn't have a Mac version

• Improvements needed for VST integration

Download Audacity

Best for: audiophiles, music producers, music teachers, music students, voice actors, podcasts, small businesses

OS: Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android Chromebook version

Price: free for non-commercial use only

TopTenReviews rating: 3.9 out of 5

This easy-to-use application edits music, voice, and other audio recordings. For Windows and Mac, this audio editing program combines a full-featured audio and music editor. You can edit voice recordings, music, and other audio files. You can cut, copy, and paste parts of audio files and then apply effects such as echo, amplification, and noise reduction.

Key features

• Compatible with external microphones

• Easily adjust the mic volume and more

• Various editing tools, including cut, copy, paste, compression, pitch shifting, etc.

• Add echo, amplification, reverb, and noise reduction effects

• Supports WAV, MP3, VOX, GSM, and WMA

• It has a library of audio effects

Pros

• It is easy to understand, even for non-techies

• Cleaning up some bad recordings through the cleanup tools spares you from having to re-record them

• You can easily cut out sections of recordings and insert another audio piece

Cons

• WavePad only works with a single audio track. NCH offers MixPad for multi-track editing. We also use MixPad occasionally to mix background music with a voice.

Download WavePad

Best for: music producers, music teachers, voice actors, podcasts, small businesses

OS: Windows and macOS

Price: free

TrustRadius rating: 7.6 out of 10, 18 reviews

GarageBand Music Creation Studio is a complete music creation studio right on your Mac – with a comprehensive audio library including instruments, guitar and voice preset, and a massive collection of session percussionists and drummers. You can learn, play, record, create, and share your hits easily with Touch Bar features for the MacBook Pro and its intuitive, modern design. With these features, you can create music like a pro.

Key features

• Using the multi-track music sequencer, you can record multiple audio channels in one song

• The software comes with pre-set technologies that mimic various amplifiers and recording methods

• Uses a MIDI keyboard attached to your computer or your keyboard to control the software instruments

• Using software instruments, you can play synthesizers, pianos, guitars, and choral sounds

Pros

• Editing is easy since you can simply select what you want to delete and erase it

• Syncing tracks when editing is as simple as dragging them together

• You can easily insert a click track when needed

• GarageBand is intuitive, so the editing, highlighting, and cutting out parts takes minimal time

Cons

• EQing a track can be a little confusing

• Setting up MIDI should be easier

Download GarageBand

Best for: audiobook creation, digital presentation, or simple message recording

OS: Linux, Mac, Windows, and Android

Price: $50

TopTenReviews rating: 3.5 out of 5

For a "small" product, the interface is simple but deep and designed competently, attractively, and consistent with the rest of the NCH family of products, creating a pleasant user experience. This app for computers uses any microphone, integrates seamlessly with Windows, and is especially useful with Olympus Foot Switch and Express Scribe Transcriber. With RecordPad, you can record audio on your iPhone or iPad easily. When you need to record something spontaneous, 'voice activates' comes in handy.

Key features

• Records your screen, camera, and audio simultaneously

• Edit audio, video, and recorded clips simultaneously on different tracks

• Simple screen recording and video editing for everyone

• Professional tools allow you to edit recorded clips quickly

• Edit the video like a professional with plentiful templates, stickers, openers, and effects

• Multi-format export to MP4, MOV, MKV, GIF, and sharing to YouTube

• Don't lose the quality of the video when exporting

Pros

• Burning and ripping options are plentiful

• Ideal for basic recording

Cons

• File formats are minimal

Download RecordPad

Best for: podcasts, audios, interviews, and webinars, transcription work

OS: Windows, Linux with Wine, Android, iPhone/iPad

Price: 1-year license for $19, lifetime license for $59

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5, 28 reviews

With GoldWave, your computer or mobile device becomes a recording studio at your fingertips. You can do everything from recording and editing to advanced audio restoration, enhancement, and conversion. With over 25 million downloads, GoldWave is a popular, trusted program. Users find it easy to use and completely accessible. Besides English, GoldWave supports German, Spanish, French, Chinese, and more!

