Top pick: Audacity. Switching saves about $264 USD a year.
$263.88 USDa year
$347.88 CAD
Every pick below has a free version.
4 alternatives
The editor’s first choice for most people switching.
Best for free multi-track audio editing on any desktop
Free on Windows, macOS and Linux with no account. Audacity 4 is a new Qt rebuild that still lacks some 3.x features. It cannot open SESX sessions.
Covers most of the same work, with trade-offs noted on each card.
Best for an Audacity-style editor without Muse Group
A free fork of Audacity built by volunteers, on Windows, macOS and Linux. The latest stable release is 1.3.5 (July 2026). It cannot open SESX sessions.
Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.
Best for multitrack mixing in a full open-source DAW
A recording and mixing DAW, not a restoration editor. The GPL source is free to build; ready-to-run builds are paid. Free version: Building the GPL source is free. Ready-to-run builds are paid, by download or a subscription from US$1 a month.
Best for quick edits with a live spectrogram
Free to download but closed source, on Windows, macOS and Linux. Fast and simple, with no multitrack sessions.
Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.
How each alternative covers what people use Adobe Audition for. Numbers link to editor notes.
| Feature | Audacity | Tenacity | Ardour | ocenaudio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editing | ||||
| Waveform and spectral frequency editing | PartialNote 1Spectrogram view where you can select a frequency band; no spectral healing brush | PartialNote 2Spectrogram view with spectral selection; no spectral healing brush | PartialNote 3Spectral analysis window; no spectral editing | PartialNote 4Real-time spectrogram and multi-selection; no spectral repair tools |
| Mixing | ||||
| Multitrack mixing sessions | PartialNote 5Tracks, clips and envelopes; no busses, sends or mixer view | PartialNote 6Tracks, clips and envelopes; no busses, sends or mixer view | Yes | NoNote 7Edits one file at a time |
| Restoration | ||||
| Noise reduction and audio repair | PartialNote 8Noise reduction effects; no adaptive noise reduction or spectral repair | PartialNote 9Noise Reduction and click removal; no adaptive noise reduction or spectral repair | No | NoNote 10Noise reduction is not listed on its features page |
| Effects | ||||
| Effects racks and VST plug-ins | YesNote 11VST3 and Nyquist everywhere, plus Audio Units on macOS and LV2 on Linux | YesNote 12VST, LV2 and AU plug-ins, plus Nyquist | YesNote 13LV2, VST3 and AU plug-ins on supported platforms | PartialNote 14VST plug-ins and real-time effect previews |
| Mastering | ||||
| Loudness metering and matching | PartialNote 15Loudness Normalization effect; no matching panel | PartialNote 16Loudness Normalization effect; no matching panel | YesNote 17Loudness analysis and normalization on export | NoNote 18Loudness tools are not listed on its features page |
| Automation | ||||
| Batch processing | NoNote 19Macros and the scripting pipe are missing in Audacity 4; version 3.7 still has them | YesNote 20Macros run effect chains over many files | No | NoNote 21Batch processing is not listed on its features page |
| Integration | ||||
| Round trip with video editors | No | No | PartialNote 22Video timeline for scoring and sound design; no link to a video editor project | No |
| Parity score | 43% | 57% | 57% | 14% |
Not covered by any free alternative yet: Waveform and spectral frequency editing, Noise reduction and audio repair, Round trip with video editors. See all feature gaps
Can each alternative open and save Adobe Audition files?
| Format | Audacity | Tenacity | Ardour | ocenaudio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .sesx | NoNote 1Audition sessions do not open; export the tracks as WAV | NoNote 2Audition sessions do not open; export the tracks as WAV | NoNote 3Audition sessions do not open; export the tracks as WAV | NoNote 4Audition sessions do not open; export the tracks as WAV |
| .wav | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity |
| .mp3 | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesNote 5Other formats extend through FFmpegFull fidelity | Opens and savesNote 6MP3 export depends on the encoder available in your buildPartial fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity |
| .flac | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity | Opens and savesFull fidelity |
Switching saves about $264 USD / $348 CAD a year. Prices checked .
Based on Audition single app, annual plan. Price source.
Last verified . Ranking: tier first, then the published score.
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Adobe Audition is a product of Adobe, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for Adobe Audition: Windows, macOS.