Audacity vs GoldWave
Audacity
audacityteam.orgGoldWave
goldwave.comSide by side
| Figure | Audacity | GoldWave |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $1.58/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 2 |
| Spec score · Game Audio Editors | 8.8 (#1) | 8.7 (#2) |
| Spec score · Audio editors for voice | 8.7 (#1) | 8.5 (#3) |
| Spec score · Audio Editing Software | 8.8 (#11) | 8.3 (#34) |
| Spec score · Audio editors | 8.4 (#7) | 8.3 (#8) |
| Cloud Collaboration | Audio.com supports collaboration, versioned backups, and sharing or publishing projects. | No |
| Founded | 2000 | 1993 |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Multitrack editing | Yes | No |
| Noise Reduction | Includes tools for reducing background static and noise. | Yes |
| Supported platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, web, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Third-party plugins | Yes | Yes |
| Video synchronization | Yes | No |
Plans
GoldWave
- One Year GoldWave License$19 a year
- Lifetime GoldWave License$59, paid once
In their own words
Audacity
Audacity is a free, open-source audio editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop computers. It supports multitrack editing, noise reduction, video synchronization, and cloud collaboration. Common audio formats include MP3, M4A, AIFF, FLAC, and WAV, and it handles 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit audio with high-quality resampling and dithering. A Spectrogram view helps visualize and analyze audio clips. Third-party plugins are supported, including VST3, Nyquist, LV2, and Audio Unit formats. Its source code can be viewed or modified under the GNU GPL, and no subscription is required. Audacity has no mobile version for iOS or Android, despite those platforms appearing in some listings. The software is developed by a small remote team supported by the community. Help is available through a manual, forum, and developer Discord.
GoldWave
GoldWave is audio software for recording, editing, processing, restoring, enhancing, analyzing, and converting audio. It includes noise reduction and supports third-party plugins, but does not offer multitrack editing or video synchronization. The Windows desktop version is joined by GoldWave Infinity, which works on iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS, as well as in modern web browsers without installation. Keyboard accessibility and foot pedal playback support are included. An evaluation version with full functionality is available, and the company recommends trying it before purchase; no specific evaluation-period limit is stated. The one-year license is $19 a year and returns to evaluation mode at expiry. A lifetime license is 59.00 USD once, does not expire, and includes free upgrades and Infinity. GoldWave was founded in 1993 and is based near St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.