Following the release of Cakewalk by Bandlab, it’s hard to decide which freeware DAW is better – Tracktion or Cakewalk. Until this point, Tracktion 6 was the best free audio digital workstation you could download, followed by Podium Free and Studio One 3 Prime. Interestingly enough, Windows 10 wouldn’t run the BandLab Assistant installer on my laptop because it’s an “unrecognized app” but I chose the “Run Anyway” option and proceeded to install the software without any further issues. This will download the BandLab Assistant app which will guide you through the installation process. To download your free copy of Cakewalk by BandLab, click the “Get Early Access Now” button on the product page linked below. It’s recommended to use a machine with at least 4 GB of RAM for smooth performance. No big deal really, not by a long shot, especially considering that you’re getting such an amazing audio tool completely free of charge.Ĭakewalk requires Windows 7 or higher (64-bit only) to work. The Assistant won’t nag you to purchase or install anything else, but it will showcase some of the online services offered by BandLab.
You will also need to sign up for a free BandLab user account. Since Cakewalk was acquired by BandLab, you will need to install the BandLab Assistant software first in order to download the free version of Cakewalk. Sounds too good to be true? Well, there’s a catch, kind of, but it’s not a deal breaker. So, what you’re getting for free here is a flagship digital audio workstation which used to cost $499 (with lifetime updates), minus the bundled loops and add-ons. You can learn more about the integration here.See also: Best FREE Digital Audio Workstations For Windows & macOS! However, if you have SONAR installed, the 3rd party plug-ins will also be available in Cakewalk, ready to use in all your projects.Īs a new and exciting update, Cakewalk is now integrated to BandLab - the social music platform! As Cakewalk is now a free program, it does not include any licensed 3rd party plug-ins.
The key difference is that Cakewalk does not include some of the 3rd party plug-ins that were bundled with SONAR Platinum. Advanced audio processing, integrated collaboration tools and cutting edge features, and hundreds of bug fixes are just the start of what users report to be the most stable version they have used. With a focus on stability, Cakewalk by BandLab is taking things to the next level. Cakewalk by BandLab is a continuation of the SONAR Platinum you know and love, and it’s significantly better.Ĭakewalk picks up where SONAR Platinum left off, and has continually evolved with regular updates delivering significant stability and performance enhancements.