Key features

• You can record audio from any source, including microphones, line inputs, USB devices, and streaming

• Overwrite audio, copy, paste, mix, and replace

• Features over 100 pre-set and over 40 audio effects

• 15 real-time visuals, including spectrograms, waveforms, envelopes, and the music staff

• Support for foot pedals during playback, excellent for transcription

Pros

• With batch processing, you can perform non-destructive sound editing

Cons

• There are no media-burning tools in the program, which is typical of software of this type

Download GoldWave

Best for: professional music producer/mix engineer, songwriter

OS: Windows

Price: $89

MusicRadar rating: 4.5 out of 5

If you are not a professional musician, this singing recording software is one of your best options. There are a lot of features that require some learning and tutorial video watching before you can use them, but once you do, your creativity only limits you. Making your loops and riffs is easy with this program (you can do it with your keyboard, but it's more accessible with a MIDI controller keyboard). With its warping feature, you can add to or change music files of all types.

There aren't that many pre-made sound loops to choose from, but they are the loops and riffs you would definitely use. You can speed them up and slow them down as you please, and they sound pretty decent, just at the slightly lower sound quality.

Key features

• Multi-track recording of MIDI and audio tracks

• The Performance Panel automatically syncs audio and MIDI clips on stage or in the studio

• It contains a collection of over 7500 royalty-free loops and samples. There are twenty-one pristine-sounding virtual instruments, two new samplers, Alpha and Omni, and 57 pro audio effects

• Publish music and videos directly to YouTube, Facebook, SoundCloud, MixCloud, Vimeo, and Twitter with one click

• Easily edit video and still images

• Export your videos to a DVD or upload them to YouTube

Pros

• Very nice additions to workflow

• An extensive collection of plug-in effects

• Instruments of top quality

• A slick and user-friendly interface

• Great for recording vocals and for singing

Cons

• An initial dark impression until you get used to it

• Some instruments need updating

Download Mixcraft

Best for: professional music producer/mix engineer, songwriter

OS: Windows

Price: $29.95

TopTenReviews rating: 3 out of 5

The i-Sound technology enables you to record sound from any source, whether it's an inner or outer source, into mainstream sound configurations without requiring another circle space. A straightforward and intuitive interface makes i-Sound Recorder easy to use. It lets you record and edit soundtracks on your PC. You can measure, adjust, and alter the sound coming from MIDI, the Internet, real-time media, circles or games that are currently playing, and the receiver.

i-Sound supports MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV, and APE formats. With advanced options for date and time, span, and rehashing account events, this crucial asset is undoubtedly helpful in planning future account events. With this free voice recording software, you can make multiple sound files, change their names and boundaries, and more.

Key features

• You can record both the desktop screen and the webcam at the same time

• Professional tools for editing recorded clips

• Multiple templates and effects built-in

• Supports MP4, MOV, MKV, GIF, and other formats

Pros

• The mixer has a built-in lock that prevents switching between different software programs during a recording session

Cons

• Limited filters and effects options

Download i-Sound Recorder

Best for: DJs and home users

OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: $99.95

TopTenReviews rating: 3.3 out of 5

AV Music Morpher Gold makes editing audio and performing DJ tasks as easy as pie. Besides its famous patented vocal Remover and Extractor, this software has a brand-new virtual DJ, new Converter functionality, a multi-track recorder, editor, and many other powerful features. You can remix songs, add sound FX, adjust channels, EQ, or any of the hundreds of included studio-quality effects in the DJ module. Using the Converter module, you can convert multi-format audio files.

With version 5.0, the Morphers and Advanced modules we merged have introduced a new compact player mode. Program developers claim the application can transform any PC into a full-fledged production studio, allowing users to make funky hip-hop, DJ remixes, and pop songs.

Key features

• Converts audio data from MP3 or WMA to WAV or from OGG, APE, AIF, IRC, NIST, AU, and more

• Ripper tool

• Digital audio recorder

• Cover editor

• Adding sound effects

• Burner tool

Pros

• Features audio editing tools, including burners and rippers

• Adds sound effects to music

• Free trial version

Cons

• The free trial and regular versions have limitations until you purchase the Gold edition

Download AV Music Morpher Gold

Best for: musicians

OS: Windows. Mac, Linux

Price: free

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5, 11 reviews

Here's another free vocal recording software that's great for musicians. Ardour is more focused on enhancing recorded voice, unlike GarageBand, a complete musical workstation for both voice and music. It offers an intuitive interface with a host of features that enhance recorded audio quality. The recording window allows you to cut, stretch, or split your audio easily.

