Audacity Review 2026

Pricing

Best For

• Budget-conscious podcasters
• Beginners learning audio editing
• Linux users needing a capable editor
• Simple podcast editing tasks

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Frequently asked questions

How much does Audacity cost?

Audacity is free. There is a single plan, it costs $0, and there is no paid upgrade.

Is Audacity free?

Yes. Audacity costs nothing to use and has no paid plan.

What is Audacity?

Audacity is a free audio editor and recorder for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It handles multitrack recording, unlimited tracks, noise reduction, and plugins in VST, VST3, Audio Units, LADSPA, and LV2 formats. It is the most widely used free audio editor.

Is Audacity open source?

Yes. Audacity is open-source software with a single free tier that includes every effect and full multitrack editing, so no feature sits behind a paid version. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, including older hardware.

What are the pros and cons of Audacity?

In its favour: it costs nothing, runs on all three desktop platforms, supports VST, VST3, AU, and LV2 plugins, and has a large community and documentation behind it. Against it: the editing workflow is destructive, the interface is dated, there is no real-time collaboration, and MIDI support is limited. For simple podcast editing those limits rarely bite.