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12 Best Free Audio Editing Software for Beginners in 2023

Last Updated on May. 19, 2023 – by David Morgan
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3 Best Free Audio Editing Software

Some artists dish out hundreds or even thousands of dollars to hire a sound engineer and recording studio to get professional-level audio. But what if we told you anyone who has access to a computer can create high-quality audio content from the comfort of their home without paying a dime?

While it is true that high-ticket packages can be worth the price, there are many free audio editing software that are surprisingly feature-packed. They also come with the bonus of being beginner-friendly and much easier to use. 

However, not all free audio editors are created equal, and there's no shortage of options. That's why we've put together this quick guide to the best free audio editing software today.

Snapshot of the Top 3 Free Audio Editing Software

AudioDirector Logo

1. AudioDirector - Best Overall

AudioDirector is the overall best free audio editing software. Record music, audio, or sound effects, then mix, edit, restore, and produce in one high-quality package. AudioDirector is easy enough for a novice to edit audio but robust enough for more seasoned veterans. Detailed Review >

MyEdit Logo

2. MyEdit - Best Online Editor for Basic Edits

MyEdit is an online free audio editor that anyone can use to edit audio quickly. It includes a few necessary and powerful audio editing features like vocal, wind, and background noise removal, a voice changer, a trimmer, and a BPM finder. Detailed Review >

Acon Digital Acoustica Logo

3. Acon Digital Acoustica - Best for Splitting Audio

Acoustica from Acon Digital is a free audio editing software with exceptional restoration tools for dialogue. It allows you to split your audio mix up to 5 times and edit the stems independently. Detailed Review >

How to Choose the Best Free Audio Editing Software

There are many different reasons you may need to edit audio, and not all the options on our list will suit your needs. Here are some things to look for when choosing the right free audio editing software for you.

Ease of Use 

While all the free audio editors on our list are appropriate for beginners, some are simpler than others. Some are for beginners hoping to become professional audio editors or music producers. They are pared-down and no-cost versions of professional software that would be too complex for someone who just wants to clean up some dialogue. Others have quick and simple tools, so even first-time users can jump in and edit audio right away. In each of our reviews, we lay out exactly how easy (or not) each free audio editor is going to be for most beginners. 

Tracks 

It is important to know how many tracks you think you will need when you edit audio. The free audio editing software on our list ranges from a single track to unlimited tracks. If you edit audio for a single speaker, such as an audiobook or sermon, then one track will suffice. However, if you are editing a music recording with instruments, or a podcast with multiple guests, you will require more tracks. 

Audio Restoration Tools

Unless you had access to a professional recording studio, chances are your audio will need some help. We highly recommend choosing a free audio editor with audio restoration tools, especially if you didn’t record in a sound-proof environment. These tools can eliminate wind, background voices, sirens, airplanes, and even bird sounds from your recordings. They can also clean up audio by removing plosives, hisses, hums, and more that can occur even in a professional setting. 

Compatibility

We always recommend checking the System Requirements of any free audio editing software before attempting to use it. Our reviews will let you know if the program works on Windows, Mac, Linux, or online, but sometimes a specific version of your OS is required, and some of the online tools only work in certain browsers. Some free audio editing software require a large amount of computer space, or even additional hardware to work properly. 

12 Best Free Audio Editing Software for Beginners in 2023

1. AudioDirector - Best Overall

AudioDirector Interface

Compatibility: Windows

TechRadar Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 5/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $4.33/month

Key Features:

    • AI Wind Removal: Remove destructive background noises
    • AI De-Reverb: Adjust echo and reverb 
    • EQ Match: Create templates from your average frequencies to apply to other recordings
    • AI Speech Enhancement: Automatically enhance speech and clean up audio

Who It’s For

AudioDirector is a multi-track audio recorder, editor, and mixer for Windows. It's a virtual Swiss army knife for audio production, making it our #1 pick for the best free audio editing software. With AudioDirector, you can restore poorly recorded tracks from noisy video shoots. This free audio editor has full integration with PowerDirector, PC Mag Editor’s Choice for the best video editing software of 2023. Using the 2 programs, you can sound design films and create industry-standard foley sound effects and voiceovers. It’s an excellent way for filmmakers, podcasters, and YouTubers to edit audio.

