Head-to-head comparison
Audacity vs Studio One
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
Modern PreSonus DAW with a drag-and-drop workflow that suits speech editing.
Best for: Modern DAW newcomers
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
Studio One
Pros
- Drag-and-drop everything feels intuitive
- Single-window UI stays uncluttered
- Pro 7 is $199 perpetual with a year of updates
Watch-outs
- Smaller plugin ecosystem than Pro Tools
- Free Prime tier was discontinued
- Less common in podcast tutorial content
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 Studio One if
You’re building around modern daw newcomers. Studio One has quietly become one of the most pleasant DAWs to use, with drag-and-drop everywhere that makes it less intimidating than Pro Tools. PreSonus killed Prime and Artist in 2024, so the lineup is now just Pro 7 — $199 perpetual or $19.
Also worth comparing
Or see all Audacity alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does Audacity do better than Studio One?
Audacity's standout is "Free and open source forever". Studio One doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Drag-and-drop everything feels intuitive" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Audacity; if the second does, pick Studio One.
What are the trade-offs?
Audacity: interface feels stuck in the early 2000s. Studio One: smaller plugin ecosystem than pro tools. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Can I use Audacity and Studio One 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 Studio One for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.