Compare Ardour and Reaper

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At a Glance
Ardour
Ardour
Star Rating
(11)4.1 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (63.6% of reviews)
Information
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Ardour
Reaper
Reaper
Star Rating
(28)4.5 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (81.5% of reviews)
Information
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Reaper
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
  • Users report that Reaper excels in its flexibility and customization options, allowing for extensive user-defined shortcuts and macros, which many find enhances their workflow significantly.
  • Reviewers mention that Ardour's open-source nature is a major draw, providing users with the ability to modify the software to fit their specific needs, which is particularly appealing to those in the audio engineering community.
  • G2 users highlight that Reaper's pricing model is very competitive, offering a one-time purchase option that is budget-friendly for small businesses, while Ardour operates on a donation model, which some users find less straightforward.
  • Users on G2 report that Reaper's audio editing capabilities, particularly the "item-based editing" feature, are superior, allowing for precise control over audio clips, whereas Ardour's editing tools are seen as more traditional and less intuitive.
  • Reviewers say that the quality of support for Reaper is highly rated, with many users appreciating the active community forums and extensive documentation, while Ardour's support is often described as less responsive, given its open-source nature.
  • Users mention that Reaper's product direction is viewed positively, with frequent updates and new features being added, while Ardour users report a more variable update schedule, which can lead to uncertainty about future enhancements.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Ardour
No pricing available
Reaper
No pricing available
Free Trial
Ardour
No trial information available
Reaper
No trial information available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
8.1
9
9.6
24
Ease of Use
7.4
9
8.5
25
Ease of Setup
Not enough data
Not enough data
Ease of Admin
Not enough data
Not enough data
Quality of Support
Not enough data
8.8
18
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
Not enough data
Not enough data
Product Direction (% positive)
10.0
9
9.0
23
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Ardour
Ardour
Reaper
Reaper
Ardour and Reaper are categorized as Audio Editing
Unique Categories
Ardour
Ardour has no unique categories
Reaper
Reaper has no unique categories
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Ardour
Ardour
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
63.6%
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
27.3%
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
9.1%
Reaper
Reaper
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
81.5%
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
14.8%
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
3.7%
Reviewers' Industry
Ardour
Ardour
Music
18.2%
Media Production
18.2%
Photography
9.1%
Marketing and Advertising
9.1%
Leisure, Travel & Tourism
9.1%
Other
36.4%
Reaper
Reaper
Music
44.4%
Performing Arts
7.4%
Media Production
7.4%
Arts and Crafts
7.4%
Program Development
3.7%
Other
29.6%
Most Helpful Reviews
Ardour
Ardour
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Verified User
G
Verified User in Media Production

This is the smoothest my multi track editing experience has gone. What took me a year to learn for Adobe Audition, I learned in two weeks. And the cost! Either a single version purchase for $1 or more, or you can get every update for life for $45. Upon...

Most Helpful Critical Review
Verified User
G
Verified User in Photography

Complicated interface for a beginner like me. Needs a program like JackPilot to be running to function on a Mac.

Reaper
Reaper
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Augustine V.
AV
Augustine V.
Verified User in Music

Reaper is incredibly accessible and has all the inbuilt modules to create a professional experience. It can do everything that you expect it to do.

Most Helpful Critical Review
Beth M.
BM
Beth M.
Verified User in Music

Reaper is a step above GarageBand in terms of recording and editing audio. However, it does not have the MIDI editing capabilities of GarageBand and does not include a MIDI sample library like GarageBand does. It still does not have as many MIDI editing and...

Alternatives
Ardour
Ardour Alternatives
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FL Studio
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Reaper
Reaper Alternatives
Audacity
Audacity
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Adobe Audition
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Discussions
Ardour
Ardour Discussions
Monty the Mongoose crying
Ardour has no discussions with answers
Reaper
Reaper Discussions
How can I get free version?
2 comments
Camden C.
CC
Reaper’s free and fully-functional trial period lasts for 60 days. After the trial period you will get a pop-up advising you it’s time to purchase a license....Read more
Monty the Mongoose crying
Reaper has no more discussions with answers