# SoundCraft: free Pro Tools alternative, tested

> SoundCraft is a free alternative to Avid Pro Tools, also for business use. What it can do, what is missing and how mature it is.

Source: https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/soundcraft/

SoundCraft is a free program for multitrack recording, editing and mixing. It handles audio and MIDI, loads plugins in CLAP format and has a video track for scoring.

[SoundCraft at the vendor](https://getartcraft.com/apps/soundcraft)
[All freeware recommendations](https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/)

SoundCraft Freeware

- **Type:** Audio recording and mixing
- **Cost:** free, also for business
- **Licence:** Apache 2.0
- **Systems:** Windows, macOS, Linux, in the browser
- **Version:** 0.12.1 of 22 Oct 2026

Maturity Development

Development Alpha Beta Stable

## How it helps day to day

- The phone announcement needs redoing: Record, cut out slips, level the volume.
- A company film needs sound: The video plays in the video track while speech and music are mixed to fit.
- An interview should become a podcast: Edit several tracks, process them with effects and mix them down.

## What is inside SoundCraft

The vendor does not list audio file formats on its page.

- **Edit and mix:** Separate windows for editing and mixing, multitrack audio and MIDI.
- **Effects:** Ten inserts and ten sends per track, offline processing.
- **Automation:** Control volume and effects over time, surround up to 9.1.6.
- **MIDI and video:** Piano roll editor, audio-to-MIDI pitch detection and a video track for scoring.

## SoundCraft compared with Avid Pro Tools

SoundCraft adopts the layout of classic studio software: separate edit and mix windows, inserts and sends, automation, surround. External CLAP plug-ins are meant to load; in c’t’s test this did not work yet.

As of 25 Oct 2026, according to the vendors

| | SoundCraft | Avid Pro Tools |
| Cost | free, also for business | paid subscription, prices from the vendor [Source](https://www.avid.com/de/pro-tools) |
| Licence | open source (Apache 2.0) | commercial software |
| Systems | Windows, macOS, Linux, in the browser | see vendor |
| Shared files | the vendor names no exchange formats |
| Maturity | in development, version 0.12.1 | on the market for years |

### What independent tests say

- heise online / c’t, 13.10.2026: External plug-ins could not be loaded in the test. [Read the article](https://www.heise.de/hintergrund/Vermeintliche-Adobe-Alternativen-im-Test-Was-die-Crafting-Apps-leisten-11485961.html)

Pro Tools is a trademark of Avid Technology, Inc.. It is named for orientation only; there is no connection between Avid Technology, Inc. and the maker of SoundCraft.

## Our assessment

SoundCraft is still in development. It is worth trying for simple recordings. The vendor does not say which audio formats it saves, so check that first.

### Already useful for

- Announcements and simple recordings
- Sound for videos
- Trying it out with your own CLAP plugins

### Better wait for now

- Jobs with a fixed deadline
- Projects exchanged with other studios
- Switching your audio work over completely

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I use my own audio plugins?

SoundCraft loads external plugins in CLAP format.

### Can SoundCraft replace Pro Tools?

SoundCraft is still in development. It is worth trying for simple recordings. The vendor does not say which audio formats it saves, so check that first.

### May I use SoundCraft commercially?

Yes. The Apache 2.0 licence allows business use without a licence fee. It does not require you to publish your own files or data. Licence notices only apply if you redistribute or modify the program itself.

### What does SoundCraft cost?

Nothing. SoundCraft is open source under the Apache 2.0 licence and may also be used in a business free of charge.

### How do I install it?

The vendor’s page offers installers for Windows, macOS and Linux. If you use several Craft apps, the ArtCraft Launcher installs them and keeps them up to date. In businesses with several workstations, new programs should be approved centrally; we can help with that.

## Related

[FilmCraft Video editing](https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/filmcraft/)
[EffectCraft Motion graphics and visual effects](https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/effectcraft/)
[All freeware recommendations Programs at a glance](https://1x1it.de/en/freeware/)

Sources: [vendor page](https://getartcraft.com/apps/soundcraft) and [source code on GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/soundcraft), accessed 25 Oct 2026. We have tested the program ourselves and rated it worth a look. We have no business relationship with the vendor.

## Introducing new software in your business

Want to use a free program and not sure whether it fits your workflows and files? We will look at it with you.

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