Besides multi-track recording, you can also use Ardour for audio editing. To mix audio and get creative with your recordings, you can import MIDI files and audio from the free sound database or your computer hard drive.

Key features

• Add-ons and plug-ins abound

• Records multi-tracks

• Audio editing

Pros

• Compatible with all audio engines

• Excellent MIDI capabilities

• Ripple editing

Cons

• Compared to other programs, it is less powerful

Download Ardour

Best for: budding musicians and home users

OS: Windows and macOS

Price: $299

PCMag rating: 4.5 out of 5

In the same vein as Apple's GarageBand, Avid Pro Tools is an excellent audio workstation that allows budding musicians to make their music with limited investment in musical instruments. A remarkable feature of this app is that it will enable you to create and broadcast music while recording audio.

Recording and composing are much easier with the tool's comprehensive user interface. It allows for cloud collaboration, meaning that you can now work with other artists to create music together via the Internet.

MIDI editing, musical pre-sets, loop recording, and auxiliary tracks round out the various features you can use to experiment and create amazing music.

Key features

• Non-destructive editing

• Track presets

• MIDI editor

• Input monitoring

• Sound effects

Pros

• A deep set of shortcuts and workflows

• Exceptional control over each audio clip

• The UI is excellent (especially for veterans of digital audio workstations)

Cons

• The learning curve is steep

• Inconsistent cloud projects

• Stock plug-ins are not competitive

Download Avid Pro Tools

Best for: musicians, producers, and casual users

OS: Windows

Price: free

AlternativeTo rating: 4 out of 5, 2 reviews

Zynewave Podium is a free, full-featured voice recorder program tailored to the needs of Windows users. With this powerful audio recorder, you can capture and edit sound, MIDI, and even use VST effects and instruments. You can also apply any custom sound effects you wish to your recordings. As long as you download and install this software, you can use it without registering.

Key features

• User-friendly interface

• Support different audio effects

• No registration needed

Pros

• Updates happen quickly, so you don't have to wait one year for bug fixes

• A simple piano roll

• High customization

• Hardware and software latency compensation

• Once you get used to it, it's easy to use

Cons

• It doesn't allow time-stretching

• Dithering is not an option

• There is no drag-and-drop functionality between the browser and the VST

• The audio editor is poor

Download Zynewave Podium

Many people automatically assume that freeware means "low audio recording quality." However, there are quite a few reliable programs available for free or low cost, and you can download many of them. The following can help you find your best software for recording vocals:

As a professional, there is likely to be an expectation that equipment and software are of professional quality. Research the 'pros' use and find out if the program is usually free or a business expense.

Will collaborating with someone be compatible with what you have in your studio? Compatibility is key. You can't anticipate every client's requirements. But at least knowing the industry standard can help to make a good choice when selecting software.

Unless you can use the software, it is of no value to you. The steep learning curve may just be a matter of sitting down and fiddling with it if the software company provides self-help videos or support. If those resources aren't helpful or as available as you'd expect, you might need to look for another voice recording program that meets your needs.

A good voice recording app for PC will have all the tools you need in an ideal world. Almost all recording software will do what you need, but the interfaces are often filled with bells and whistles that may be helpful or can impede your workflow.

The vocal recording software you choose is compatible not just with the operating system of your computer, but also with your microphone and other hardware.

It's all about quality! In the post-production phase, audio files need to be enhanced to some degree, and professional audio engineers know that to achieve high-quality audio, you must use proper recording techniques before editing. Software that allows you to edit your files without leaving noticeable artifacts may be right for you!

Poor ratings mean the program may not be worth your time or money. The voice-over community can offer sound advice here. The input of those who use the software daily is the most valuable. Join community forums to discover how the voice-over community addresses these very questions.