UFODAW
UFODAW is young, small and free. Other DAWs have had decades and whole companies behind them. Here is an honest look at where UFODAW holds its own, and where it does not (yet).
.mdaw file that can carry all its audio to another disk or PC.The comparison below is based on public information and our best knowledge at the time of writing (October 2026). Editions and versions differ, so check the maker's own page before you decide.
| UFODAW | REAPER | FL Studio | Ableton Live | Cakewalk | LMMS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basics | ||||||
| Price | Free | Paid, with unlimited evaluation | Paid, several editions | Paid, several editions | Free | Free |
| Open source | Yes (AGPLv3) | No | No | No | No | Yes (GPL) |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Maturity | Young (0.9) | Very mature | Very mature | Very mature | Mature | Mature, slower pace |
| Plugins and hardware | ||||||
| VST3 plugins | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| VST2 / CLAP | Neither | Both | Both | VST2 only | VST2 only | Limited VST2 |
| Plugin crash isolation | Built in | Optional | Limited | Limited | Sandbox option | No |
| ASIO, MIDI clock, external synths | Yes (ASIO needs the SDK in the build) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| Making music | ||||||
| Audio recording and take comping | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not really |
| Piano roll, scale and chord helper | Yes | Yes, scales via scripts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Clip launcher | Yes | No | Yes | Yes, its core idea | Yes | No |
| Warp / time-stretch | Yes (Rubber Band) | Yes | Yes | Best in class | Yes | Basic |
| Built-in instruments | Synth, piano, sampler, drum rack | Very few | Many | Many (Suite) | Some | Several |
| Sound library | Small starter pack | Almost none | Large | Large (Suite) | Moderate | Small |
| Mixing and finishing | ||||||
| Stock effects | EQ, comps, gate, de-esser, sat, delay, reverb, limiter | Large set | Large set | Large set | Large set | Basic set |
| Sidechain, buses, sends | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| LUFS meter and reference A/B | Built in | Built in | Plugin-based | Plugin-based | Plugin-based | No |
| Freeze and track folders | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partly |
| Scripting and extensions | None | Extensive | Limited | Max for Live (Suite) | Limited | Limited |
| Notation / video | No | Video yes | Limited | Video, no notation | Both | No |
Strong Partial or limited Missing or weak
You are on Windows, want a free and open DAW with no strings attached, work with VST3 plugins, and like a light program that stays out of your way. It suits beats, songwriting sketches, recording and mixing a small project, and anyone who wants to look under the hood or help shape it.
You want a very flexible, light and affordable DAW on any platform, with scripting and a huge community. You will bring your own instruments.
You want a large built-in sound library, polished instruments, a big pool of tutorials and the workflow that much of the industry uses. Live is the pick for clip-based, live performance.
You want a free, full-featured traditional DAW on Windows with notation and strong recording, and you do not mind that it is closed source.
You want a free, open-source, pattern-based beat maker that also runs on Linux and macOS, and you do not need to record audio.
Try it. UFODAW needs no account and costs nothing, so the only price is a few minutes. Keep your other DAW next to it and open the same plugins in both.
Software changes quickly, and we may be out of date about other products. If you spot a mistake, or a gap in UFODAW you would like closed, tell us.