Top 10 Audio Recording Software for Mac

Mac computers are popular because of their smooth operation and great performance. Speaking of media file creating and editing, macOS has its built-in audio recorders, video players, and more. However, people who want to capture high-quality audio files may choose audio recording software for Mac. This article will share with you the best Mac audio recorder. These tools are designed to help you record high-quality audio without needing expensive studio equipment.

Top 11 Audio Recording Software for Mac

1. The Best Mac Audio Recorder - DemoCreator
2. Audacity
3. Audio Hijack
4. Garageband
5. Logic Pro X
6. MuLab 8
7. Apowersoft Audio Recorder for Mac
8. Ableton Live 10
9. Ardour
10. Acoustica
11. Reaper 6

1. The Best Mac Audio Recorder - DemoCreator

If you would like to record Mac system audio and Microphone audio, the best tool you cannot miss is Wondershare DemoCreator Recorder. This video and audio recording program allows you to capture screen, webcam, system audio, and microphone audio at the same time or separately. All you need to do is just click on the buttons simply and keep your sound-capturing devices well-connected with your Mac.

Here is a detailed guide about how to record Mac audio with DemoCreator screen recorder:

Step 1: Download and install DemoCreator onto your computer. The program will start running automatically after installation.

Try It Now - It's Free!

Secure Download

Try It Now - It's Free!

Secure Download

Step 2: Then click on the "All-in-One Recorder" option from the main interface, and then a new box will pop out, check the system audio and microphone audio options.

Step 3: In this part, you can set your desired capture area on your Mac, and enable the audio recording, or webcam recording.

Step 4: Press Shift+Cmd+2 to start recording, this is also the stop shortcut. When the process ends, you can export the audio to your computer.

Try It Now - It's Free!

Secure Download

Try It Now - It's Free!

Secure Download

2. Audacity

Audacity is probably the most recognizable audio recording software in the business. It is open source, which means that it is free to download and use. But while Audacity comes with a lot of great features, it is not the most ideal solution for beginners. Most people who try to use Audacity for the first time often find themselves wondering how to even get started.

But if you can figure out how to use it, Audacity is one of the best free audio recording programs for Mac. It comes with a lot of effects and numerous plugin support to simplify the recording process. And once you are done with the recording, it will provide a wide range of editing tools to guarantee high-quality audio.

Pros

• The sound quality is great
• It comes with tons of effects
• Highly customizable using a wide range of plugins
• The editing suite is more useful than any other free tool in the market
• It is completely free to use and download
• It can be used for pitch correction

Cons

• The user interface is not very intuitive
• The noise reduction tool needs to be upgraded
• It lacks a record-to-tape feature

3. Audio Hijack

Audio Hijack is another audio recording app for macOS. It comes with the necessary tools to record just about any type of audio with the tools to record and edit very high-quality audio. The user interface is very easy to use and has numerous tools designed to make the editing process as simple as possible. You even have the option to schedule audio recordings, a perfect solution when you are looking to record audio from web sources.

One of its best features is that it comes with different session templates including DVD Audio application audio, web audio, internet audio, and more. You can just pick one of the templates to begin the recording and then use one of the tool's numerous effects to get audio just as you want it.

Pros

• A professional user interface that is also very easy to use
• It comes with a wide range of filters and sound effects
• Advanced recording options are available
• You can schedule a recording
• Has numerous session templates that you can choose from

Cons

• There are fewer processing options as compared to other tools
• The free trial version is limited in functionality

4. Garageband

Released in 2004, Garageband has quickly become one of the best solutions for most users, particularly when they want the best home studio feel at a fraction of the cost. It comes with numerous features designed to make it easy for you to record and edit audio on your Mac. One of its greatest advantages is that the developers have gone out of their way to simplify the user interface to make the process as simple as possible.

But just because it is simple to use, doesn't mean that you will not have all the features needed to make the audio recording as professional as possible. You will have numerous options to add effects and edit the audio recording as needed.

Pros

• A highly intuitive drag and drop process makes recoding very easy
• Numerous filters and effects available
• It comes with a streamlined recording process
• Provides a professional recording environment

Cons

• It may not be the best tool for quick recording sessions
• The editing suite is very basic

5. Logic Pro X

If you are looking for an audio recorder specifically designed for use on the Mac, Logic X Pro is one of the best solutions. This tool offers professional-level audio recording and editing features at an affordable price and an easy-to-install and uses the package. You can use it for numerous purposes including multitrack recording, sound design, post-production, and film scoring.

The new version offers even more additional options including non-linear music composition and live performance chops. It may take a bit of learning at first, but once you know where everything is, Logic Pro X is one of the best computer audio recorder apps for Mac out there.

Pros

• Numerous advanced features to choose from including Live Loops and Sampler plugins
• A wide array of instruments and effects
• It is very affordable as compared to similar tools
• It is very easy to use
• A built-in editor with numerous editing features
• It allows users to arrange music in real time

Cons

• The meters and faders on the mixer are a little smaller than you may be used to
• Editing tools may take a little getting used to

6. MuLab 8

Released by MuTools, the MuLab 8 Mac voice recording software is perhaps one of the most underrated audio recording tools in the business. It does however come with a huge selection of tools and features designed to make audio capturing and editing easy. One of the things we love most about MuLab 8 is the fact that it doesn't task the computer's resources, allowing you to use it even when your system is slow.

