13 Best Audio Recording Software for Mac (2025 Expert Test)

Audio recording tools are essential for various purposes, such as creating voiceovers, capturing podcast episodes, making voice memos, etc. However, with hundreds of options available, searching and selecting an ideal audio recorder for Mac can be a daunting task. Since recording needs and quality standards vary, we have thoroughly tested and carefully compared top tools, evaluating everything from ease of use to advanced features, to compile a complete list here. You can find the best audio recording software for Mac and produce professional-level audio content.

best audio recording software for mac

Top Recommendations:

To help you pick up best audio recording software for Mac, we have downloaded, installed and tested more than 20 tools. After our comparison in different aspects, such as ease of use, output quality, overall features, price and user reviews, here we list our top picks for your quick reference.

Audio Recording Software Best For Price Rating
Audacity Audio recording and editing. Free 4.8/5
Joyoshare VidiKit One-stop recording toolkit. $15.95/mo 4.8/5
Logic Pro Studio-level music creation. $199.99 4.7/5
GarageBand Artists and inexperienced music hobbyists. Free 4.7/5
Adobe Audition Podcasters and content creators. $22.99/mo 4.5/5

Part 1. 13 Unmissable Audio Recording Software for Mac

There are a wide range of audio recorders available to use on macOS. In this full list, we have sorted out 12 most popular tools. You can take a close look at them and see what each one can do.

1. Joyoshare VidiKit

With state-of-the-art recording technology, Joyoshare VidiKit puts all your recording expectations into place. It captures both microphone voice and internal system audio, making it possible to create voiceovers, dubbing files, audio commentary, educational podcasts, audio walkthroughts, sound effects, etc. It can serve various purposes across different fields, ideally outputing audio in optimal sound quality. There are a variety of formats to save your audio, which ensures high compatibility and avoid playback issues. Notably, the built-in editor even helps you trim audio tracks into smaller segments, change ID3 tag information, auto-stop recording without waiting, and configure parameters.

joyoshare vidikit for mac
20% OFF

Valid until Jul 31, 2025

20VIDI COPY

Copy the coupon and paste it at checkout.

😀 Pros
Capture microphone sound and internal audio on Mac & Windows
Record streaming music, Internet radio, podcast and more
Provide configurable parameters like codec, channel, sample rate and more
Additionally record screen, webcam, gameplay and specific window
Support 16 mainstream audio formats such as MP3, AAC, WAV, OGG, FLAC, etc.
☹ Cons
Allow first-minute audio recording in the free trial version

2. GarageBand

Apple launched the entry-level application GarageBand for iPhone users. GarageBand is the best Mac audio recorder software because it overrides the features of other recorders on Mac. It has an intuitive interface and contains different built-in audio filters that help you to add effects to your recorded audio. However, it has some specific pros and cons. So, let's have a look below.

garageband
😀 Pros
Pre-installed on Mac
Built-in audio filters and editing features
Pre-set virtual instruments
☹ Cons
Not a good pick for fast recording
Limited audio mixing and mastering capabilities

3. QuickTime

QuickTime is the most classic tool on the Mac, in addition to the most commonly used media playback function, it is also often used for audio and video recording. Its has uncluttered interface and basic features to get you started quickly. However, QuickTime can only support capturing microphone sound by default. If you want to grab internal system audio on Mac, another software like Soundflower is required to install.

quicktime recording audio
😀 Pros
Quick access without software downloading
Intuitive UI for new starters to easily master
Basic editing features such as trimming
☹ Cons
Lack of capacity to capture system audio
No advanced recording options and editing tools

4. Adobe Audition

Being a multipurpose software, you will find Adobe Audition another great option on Mac. It can record, create, edit, mix and restore audio. You can pick it for your audio recording and editing needs. The key features of Adobe Audition are high-end recording, production of best quality sound, clean UI, and many other things. This tool is powered by Artificial intelligence, hence making the recording an effortless task for you.

adobe audition
😀 Pros
Good for audio mixing
Support noise reduction and audio restoration
Integrate with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps
Produce broadcast with dedicated multitrack editor
☹ Cons
Hassle to do a lot of settings

