When comparing Audacity vs Tracktion 7, the Slant community recommends Audacity for most people. In the question“What are the best DAWs? ” Audacity is ranked 21st while Tracktion 7 is ranked 23rd. The most important reason people chose Audacity is:
Audacity is available for free on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux with source code available [here](http://audacityteam.org/download/source).
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Free, open source and cross-platform
Audacity is available for free on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux with source code available here.
Pro Well maintained
Audacity is constantly updated.
Pro Great community backing it
Pro Great for vocal track editing
Pro Single screen interface
Everything that is needed is within easy reach, no deep diving in menus or pop up windows.
Pro Very compatible
Tracktion 5 is now compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Pro Racks
Self contained modular environment for hooking up processing chains of plugins or instruments in any way you want.
Pro Bundles with Melodyne for no cost
Melodyne is a pitch correction software that now comes free with Tracktion 5. At $60, Tracktion 5 with Melodyne costs about half as much as the standalone version of Melodyne.
Pro Multi-channel MIDI support
Multiple MIDI instruments can be recorded in different tracks at the same time.
Pro MIDI to audio feature
Traktion 5 now has a MIDI to audio function so users can quickly freeze MIDI notes and manipulate them as audio clips.
Cons
Con Not seen as a full DAW
Audacity doesn't have the capabilities of popular DAWs and generally isn't considered to be good option.
Con Doesn't retain audio integrity
Audacity uses destructive editing, meaning applying effects, cutting, etc is non-reversable after you've saved a project.
Con No real time effects
Users are unable to change effects in real time with Audacity. If effects are to be changed, no sound can be playing or recording.
Con Unable to use Synthesizers / virtual instruments
You can only use effect plugins or record live with this DAW.
Con No native 64-bit version, therefore does not support 64-bit VST plugins
Audacity is available only as a 32-bit application, therefore even when running on 64-bit machines, it only supports 32-bit VST plugins unless they are converted to 32-bit using an application such as JBridge.
Con Unstable
Crashes quickly and frequently.
Con Cluttered interface, not user friendly
Con Lack of drivers for Linux
There are no official drivers for any multi-channel audio interfaces, putting Linux users at a disadvantage.