Why We Picked It 

Even with little to no experience in audio editing, you won't have trouble recording, cutting, trimming, or applying special effects. You can import one video file and up to a hundred audio files to the editing timeline. Creating a final mix is a straightforward process, and you'll have all the needed formats to choose from when exporting your mastered tracks.

Bottom Line 

AudioDirector also comes with a vocal balance and removal tool to extract vocals or instrumentals from any song. It's perfect for creating your own cover, parody, or karaoke tracks for your next house party. This free audio editing software has all the audio editing tools a professional needs for sound recording, editing, mixing, and restoring in a beginner-friendly package. 

Pros
  • Beginner-Friendly: AI tools and an intuitive user interface make it easy enough for first-time users
  • PowerDirector Integration: Edit soundtracks and create sound effects for videos
  • Royalty-Free Background Music: Access to an extensive sound clip library
Cons
  • Only on Windows: Unlike PowerDirector, Mac users cannot use this free audio editor 

Download AudioDirector, our #1 pick for the best free audio editing software today.


2. MyEdit - Best Online Editor for Basic Edits

MyEdit Interface

Compatibility: Web Browser

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4.5/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

  1. Audio Trimmer: Cut and trim audio files right in your browser. Quickly make custom ringtones or edit MP3 music.
  2. BPM Finder: Automatically find the tempo of any music track in seconds with the AI-based BPM detector.
  3. Voice Changer: Choose a voice effect like robot, man, child, or duck, then adjust the pitch 
  4. Vocal Remover: Remove the vocals from your favorite tracks to create a karaoke version 
  5. Noise Gate: Eliminate distracting background noises from your recordings

Who It’s For

MyEdit is a web-based audio editor that requires no installation and doesn’t leave a footprint on your computer. It is the best free audio editing software if you have small files that need quick edits, such as trimming clips or removing background noise. It offers one-click AI-powered tools and includes only the most necessary audio editing features, making it a great choice for first-time users. 

Why We Picked It 

When visiting the website, you will be greeted by a user-friendly interface allowing you to perform various sound editing tasks. These include a voice changer, BPM finder, audio trimming, and vocal removal. There are also restoration tools like wind removal and noise gate. 

Bottom Line 

All you have to do is upload your audio file, make your edits, and download your altered track. The one drawback to this free audio editor is its file size limit. You can only upload files smaller than 100MB and shorter than 10 minutes. However, if you need to make quick edits to short sound files, there isn’t a better option than MyEdit

Pros
  • Easy to Use - No installation, a user-friendly interface, and automatic edits
  • AI Tools: Powerful and accurate tools you can apply with one click 
Cons
  • File Size Limits: Files need to be less than 100MB and 10 minutes max

Give it a try now!

MyEdit Secure Link

3. Acon Digital Acoustica - Best for Splitting Audio

Acoustica Interface

Image from acondigital.

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

TechRadar Rating: 4.5/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4.3/5

Price: 30-day free trial, then $59.90 for Standard, $199.90 for Premium, and $299.90 for Post Production Suite

Key Features:

  1. Caption Editor: Create and edit captions for videos 
  2. Processing Tools: Time stretching, pitch shifting, sample rate conversion, etc.
  3. Analysis Tools: Spectrum, spectrogram, and wavelet analysis available

Who It’s For

Acoustica from Acon Digital is a free audio editing software and post-production tool. Its Remix feature can split a mix into 5 stems, so you can edit them independently. It also uses machine learning tools to separate distracting sounds from dialogue. These tools include DeBuzz, DeRustle, DeWind, DeClick, DePlosive, and even DeBird, which removes bird sounds from your audio. If you are a podcaster or VO artist, these tools can work wonders for your recordings.  

Why We Picked It 

This free audio editor offers non-destructive, multitrack drag-and-drop audio editing, with an unlimited number of undo and redo levels. You can fade in/fade out with 5 different curves, and batch-process audio files. We found it had some helpful tools for CD creation, including a Cleaning Wizard that helps make the LP/Tape to CD transfer a smooth process, supports buffer underrun protection, and saves/loads CD projects for further editing. 

Bottom Line 

Acoustica is a great way for professionals or beginners to edit audio for music, VO, podcasts, films - you name it. However, it does not have a dedicated free version, only a free trial. And while the price for the Standard edition is affordable compared to other audio editing software of this standard, most of its fantastic audio restoration tools and spectral editing are saved for the Premium version. 

