We've tried to do our best in reviewing some of the most popular and relevant free DAWs on the market.
Feel free to oversee them in this article.
LMMS 
User interface is more or less feeling like most of you experience in FL Studio. Many buit-in instruments and sounds at hand.
Also pretty friendly with inserting MIDI files, and route channels. If you're looking for a complete sound library, easy accessible, LMMS will definetely fit your needs.
Most of the familiar tempo and arrangement features found in your commercial digital audio workstation, will most likely be available in this one too. Equipped with a left side navigation panel, piano rolls and multiple effects.
Using this multiplatform software (LInux, Mac OS and Windows) with our free library will enhance your speed and hopefully train your creativity.
Ardour 
It's also evangelizing for a free, open source alternative in which you can record, map midi, use cointrollers and master tracks, all boxed into a multi-platform software.
With pretty easy to use, supporting VST plugins, transport sync, powerful signal routing and many other cool features, Ardour will be a budget friend for any musician, soundtrack editors and audio engineer.
We thought that a complete comparison between the aforementioned will be very useful, as these are most likely to be used by day to day producers and sound developers.
| Features/Functionalities | LMMS 1.2 | Ardour 5.12 |
| source code | Free, GPL | Free, GPL |
| supported platforms | Linux, Windows, Mac OS X | Linux, Windows, Mac OS X |
| binaries for Windows/ Mac OS | Free | $1/mo Paypal subscription |
| binaries for Linux | Free | Free from KX Studio repositories |
| I’d recommend for | Beginners, electronic-only workflow | Proffessionals, band recording, mixing, mastering |
| audio recording | no | multitrack |
| audio editing | Only triming samples | flawless |
| timestretching | only MIDI and it’s a hack | audio (multiple algorithms) and MIDI |
| sampling workflow | fast and easy via Audio File Processor | requires external plugins |
| MIDI recording | no MIDI CC, clunky | yes |
| MIDI editing | yes | yes |
| master MIDI pitch offset | yes | no |
| MIDI editing workflow | reliable and fast | unstable at times, could be more efficient |
| MIDI processing | only built-in arpeggiator | through plugins |
| MIDI CC live control | yes | yes |
| MIDI CC capture/playback | no | yes |
| box select | yes | yes |
| duplicate multiple regions at once | yes | yes |
| delete multiple regions at once | no | yes |
| Built-in plugins | very nice | basic |
| External plugins | very limited support | excellent support |
| LADSPA plugins | effects only | yes |
| LV2 plugins | no automation | yes |
| instruments only via Carla Rack | ||
| VST plugins | instruments only via VeSTige | yes |
| AU plugins | no | yes |
| Lua plugins | no | yes |
| signal routing | mixer sends | limitless |
| mixer workflow | optional, can lead to messy projects | seamless |
| panning | L/R balance | L/R balance, width/offset/invert |
| polarity switch | via plugins | built-in for each channel |
| surround sound support | no | yes |
| sidechain processing | for every plugin but produces zipper noise | only for side-chain plugins, but flawless |
| multiband processing | only with dedicated multiband plug-ins | possible for anything using X-over, mixer and Pin Connections |
| handling plugin channels | automatic | automatic or manual (Pin Connections) |
| automation | yes, can have undefined values - needs user care | yes, values are always defined and visible |
| automation assignement | per automation region | per automation lane |
| automation interpolation | discrete, linear, smooth | discrete, linear |
| automation time resolution | limited, might produce zipper-noise | sample-accurate |
| automation copy/move | yes | only with range selection |
| piano roll | single separate window for all editing | piano roll for each MIDI track inside the timeline |
| plugin cut-copy-paste | no | yes |
| plugin presets | only for built-in instruments | for everything |
| plugin reordering | yes, tedious | yes, drag’n’drop |
| JACK audio support | only master stereo output | anything anywhere, input/output |
| JACK transport support | no | yes |
| LTC support | no | yes |
| audio analysis tools | only RTA and peak meters | offline spectrum, EBU-R128, RMS, peak, K-system, plugins… |
| multitrack export | yes, but breaks sidechaining | yes |
| support for outboard gear | no | yes, allows realtime session rendering |
| multiple audio file export | no | yes, defined with CD-range markers, CUE and TOC support |
| timeline markers | no | yes |
| variable tempo | only through automation | yes |
| variable meter | only through automation – it’s a hack | yes |
| screen space efficiency | high – tracks are tiny | low – tracks are larger and editing MIDI requiress big tracks |
| track groups | no | yes |
| hiding tracks | no | yes |
| disabling tracks to save CPU | muting migth do it, but not really | yes |
| multi-display workflow | hack – streching a single window | yes – detachable mixer window, separate video preview window |
| control surface support | no | yes: MIDI, MTC, OSC, Mackie, Ableton Push and more… |
| projects notes | for whole project, HTML formatting | per mixer strip, plain text only |
| user-scriptable | no | Lua for actions and plugins |
| project files | single XML file | XML file + folder structure with data files |
| project compression | yes, transparent | not for regular work, optional for project archiving |
| project sampling rate | doesn’t matter too much | fixed, otherwise projects break |
| video support | no | yes, video timeline, synced video playback via xjadeo |
| crash recovery | yes | yes |
| saving project versions | yes, incrementing project filename number | yes, different project files saved in the project folder |
Caustic 
Caustic is also a free DAW, that's definetely worthwhile to have a look at. Its completely mobile and touchscreen friendly layout will go beyond your in-studio limitations, opening up a whole new universe at hand from your mobile device.
Whilst its use might not be as effective on desktops or laptops, this is surely more than you need when it comes to mixing from your tablet/phone or any other Android device.
Has a nice user interface, a lot of built in presets and instruments, that alongisde mixing and effects available you will find also some sequencers that make things much more interesting while playing with your clips.
PreSonus Studio One 
As there is a quite big user community orbiting this DAW, you will have to check it out if you don't like to spend much time in education for basic stuff. This is a very intuitive and user friendly DAW.
Another great thing when using PreSonus products, is that you get a full range of adjustable and easy to play fuctions, with dedicated controllers such as Faderport.
Very nice functions when opening up VST instruments, confering a great deal of navigation netween them. You get from automation and drawing velocity in arrangement view, and also a thumbnail view of your VSTs that will ease your selection and monitoring.
Inputs are configurable, but you're only limited to 3 outputs.
Ohm Studio 
This is obviously a suitable option for those of you waiting for a free DAW, allowing you to work with other musicians around the globe. Ohm Studio is one of the most feasible DAWs, having an in depth collaborative substrate.
Supports VST plugins, and has the same range of plugins options and other FXs that commercial DAWs are benefitting from.
Moreover you get up to 10 collaborative projects you can work on simultaneosly, automatically stored on cloud. It has also an option to get a paid plan, and enhance your experience with more space in the cloud and more concommitent projects.
Tracktion 
We were not entirely sure if this should be reviewed separately or not, but since it is quite popular and has great functions, all usually available in popular commercial DAWs, we decided to include it here.
Tracktion is the ideal tool to use in home and professional studio recordings. It has an easy workflow for recording vocals and instruments.
Mixing display is also different, but might become handy if you get use to work with it. Each track mixer will stand in the right of every track, getting modulation to be done a lot easier.
The company is no focusing on releasing a full alternative paid DAW that can fit to the market, enabling views, automation and workflows similar to what FL Studio and Ableton are doing. You can find out more by taking a look at Waveform DAW.
Hope you'll find all of our reviews and information valuable.
If you have any other suggestions, don't forget to feedback us.
