Choosing a DAW is like going to a buffet. You may see something that looks good so you put it on your plate, only to realize it doesn’t please your palette. So you may have to do a test run of each DAW to see what option you like the best.

But to help guide you, here are some important features your DAW should include:

• An interface that looks appealing (you’ll have to be looking at it every day)
• A DAW that has plenty of tutorials on YouTube
• Built-in sounds, loops, and/or samples
• Basic editing and mixing tools, like EQ, compression, and reverb
• One that’s tailored to the type of musician/producer you are (ex. DJ making beats vs. singer-songwriter recording demos)

Below are the 9 best free DAWs for bedroom producers. Note: every DAW will have a learning curve, regardless of how simple it is. After you pick a DAW you like, stick with it and learn the ins and outs of it. Each section features a beginners tutorial of that DAW.

If you’re new to recording music (or music in general), these three DAWs are good options because of their simplicity.

GarageBand comes preloaded on every Apple computer. It’s a great option for beginners because it has a user-friendly interface and a bunch of built-in sounds and loops that you can use – totally legally – in your songs.

Here are some of the key features that make GarageBand one of the best free DAWs:

• Easy-to-use interface: it has a straightforward and intuitive interface that makes it easy to navigate for those who have never used a DAW before.
• Built-in sounds and loops: it comes with a ton of built-in sounds and loops, including drums, bass, guitar, and keyboard sounds. And it’s all legal to use in your songs (you just can’t sell individual loops). This makes it a great option for beginners who need a starting point or don’t have fancy equipment.
• Musical Typing: this feature allows you to play a software instrument using your computer keyboard. So no need for a MIDI controller or keyboard.
• Recording and editing tools: it has a wide range of recording and editing tools similar to what you’d see professionals using.
• Integration with other software: GarageBand can integrate with other software, like Logic Pro and Ableton Live, allowing you to take your project to the next level of production when you’re ready.
• Sharing and collaboration options: You can share your projects with other users via iCloud and collaborate with them in real time.

Tracktion Waveform Free is an open-source DAW. This means the software is free to use with no restriction, and if you find it useful and want more features, you can consider upgrading to the pro version. But the free version itself is already a powerful DAW for a beginner.

Here’s why Tracktion Waveform Free is a good free DAW:

• Intuitive interface: it has a simple and straightforward interface. It’s designed to be easy, so you can focus on creating music without being bogged down by complicated controls.
• Built-in sounds and loops: it comes with a lot of built-in sounds and loops, like drums, bass, guitar, and keyboard sounds.
• Built-in effects and tools: it comes with plenty of effects and tools, like EQ, compression, and reverb.
• Large and active community: Tracktion Waveform has a large and active user community. You can easily find answers to any questions you may have and find tutorials to improve your skills.

PreSonus Studio One Prime is a go-to DAW for many indie musicians. And for good reason.

Here are some of the features that make Studio One such a hit wth bedroom producers:

• Intuitive interface: it has an easy-to-use interface, including a drag-and-drop functionality and keyboard shortcuts.
• Built-in sounds and loops: has tons of sounds and loops, like drums, bass, guitar, and keyboard sounds.
• Virtual instruments: it has a lot of built-in virtual instruments, like the Presence XT Sampler, Mai Tai polyphonic analog modeling synth, and SampleOne XT.
• Editing and effects: has plenty of built-in effects for producing, editing, and mixing.

These two free DAWs are perfect if you’re an artist who wants to record your songs or produce others.

The full version of Reaper is free to use because payment is on the honor system. But personal use of this DAW is only $60.

Here’s what makes Reaper one of the best free DAWs and the one I use every day:

• Every editing tool you need: it comes with all the tools that you’d see in professional studios, like EQ, compression, reverb, delay, and so many other plugins.
• Easy-to-use interface: it has a simple interface that, once you get used to it, is easy to navigate. You can also rearrange the interface to your preference.
• Supports VST and AU plugins: VST is the more universal type of plugin (ex. works on Microsoft and Apple computers) while AU plugins are Mac-only.
• Easy-to-understand routing and automation options: whether you’re bussing or automating an effect, the whole process makes sense once you learn how to do it.
• Supportive community: any time I want to know how to do a specific thing in Reaper, I’m always able to easily find a forum or YouTube video that shows me.