Pros
  • Plug-In Support: Works with all common plug-in formats
  • Flexible UI: Set up your workstation how you want it 
  • Powerful Dialogue Restoration: Deep learning tools can remove unwanted sounds 
Cons
  • No Free Version: Only a free trial
  • Not Always Accurate: We found some of the restoration tools took trial-and-error and manual tweaking to get right 

4. WavePad Audio Editing Software - Best for Effects

WavePad Interface

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

TechRadar Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4.5/5

Price: Free
*Premium versions available for $80 for Standard Edition and $139 for Home Edition 

Key Features:

  1. Batch Processing: Edit multiple audio files simultaneously
  2. Audio Restoration Tools: Noise reduction and pop removal  
  3. Precise & Quick Audio Editing: Scrub, search, and bookmark audio clips

Who It’s For

Based on our testing, WavePad is the best free audio editing software for audio effects. If you are a beginner who wants to try out different audio effects, you’ll love WavePad’s extensive toolbox,  including amplify, normalize, equalize, envelope, echo, reverb, reverse, and more. All the effects are easy to use and quickly applied. WavePad also has a voice changer and text-to-speech options. 

Why We Picked It 

WavePad has many audio editing tools such as cut, copy, paste, delete, insert, silence, auto-trim, compression, and pitch shifting. We like the royalty-free sound effects, music library, and tool that allows you to create ringtones from your music files and recordings. 

Bottom Line 

Like AudioDirector, WavePad Audio Editing Software is packed with great features for a wide range of users. It is especially great for novices who have never used free audio editing software because it is so easy to use. However, WavePad has a few drawbacks such as prolonged rendering times and no mixer.

Pros
  • Free Advanced Tools: Pro-Level audio editing tools available in the free version 
  • Wide Format Support: Over 50 audio formats supported 
Cons
  • No Sound Mixer: Mixing requires MixPad Multi-Track Audio Mixer purchase
  • Slow Rendering: You may have to wait when applying effects 

5. GarageBand - Best for Editing Music

GarageBand Interface

Compatibility: Mac

G2 Rating: 4.3/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

  1. Transform Pad Smart Control: Adjust sounds to your liking 
  2. Audio Effects: Built-In effects like compression and visual EQ, plus plug-in support for additional effects
  3. Stereo Panning: Move your audio between right and left channels

Who It’s For

Apple’s GarageBand is an excellent free audio editing software for those who want to quickly create and share music. It has a large instrument sound library and more than 255 audio tracks so you can re-create the sounds of a full orchestra with no instruments. Easily organize multiple takes for easy editing.   

Why We Picked It 

We found that you can use the free Logic Remote app on your iPhone or iPad to control the free audio editor from across the room. GarageBand has simple tools to edit audio as well as some advanced features, such as Flex Time which allows you to drag out-of-time notes into place.

Bottom Line 

GarageBand is a quick yet robust free audio editing software. It has tons of music options and third-party plug-in support. However, it lacks the quality sound you would get with more professional software. It’s also slightly harder to learn than our first four offerings.

Pros
  • Professional Interface: The interface is very similar to professional multitrack software, making it a great learning tool for beginners hoping to advance their skills
  • Built-In Lessons: Learn piano or guitar for free from the app, including 20 lessons from famous artists 
Cons
  • No Mixing Console View: Hard to see all audio sources at once for precise mixing 
  • Slight Learning Curve: Still meant for beginners, but will take longer to learn than other free audio editors on our list 

6. OcenAudio - Best for Editing Speech

OcenAudio Interface

Image from Software Advice.

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Capterra Rating: 4.3/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

  1. Multi-Selection Tool: Select different parts of an audio clip and edit them simultaneously 
  2. Waveform & Spectrogram Views: Analyze spectral content and sound waves with precision 
  3. Noise Reduction: Remove background noises or lower background music using automatic or manual controls

Who It’s For

OcenAudio is a multitrack free audio editor with a wide range of features for content creators. You can edit the audio from videos or podcasts with speech enhancement and restoration tools. It also handles large files with ease, so an hour-long podcast would be no problem. We think it is one of the best free audio editing software for beginners because it is incredibly simple to use and has a clean interface. 

Why We Picked It 

A popular feature of OcenAudio is that it allows you to preview your sound effects in real time. When you edit audio, you can adjust the playback parameters from the timeline without modifying your original audio file. That allows you to quickly and easily try out different effects until you find the one that works best for your project.