There is also a free version of this tool that offer numerous recording and editing solutions. But while the free version can be useful, we recommend getting the full version to experience all the benefits of using this tool.

Pros

• A very well thought out interface that gives you easy access to all instruments and effects
• It comes with a full-featured MIDI and an actual modular environment built-in
• Supports VST, AU, and most other third-party plugins
• Has numerous filters and effects to choose from including three different samplers and a drum machine
• Supports ReWire

Cons

• It has a 5-track maximum
• Lacks multiple CPU support
• You can only export one project at a time

7. Apowersoft Audio Recorder for Mac

Apowersoft Audio Recorder for Mac is a great tool for recording and streaming audio to various sites like YouTube, Spotify, and SoundCloud. Its user interface is so easy to use, that it is an ideal audio recorder for almost anyone. At the click of a button, you can capture system sound and the microphone and save the audio recordings in several formats.

Apowersoft also has a comprehensive set of configurations and settings to allow you to personalize the recording process as much as possible. You can also use it to rip and burn audio CDs, add ID3 tags to any audio file and convert audio tracks to other formats.

Pros

• It will record both the system sounds and the microphone
• You can save the recorded audio in numerous formats including MP3
• It allows users to rip CDs, burn audio to CD, add and edit ID3 tags, and more
• The user interface is very easy to use

Cons

• The free version is fairly limited in functionality
• It lacks some of the advanced features and settings of the other tools on this list

8. Ableton Live 10

Launched in 2001, Ableton Live 10 is the go-to solution for those looking for a solution that is designed to capture real-time performances on stage. If you are used to some of the other tools on this list, you will find this tool's approach to composition and arrangement highly unusual.

Ableton Live does however have a highly intuitive clip-based approach to building music tracks, so much so that you will find yourself lost in the music-making process. It also doesn't hurt that it has a pretty useful audio editor to go with it.

Pros

• A very easy-to-use clip-based live performance and composition workflow
• It offers very fast navigation
• Has amazing automation tools
• The Suite version will offer users plenty of sample materials to work with

Cons

• It lacks track comping
• It doesn't have a notation view
• It also lacks a pitch correction tool

9. Ardour

Ardour is an open-source digital audio workstation that has features that match and even go above and beyond some of the most expensive audio recorders in the business. It allows users to record and edit multi-track audios and then burn them easily to CD as needed or save them to your computer in numerous different formats.

To help you accomplish this easily, Ardour has several features and settings including multi-channel recording, timecode synchronization, and sample-accurate automation among others. It is an ideal solution for both the beginner user and the professional sound artist.

Pros

• It is full of numerous plug-ins and add-ons
• Offers multi-display support
• It allows users to cut, move, stretch and even copy-paste audio
• Allows for multitrack recording and editing
• Supports drag and drop functionality

Cons

• Its editing features may not be as extensive as some of the other tools on this list
• New users may find the user interface very intimidating

10. Acoustica

Acoustica is one of the less mainstream audio recorders in the market, but it has a huge following among professionals. This is because it has the perfect blend of features and settings configuration to capture sound in a way that is both simple and effective at the same time.

It also supports a wide range of plugins to further customize the recording and editing process. But like most tools developed with the professional sound engineer in mind, most people may find all the features and the interface quite intimidating.

Pros

• You can mix and match the features for amazing results
• The sound quality is beautiful
• It supports numerous plugins that can be further organized into full channel strips or separate module plugins
• Ideal for professional use

Cons

• It processes may place a heavy load on your computer's resources
• The user interface is hard to use and may sometimes feel a little sluggish

11. Reaper 6

Reaper 6, developed by Cockos Incorporated is one of the most popular tools in the market. Its greatest advantage is that it is highly customizable, allowing you to use plugins and configured settings to customize the DAW to suit your audio recording and editing needs.

Reaper 6 is constantly changing with each update, a factor that may make it rather difficult to use. The latest version features new Retina-ready graphics, MIDI CC envelopes, and FX plugin support.

Pros

• It is one of the most useful tools for multi-channel audio recording, mixing, and mastering
• At $60, it is one of the most affordable solutions in the market
• It is very fast and doesn't slow down your system
• It is also extremely light and highly functional

Cons

• It doesn't have an in-built instrument and loops
• The beginner user may find the user interface unintuitive and uninviting

Mac Audio recording tools are numerous, but finding one that is both useful and easy to use can be difficult. The tools we have outlined above are some of the easiest to use and we hope that you will find the best solution for you from the reviews above.

The Best Mac Audio Recorder

Record customized screens with audio, or audio only in high quality.

Trim and merge audio recordings without any hassle.

Remove background noise from video or audio in 1 magic click.

Support changing the audio voice or turning audio to text automatically.

Supported export to MP3, MP4, MOV, MKV, GIF, and other formats.

Free Download

Secure Download

Free Download

Secure Download