Schism Tracker vs WaveLab
Schism Tracker
schismtracker.org
WaveLab
steinberg.netSide by side
| Figure | Schism Tracker | WaveLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · Audio Editing Software | 7.6 (#87) | 9.1 (#4) |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Intended users | The project describes Impulse Tracker as a tool for making high-quality music without specialized, expensive equipment. | Steinberg describes WaveLab LE as suited to hobby musicians, home studio owners, freelancers, and podcasters. |
| Multitrack editing | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | Schism Tracker is a sample-based music composition tool and a free, open-source reimplementation of Impulse Tracker. | WaveLab is an audio mastering and editing suite with audio editing, audio montage, batch processing, and spectral editing tools. |
| Supported platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
Plans
WaveLab
- WaveLab LEFree
- WaveLab Elements 13$99.99, paid once
- WaveLab Pro 13$499.99, paid once
In their own words
Schism Tracker
Schism Tracker is a free, open-source sample-based music composition tool and reimplementation of Impulse Tracker. It provides multitrack editing and MIDI sequencing, with a playback engine based on a modified ModPlug engine intended to improve Impulse Tracker playback. The project says it runs on SDL-supported systems and provides builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux; its download page also lists Wii, Wii U, XBOX, and Mac OS 9 builds. Source code and platform-specific compilation instructions are available, and the repository identifies the GPL-2.0 license. Community help is directed to the #schism IRC channel on Libera.Chat and the #schismtracker channel in TARC on Discord. Bugs and feature requests go through GitHub issues. The latest release listed is 20260524. The free plan is free, with no paid plans or usage limits stated.
WaveLab
WaveLab is an audio mastering and editing suite for Windows and macOS. Its tools cover audio editing, audio montage, batch processing, and spectral editing, with multitrack editing, noise reduction, and video synchronization also listed. It supports VST 3 plug-ins from other manufacturers. The edition comparison lists podcasting integrations with SoundCloud, Spreaker, Podbean, Buzzsprout, and Castos, and says Pro and Elements can replace audio in video.
WaveLab Pro 13 includes Dolby Atmos mastering tools for ADM file editing, loudness control, and album assembly. It supports sample rates up to 384 kHz and more than 1,000 audio tracks; Elements 13 supports up to 96 kHz and eight tracks. Downloads are listed for Windows 10 64-bit version 22H2 or newer, Windows 11 version 24H2 or newer, and macOS 14, 15, or 26. The pricing note is From $99.99 · 60-day trial. A free WaveLab LE copy is available with qualifying hardware and a Download Access Code. The Pro trial requires signing in or creating a Steinberg ID.