Bottom Line 

With the OcenAudio interface, you can import files from cloud servers or your local storage while using keyboard shortcuts to save time when you edit audio. This free audio editor lacks multitrack editing and other advanced features found in AudioDirector or Audacity. However, Audacity users will find it has a much cleaner and more appealing interface. 

Pros
  • Advanced Memory Management: Work with large files without slowing your computer 
  • Supports VST Plug-Ins: Gives users access to even more effects 
Cons
  • Not Updated Regularly: Users have to wait a long time to get updated features
  • Only supports Mono files: No stereo panning 

7. Auphonic - Best AI Tools

Auphonic Interface

Compatibility: Web Browser

Cuspera Rating: 4.1/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free for up to 2 hours of audio processing per month
*Monthly plans available by the hour ($11/month for 9 hours, $24/month for 21 hours, and so on)

Key Features:

  1. Adaptive Noise Gates: Decrease crosstalk, reverb, and background noise
  2. Detailed Transcripts: Uses OpenAI to create speech-to-text transcripts that differentiate between speakers
  3. Filtering: You can set your lowest wanted sound signals and it will filter out everything under that bar

Who It’s For

Auphonic is free audio editing software for beginners or busy editors who need a fast solution. It comes loaded with AI tools so you can edit audio quickly, with no prior experience. Utilize auto speech recognition and transcription in over 80 languages, or use AI denoising algorithms to reduce background noise and eliminate hum. Auphonic is for speech only, and we recommend it for podcasts, sermons, audiobooks, and videos. 

Why We Picked It 

This free audio editor uses an intelligent leveler to automatically balance levels for different speakers, and adjust the volume of background music. It processes multiple tracks at once, including recordings from different microphones, phone calls, or video chats. Auphonic includes a Global Loudness Normalizer and True Peak Limiter so you can pass admission criteria for your favorite platforms. 

Bottom Line

Auphonic’s automated features will appeal to beginners, but experienced users may want to edit audio with more control. These users may prefer an AI-powered free audio editor like AudioDirector that also features manual controls for additional tweaking. We also found that although Auphonic works wonders with loudness control and balance, its AI tools did little to enhance low-quality audio, and in many cases only made it worse. 

Pros
  • Beginner-Friendly: Automatic audio editing that is easy for beginners
  • Direct Uploads: Automatically publish your results with metadata tags and cover images to multiple platforms such as YouTube, PodBean, and Facebook
Cons
  • Monthly Credits Don’t Roll Over: If you don’t need to use your purchased credits, they will disappear at the end of the month
  • Difficulties with Low-Quality Audio: If you recorded lossy audio, try a different free audio editor

8. Audacity - Best for Big Projects

Audacity Interface

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

PCMag Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3.5/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

  1. High-Quality Processing: Supports 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit audio processing
  2. Effects Plug-Ins: Support for LADSPA, LV2, Nyquist, VST and Audio Unit plug-ins
  3. Automatic Ducking: Automatically lowers background music track when dialogue begins

Who It’s For

During our testing, we found Audacity to be one of the best free audio editing software for big audio projects. The program is extremely lightweight, so it can handle long audio recordings such as an audiobook or hours-long podcast without crashing (and if it does crash, the automatic crash recovery tool is there to save your bacon). We recommend it for advanced users on a budget who want a powerful free tool for professional projects. 

Why We Picked It 

This free audio editing software includes unlimited audio tracks, restoration tools, batch processing, spectral/spectrogram views, and audio effects like reverb and distortion. You can also edit audio with basic tools such as cut, copy, paste, and delete. 

Bottom Line

In the past, we’ve reviewed Audacity as beginner-friendly, but lacking advanced tools. We’ve also admonished it for its destructive editing and lack of real-time effects processing. Much has changed in the last few updates. Not only does it offer nondestructive editing and real-time processing, but it has also streamlined its once-cluttered UI. This free audio editing software is looking more and more like a professional DAW every day, but there is a catch. We would no longer refer to it as “beginner-friendly.” Yes, it’s a good tool for beginners hoping to learn audio editing, simply because of its free price point. But those beginners should be prepared to spend some time learning how to use it. 

