Head-to-head comparison
Audacity vs Soundtoys 5
Two of the editing tools podcasters reach for. Here's how they differ on pricing, features, audience, and the trade-offs that actually matter day-to-day.
Free, open-source audio editor that's been the entry point for podcasters for 25 years.
Best for: Indie podcasters on a budget
Effects bundle famous for character: Decapitator, EchoBoy, and friends.
Best for: Character and color
At a glance
The honest trade-offs
Audacity
Pros
- Free and open source forever
- Runs on Mac, Windows and Linux
- Massive bank of community tutorials
Watch-outs
- Interface feels stuck in the early 2000s
- Destructive editing model is error-prone
- No text-based editing or modern AI
Soundtoys 5
Pros
- EchoBoy is unmatched for character delay
- Decapitator saves lo-fi guest recordings
- Sales drop the price meaningfully
Watch-outs
- Pricey at full list
- Not a podcast-specific bundle
- Easy to overuse the character effects
Which one should you pick?
Pick Audacity if
You’re building around indie podcasters on a budget. Audacity is the default answer to 'how do I edit a podcast for $0' and it's still a perfectly reasonable one. Interface looks like Windows XP, the workflow is fiddly next to modern tools, and the recent ownership change rattled the community — but it's free, runs everywhere, and does the basics well.
Pick Soundtoys 5 if
You’re building around character and color. Soundtoys isn't a podcast-specific bundle, but it's the colour-and-character toolkit your DAW stock plugins can't match. EchoBoy on a cold open, Decapitator on lo-fi guest audio, Little AlterBoy for anonymising sources.
Also worth comparing
Or see all Audacity alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does Audacity do better than Soundtoys 5?
Audacity's standout is "Free and open source forever". Soundtoys 5 doesn't make that promise — it leans into "EchoBoy is unmatched for character delay" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Audacity; if the second does, pick Soundtoys 5.
What are the trade-offs?
Audacity: interface feels stuck in the early 2000s. Soundtoys 5: pricey at full list. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Can I use Audacity and Soundtoys 5 together?
Both are editing tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Audacity for one show or episode type and Soundtoys 5 for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.