If you eventually want to upgrade to Pro Tools, then Pro Tools First is…well, the first place to start. Pro Tools is used in a lot of professional studios, so First is a good DAW if you’re going that route.

• Industry standard: Pro Tools is widely used in the audio industry, which means that if you learn Pro Tools, it can open up a lot of opportunities for you in the future. Being proficient in Pro Tools will make you a valuable asset.
• Built-in effects and tools: it comes with a wide range of built-in effects and tools, like EQ, compression, and reverb. It also supports third-party VST and AU plugins, allowing you to expand the software’s capabilities even further.
• Large collection of loops and samples: it comes with a vast collection of loops and samples which you can use as a starting point for your own compositions.
• User-friendly interface: the interface is customizable to a certain extent, and there are also a good amount of tutorials and guides that can help you get started and quickly become proficient with the software.

If you’re a beatmaker or DJ, these two free DAWs are perfect for you because they have features and virtual instruments that will make your job easier.

Serato Studio is great for beatmakers and DJs because of its features tailored toward electronic music.

Here are the highlights of this DAW:

• Intuitive interface: it has a simple and straightforward interface that makes it easy to navigate.
• Built-in sounds and loops: it comes with a wide range of sounds and loops, like drums, bass, and melody loops.
• Beatmaking and DJing focused: it’s designed for beat making and DJing, so you can easily create beats and loops. You can also import and manipulate samples, and its built-in drum machine and step sequencer allow you to create complex rhythms with ease.
• Collaboration and sharing: it’s easy to share and collaborate on projects with other producers.
• Integrates with Serato DJ: Serato Studio integrates with Serato DJ, which allows you to create beats and loops in Studio, and then perform with them live in Serato DJ, providing a seamless workflow.

Akai MPC Beats is a great DAW for beat makers. This means it has a bunch of built-in loops, samples, and other sounds, and it’s easy to use.

Here are the highlights of this DAW:

• Quality software and hardware: Akai MPC Beats is both a software and a hardware platform. So it has the same functionality and features as the MPC software and can be controlled via the MPC hardware or through a computer or mobile device. This allows for both a traditional and modern workflow.
• Beat-making focused: it’s specifically designed for beat-making with a focus on drum programming and sample-based production. It includes a wide range of built-in drum sounds, loops, and samples. It also has a step-sequencer that allows you to easily program drums and other instruments.
• Virtual instruments: comes with its own virtual instruments and effects, like the MPC Drum Synth, MPC Bass Synth, and MPC Expansions.
• User-friendly interface: it’s made for beginner beat makers, so it has a user-friendly interface.

Technically, these two DAWs are not music-making software because they’re online music makers and you don’t download any software, but it’s still worth mentioning them.

Bandlab is another cloud-based DAW, and it also gives you access to a bunch of sounds, samples, and loop.

Here are some features that make this a great DAW for newbies:

• Cloud-based: you can access it from any device with an internet connection and continue working on your projects from anywhere.
• User-friendly interface: it’s designed for anyone to use, so the interface is simple and understandable.
• Access to sounds, samples, and loops: get access to a bunch of sounds, samples, and loops that you can legally use in your song.
• Collaboration: Bandlab is built for collaboration and allows you to share your projects with other users and collaborate in real-time on a single project.
• Recording and editing: offers basic recording, editing and mixing functionalities and it also comes with a variety of instruments and effects.
• Community: Bandlab has a large and active community of users, so you’ll have help if you have any questions or run into an issue.

Song Maker, a feature of Google’s Chrome Music Lab, is an intuitive, grid-based interface that lets you create melodies and rhythms by just clicking on the grid. You can add instruments, adjust the tempo, and change scales easily. Also, Song Maker supports microphone input for recording sounds and can be accessed on any device with a web browser.

Here are some of the key features that make Song Maker one of the best free, cloud-based DAWs:

• Grid-based interface: you can easily create melodies and rhythms by clicking on a grid, where each square represents a note or a beat.
• Instrument options: you can easily add different instruments like piano, strings, woodwinds, and drums to create diverse sounds.
• Cross-device compatibility: because it’s an online music maker, you can use it on any device with a web browser and a strong internet connection.
• Easy to save and share: you can save your projects and share them with others through a unique link.