Pros
  • Worry-Free Editing: Auto crash recovery, unlimited undo/redo, non-destructive editing, and real-time effects processing have your projects protected on all fronts
  • Lightweight: Low system requirements; works on old computers
Cons
  • Learning Curve: One of the more difficult free audio editors on our list
  • Lacking in Format Support: Missing support for some popular audio formats, and does not support MP3 on Macs

9. Ashampoo Music Studio - Best for CD Creation

Ashampoo Interface

Image from Ashampoo Music Studio.

TechRadar Rating: 3.5/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free
*Premium version available for $40

Key Features:

  1. Audio Mixer: Use tempo analysis and smart synchronization to easily mix tracks
  2. Split By Pause Tool: Seach for pauses and split audio into smaller parts to edit audiobooks and podcasts
  3. Audio Converter: Select frequency and bitrate or choose a preset format 

Who It’s For

Ashampoo Music Studio is a comprehensive program for managing and editing your audio files. It is the best free audio editing software for making CDs. With Ashampoo, you can design CD labels, rip and burn discs, and create mixtapes or playlists. 

Why We Picked It 

Unlike the other free audio editing software in this guide, you can also use Ashampoo Music Studio to play and organize audio files. You can edit file metadata tags and extract audio tracks from a video file using this free audio editor. 

Bottom Line 

Audio producers will mainly use the Modify and Record features, but the other features can also be helpful. If you are a hobbyist or your audio editing needs are relatively straightforward, Ashampoo Music Studio is a viable choice. But for professional-sounding results, something more comprehensive such as our top choice for best free audio editing software, AudioDirector, may be necessary. 

Pros
  • User-Friendly Interface: Pleasing interface with easy-to-find tools and customizable color themes
  • Robust File Management: Tag and organize files by various parameters to streamline workflow
Cons
  • Few Editing Features: Lacks audio editing tools found in other free audio editors
  • Limited Format Support: Missing some popular formats such as AIFF

10. Audiotool - Best for Artist Collaboration

Audiotool Interface

Image from Chrome Web Store.

Compatibility: Web Browser

G2 Rating: 4.3/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

  1. Audio Effects: 28 unique effects including MIDI effects
  2. Multiple Synthesizers: Including Bassline, Space, Tone Matrix, and more
  3. Stomp Box Collection: 13 different effects laid out like stomp boxes 

Who It’s For

If you are making and producing music on a budget, Audiotool could be the free audio editor for you! It is our pick for the best free audio editing software for artist collaboration. This is because Audiotool was built to connect artists and allow collaboration in real-time. Invite other producers to your online studio and work simultaneously on projects. There’s a built-in publishing platform so you can release your work and get instant feedback. If you need inspiration, you can listen to over 1 million songs on Audiotool for free and even reach out to the artists to use their samples in your projects. This free audio editing software also offers video and audio text chat to help whenever you need it.

Why We Picked It 

This online free audio editing software is a good tool for mixing and sampling music tracks. There are more than 200K presets for synthesizers and effects, a library of user-created samples, and tons of virtual instruments. There are also editing tools to chop, route, split, and merge different tracks. 

Bottom Line 

Audiotool is a fantastic social platform for artist collaboration and creativity. If you are a beginner and want to get into music production, it can be a helpful tool. However, it has a confusing interface and will take time to learn. It is also very resource intensive and crashes quite easily.  

Pros
  • Cloud Storage: Access your tracks from anywhere and on any device
  • Connects Artists: Great free audio editor for meeting and collaborating with other artists
Cons
  • Learning Curve: Confusing interface takes time to learn 
  • CPU-Intensive: Uses a lot of computer resources to work and crashes frequently

11. Avid Pro Tools Intro - Best for Aspiring Professionals

Avid Pro Tools Intro Interface

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

TechRadar Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscriptions available for $99/year for Artist, $299/year for Studio, and $599/year for Ultimate

Key Features:

  1. 36 Plug-Ins Included: Including virtual instruments, loops, reverb, delay, and many more
  2. Third-Party Hardware Support: Any Core Audio, ASIO, or WASAPI-compatible interface
  3. Multitrack Editing: 8 audio tracks, 8 MIDI tracks, and 8 instrument tracks

Who It’s For

Avid Pro Tools is often considered the industry standard for music production. Future music producers now have the opportunity to learn Pro Tools on a pared-back and completely free version of the software. Not only do we recommend it for beginners who want to learn professional software, but also for professionals looking for a free audio editor. In fact, if your Pro Tools subscription lapses, it will default to Pro Tools Intro so you can continue using familiar tools for no charge. 

