Audacity

Audacity is a multi-track audio editor and recorder. You can record from a microphone or audio interface, import existing files, then cut, arrange and process them on a timeline.

Version 4 rebuilt the interface on Qt with sharp high-DPI rendering. Clips can now be selected, grouped and moved together, and you split them by holding S and clicking. Toolbars and panels can dock or float, and layouts save as Workspaces, with Modern, Classic and Music included. Light, dark and high-contrast themes are built in, and each track header shows live playback and recording meters.

Effects can be applied directly or in realtime. On the Mac, Audacity hosts Audio Units, VST3 and Nyquist plugins. Projects now use the .aup4 format, and older .aup3 projects open and convert without changing the original. Version 4.0.1 added Export multiple, which saves each track or labelled region to its own file. A few Audacity 3 features, including MIDI tracks, the Mixer, macros and play-at-speed, are not in 4.0 yet, and Audacity 3 releases are still available from the older versions page.

Audacity is free and released under GPL-3.0. Mac downloads come as universal, Apple Silicon and Intel builds. Optional cloud saving through audio.com is offered, but you do not need an account to use the editor. It suits podcasters, voice-over work, students and musicians who want a capable editor without a subscription.