n-Track Studio vs WavePad
n-Track Studio
ntrack.comWavePad
nch.com.auSide by side
| Figure | n-Track Studio | WavePad |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $5.42/mo | $3.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 13 | 8 |
| Spec score · Audio Editing Software | 9.3 (#1) | 9.2 (#3) |
| Company founder | The about page names Flavio Antonioli as founder and CEO. | Crunchbase identifies Peter Lupton as NCH Software's founder and chief executive officer. |
| Founded | 1995 | 1993 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Rome, Italy | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
| Licence | The user guide states that copyrights are owned by Flavio Antonioli and grants a non-exclusive proprietary licence; it is not open-source software. | NCH's EULA reserves copyright to NCH and licenses installation and use, making WavePad proprietary rather than open source. |
| Plugins | The desktop software supports VST, VST3, CLAP, DirectX on Windows, AU on Mac and ReWire effects. | The software supports DirectX and VST plugins; the store says the Standard Edition excludes VST support and the SFX Library. |
| Rating on Google Play | 4.0 out of 5 from 66.5K reviews | 3.2 out of 5 from 37.7K reviews. |
| Security and privacy | The privacy policy says personal data is not transferred outside the European Economic Area and describes security measures and anti-fraud processing. | The EULA says limited anonymized usage statistics may be collected under NCH's privacy statement and software is supplied as-is with liability limitations. |
| Support | Support is provided through a form, FAQ, discussion forum, user guide and video tutorials; the company says replies usually arrive within 24 hours. | NCH provides WavePad video tutorials, a help manual, FAQ, forum and technical support contact. |
| System requirements | The manual lists Windows 11/10/8, macOS 14 through 10.14, Ubuntu 22/24 and Debian 12/13, with 512 MB RAM and a microphone or line-input audio device as minimums. | The product page lists Windows 7 through 11 and macOS 10.5 or later; mobile requirements are iOS 12 or later and Android 5.0 or later. |
| What it does | n-Track Studio is a digital audio multitrack recorder and music-production workstation for recording, composing, editing and mixing. | WavePad records and edits music, voice and other audio files with cutting, pasting, effects and format conversion. |
Plans
n-Track Studio
- Standard$69 a month
- Extended$139 a month
- Suite$229 a month
- Suite+$109 a year
- Free editionFree
- Suite+$14.95 a month
- Suite+$65 a year
- Standard$69, paid once
- Standard$69, paid once
- Extended$139, paid once
WavePad
- Master's Edition Annual Plan$99 a year
- Standard Edition Annual Plan$60 a year
- Master's Edition Quarterly Plan$16.50 a month
- Free versionFree
- WavePad Free VersionFree
- Master's Edition Quarterly Plan$21.48 a month
- Standard Edition Annual Plan$39.95 a year
- Master's Edition Annual Plan$69.95 a year
In their own words
n-Track Studio
n-Track Studio is a digital audio workstation for recording, editing, and mixing music, with versions for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. It can record and play back a virtually unlimited number of audio and MIDI tracks. For MIDI work, the Piano Roll edits data and the Step Sequencer creates beats, sequences, and arpeggios. AI MixSplit separates full songs into individual tracks. Desktop software supports VST, VST3, CLAP, DirectX on Windows, AU on Mac, and ReWire effects. It also imports and exports DAWproject files for sharing work between DAWs, and recordings can be exchanged between desktop and mobile editions for further editing and mixing. The free edition allows up to 24 tracks, limits AI MixSplit to 15 seconds, and limits WAV/MP3 mixdown to 16-bit, among other limits. The site offers a manual, video tutorials, a forum, and customer support. Suite+ is listed at $109 a year and includes access across Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.
WavePad
WavePad records and edits music, voice, and other audio on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Its editing tools include cut, copy, paste, trim, compression, and pitch shifting, while effects include echo, amplification, and equalization. Restoration tools reduce noise and remove clicks and pops. The software supports more than 50 formats, including MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, AAC, and M4A. Batch processing can apply effects or convert thousands of files in one operation. WavePad supports sample rates from 6 to 192 kHz, in stereo or mono and at 8, 16, 24, or 32 bits. It also supports DirectX and VST plugins, though the Standard Edition excludes VST support and the SFX Library. The maker lists podcast and radio editing, voiceovers, ringtone creation, and audio restoration as typical uses. The free version costs nothing, is for non-commercial use, and does not expire. It enables additional Master's Edition features for a 14-day trial after installation. Paid options include $60 a year for Standard Edition and $99 a year for Master's Edition.