Why We Picked It 

You can edit audio in countless ways with precision and endless flexibility with this free audio editing software. Fix, enhance, tweak, and mix audio and MIDI files with the same GRAMMY-winning tools used by pros. 

Bottom Line 

If you don’t need endless audio tracks or surround sound, then Avid Pro Tools Intro should more than cover your audio editing needs. However, as you’d expect from something so close to professional software, there is a learning curve and high system requirements. Anyone looking for a quick and easy free audio editor should look elsewhere. But those hoping to enter the business of music production or feature film sound editing should take the time to learn. 

Pros
  • Professional Software: Only slightly pared-back from the industry standard DAW
  • Multi-Functional: Useful to edit audio for music and videos
Cons
  • High System Requirements: Needs a lot of available installation space and RAM to function; may require additional hardware or dual-screen computer
  • Learning Curve: Beginners will need ample time to get comfortable using this free audio editing software

12. AudioMass - Best Waveform Editor

AudioMass Interface

Compatibility: Web Browser

Cyberg Rating: 3/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

  1. Spectrum Analyzer: Measure and display signal strength, or switch to frequency view
  2. Fade Tools: Fade in or fade out of intros, outros, and background music
  3. Insert/Remove Silences: Automatically add silence when you need a natural pause or eliminate long silences with the click of a button 

Who It’s For

AudioMass is an open-source, free audio editing software found online. We like it best as a waveform editor, because we could zoom in extremely close on our audio waveform, and had the option to view it horizontally or vertically. You can also apply effects to only a section of your waveform. AudioMass is a quick and free audio editor for beginners and short audio projects. 

Why We Picked It 

This free audio editing software has zero learning curve. We clicked on the site for the first time and began to edit audio in seconds. AudioMass has tempo and rhythm tools, audio effects like distortion, delay, reverse, and reverb, and basic tools such as compressing, trimming, cutting, and copying audio files. 

Bottom Line

AudioMass is perfect for beginners to edit audio for short projects. However, it lacks music production tools and would not do for professionals or complex edits. Our #1 free audio editing software, AudioDirector, is a better choice since it offers similar ease of use, but greater functionality.  

Pros
  • Fast: Visit the site and edit audio right away with no signup or installation; 20 hotkeys exist for even faster editing 
  • Intuitive UI: Clean and pleasing interface, and everything is where it should be 
Cons
  • Poor Export Options: Only exports mp3 and wav formats
  • Limited Functionality: Not for professional use, music creation, or long audio files 

Best Free Audio Editing Software Comparison Chart

Software OS Beginner-friendly Audio Restoration Tools Multi-Track Editing Regular Updates Free Download
AudioDirector Windows Yes AI restoration tools like wind removal, reduce noise, plosive removal, hiss and hum removal, distortion removal and contour dialogue Yes Yes, monthly
Free Download
Secure Download
MyEdit Web Browser Yes Wind removal, vocal removal, background noise removal No Yes Download
Acon Digital Acoustica Windows, Mac Yes DeBuzz, DeRustle, DeWind, DeClick, DePlosive, and DeBird Yes Yes Download
WavePad Audio Editing Software Windows, Mac Yes Noise reduction and pop/click removal No Yes Download
GarageBand Mac No None Yes No Download
OcenAudio Windows, Mac, Linux Yes None No No Download
Auphonic Web Browser Yes Noise reduction, de-esser Yes Yes Download
Audacity Windows, Mac, Linux No Noise removal and repair only through plug-ins Yes Yes Download
Ashampoo Music Studio Windows Yes None No Yes Download
Audiotool Windows, Mac, Linux Yes None Yes Yes Download
Avid Pro Tools Intro Windows, Mac No None Yes Yes Download
AudioMass Web Browser Yes Noise reduction No No Download

AudioDirector vs

OS

Windows

-

Beginner-friendly

Yes

-

Audio Restoration Tools

AI restoration tools like wind removal, reduce noise, plosive removal, hiss and hum removal, distortion removal and contour dialogue

-

Multi-Track Editing

Yes

-

Regular Updates

Yes, monthly

-

How to Edit Audio With AudioDirector

Here’s a step-by-step guide for editing audio with AudioDirector, the #1 free audio editing software.

