Audacity vs Sound Forge
Audacity
audacityteam.orgSound Forge
soundforge.comSide by side
| Figure | Audacity | Sound Forge |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 8 |
| Spec score · Audio Editing Software | 8.8 (#11) | 7.7 (#76) |
| 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 |
| Third-party plugins | Yes | Yes |
Plans
Sound Forge
- Sound Forge monthly subscriptionPrice not published
- Sound Forge annual subscriptionPrice not published
- Sound Forge upgrade & support planPrice not published
- Sound Forge perpetual licensePrice not published
- Sound Forge Plus monthly subscriptionPrice not published
- Sound Forge Plus annual subscriptionPrice not published
- Sound Forge Plus upgrade & support planPrice not published
- Sound Forge Plus perpetual licensePrice not published
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.
Sound Forge
Sound Forge has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.