Download AudioDirector below and follow along:


  1. Choose the Restore Menu from along the top.
  2. Select Plosive Removal.
  3. AudioDirector Interface - Plosive Removal
  4. Choose Presets.
  5. Adjust the Frequency Limit, Sensitivity, and Strength
  6. AudioDirector Interface - Frequency Limit, Sensitivity, and Strength Adjustments
  7. Click Apply.

Click here for more tutorials from the best free audio editing software available, AudioDirector. 

Download the Best Audio Editing Software for Free

If you are looking to edit audio files, you have plenty of software options. Expensive audio editing software generally offers high-end features that give you the freedom to edit your tracks to perfection—but so do some free programs.

While free audio editing software may not have as many complex bells and whistles, they often offer all the features you need to create podcasts and other professional content while being much easier to use.

If you're looking for the best value and functionality, we recommend AudioDirector. It's hands-down the best free audio editing software for anyone from first-time users to media producers on a budget.

Download AudioDirector today and start producing professional audio content with the best free audio editing software.

Try Online Secure Link

Free Audio Editing Software FAQ

1. What is audio editing software?

Audio editing software is also referred to as DAW or Digital Audio Workstation. This refers to software used for recording, editing, and producing audio, be it for music, podcasts, audiobooks, sound effects, or any other audio files.

While DAW can refer to a highly complex configuration of components, audio software is a single application found on a laptop or computer.

2. What features should I look for in a free Audio editing software?

The top ten features you should look for in free audio editing software are

  1. Easy to Use 
  2. Multitrack editing
  3. Audio effects
  4. Audio restoration tools
  5. Audio mixing tools
  6. Royalty-Free sounds library
  7. Vocal removal tool
  8. Smart Fit for background tracks
  9. Recording capabilities
  10. Batch processing

If you’re looking for free audio editing software that checks all of these boxes, we recommend AudioDirector.

3. What is the best free software to edit music?

AudioDirector is the best free audio editing software for music. It has 100 audio tracks (so you can record and edit a full orchestra if you need to), pitch refinement, a BPM finder, and powerful mixing tools. It can separate vocals from music and adjust the volume of each accordingly, or remove the vocals entirely to create karaoke tracks. There’s even a library of royalty-free music clips, with new music packs added regularly.  

4. What free software can I use to edit audio clips?

AudioDirector is the best free audio editing software to edit audio clips. It is incredibly easy to use, with AI-powered tools to repair and enhance audio. It includes speech enhancement, plus noise, reverb, distortion, and wind removal. 

We also recommend MyEdit as a quick online option for short audio clips. MyEdit will let you trim audio, apply voice changer effects, remove background noise, and more.    

5. Is Audacity really free?

Yes, all of Audacity’s tools are completely free to use. 

6. Is there a free alternative to Audacity?

AudioDirector is the best free alternative to Audacity. AudioDirector has a similar professional feature set but is much more beginner-friendly. It has a modern and pleasing interface, and AI tools for easier, one-click repairs. While Audacity offers restoration only through third-party plug-ins, AudioDirector has tons of native tools to restore and edit audio.

7. What are the disadvantages of Audacity?

Audacity used to be a great alternative to professional DAWs for beginners, but this is no longer the case. The free audio editing software has a learning curve and is one of the hardest free audio editors on our list. 

Some other disadvantages include limited format support and a huge reliance on 3rd-party plug-ins for many necessary features. 

8. Does Windows 10 have an audio editor?

AudioDirector is our choice for the best free audio editor for Windows. There is no native audio editor for Windows. 

9. What do people use to edit audio?

Windows users edit audio with AudioDirector, the top free audio editing software on our list. Mac users tend to use the free audio editor GarageBand, and those needing a quick online option use MyEdit.

10. How do I cut and edit a recorded audio?

Import your audio files into AudioDirector, and follow our tutorial above. You can also visit the AudioDirector Tutorials Page to learn more about how to edit audio. 

11. What is the best audio editor for PC free?

AudioDirector is the best free audio editing software for PC. It is easy to use and has AI-powered tools to restore and clean audio files with the click of a button. It also supports audio editing in videos, so you can mix soundtracks and create sound effects in the app. 

12. How can I edit audio recordings for free?

AudioDirector is the best free audio editing software with powerful tools for recording, editing, mixing, and restoring audio. 

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