5. Apowersoft Free Online Audio Recorder

Well, due to its easy layout and features it is loved by both beginners and professionals. Apowersoft Free Online Audio Recorder is a free audio recording tool for Mac. It supports a few formats like OCG, WAV, AAC, and more. It works seamlessly well when it comes to recording high-quality audio and allows you to record the audio for up to 3 minutes. By default, your recorded audio will be saved in MP3 format only.

apowersoft free online audio recorder
😀 Pros
Monitor and evaluate your screen in real-time
Lightweight program with a user-friendly layout
☹ Cons
Crash on mac
Free version has limited functionality

6. WavePad

WavePad is another audio recorder for Mac that you can consider using. It is filled with a lot of professional audio recording features. No matter, if you want to record at a sound studio or your home, its key features will deliver high-quality audio recording. You are free to use any of the effects like echo, amplification, and many other in-built features to edit the audio. It has a tremendous basket containing various characteristics to take your recording to the next level.

wavepad
😀 Pros
Support multi-track editing
Enhance audio with noise reduction, reverb, pitch correction, etc.
☹ Cons
Only have basic MIDI support
May crash when dealing with large projects

7. Logic Pro

Logic Pro is a full-fledged creative tools for professional-grade songwriting, beat-making, audio editing and mixing. It is well-developed with a large collection of sound effects and plug-ins. To produce audio in high quality, it includes full support for stunning tools, like pitch correction, smart tempo, mastering assistant, stem splitter, and more.

logic pro x
😀 Pros
Support Spatial Audio (Dolby Atmos) mixing
Provide abundant effects and instruments
Integrate with GarageBand and other Apple hardware
☹ Cons
Steep learning curve for newbies
Expensive to unlock the full version

8. RecordPad Sound Recorder

RecordPad Sound Recorder is an easy-to-use audio recorder on mac. Due to its simplicity and adaptable interface, it is loved by many people. Both beginners and professionals can use this tool for adjusting sounds. You can find many features that can help you in enhancing your recorded audio. You can also record any sort of sound, audio, voice, or music.

recordpad sound recorder
😀 Pros
Allow sharing the files via email
It has a clean interface
Allow burning the recorded audio to CD-ROM
☹ Cons
Fall short on compatibility issues with various formats

9. Reaper

Due to its easy-to-customize feature, it serves as the best audio recording software for mac. The layout and interface of this application are easy to use, and it can become a famous recording software soon. It remains updated, and with each update, you will find modifications in features. The new updated version supports retina-ready graphics.

reaper
😀 Pros
Pocket-friendly software for audio recording
High-efficiency without system lag issues
Customizable UI and workflow
☹ Cons
Limited built-in virtual instruments

10. Ardour

Because of its high-quality features, Ardour is counted among the best digital workstation. It is compatible with Mac and is also counted as the best audio recording software for Mac. It can turn the recorded audio into the formats you want like it can save the audio effortlessly to CD. No matter, you are a beginner or professional, it will work as an ideal solution.

ardour
😀 Pros
Open-source and easy-to-use recording software
Come with practical editing tools
Perform multi-track recording
☹ Cons
Less extensive features
Difficult or maybe complex for new users

11. MuLab 8

MuLab 8 is the best free audio recording software for Mac. The free version of this software provides you with many editing and recording features. This software was released by MUtools and it makes the recording and audio capturing quite easy. You can use it at the time when your system speed is slow or it is lagging.

mulab 8
😀 Pros
Simle to operate
Allow third-party plugins
Different audio editing tools
☹ Cons
Cannot export multiple projects
Cannot support multiple processing units

12. Audio Hijack

With Audio Hijack, you can record whatever you hear. As an audio recorder for Mac, it records the audio easily from microphones and input devices. It allows you to record the audio from different applications. It supports the following formats to save the audio such as AAC files, MP3, AIFF formats. You can even record the whole audio that you hear on your Mac.

audio hijack
😀 Pros
Simple and intuitive interface
It consists of built-in filters for sound effects
☹ Cons
Recording procedure may be complicated

13. Audacity

Audacity is one of the free audio recording programs for Mac that enjoys high popularity. As a cross-platform tool, it can run on Windows, MacOS and Linux. Remarkably, it offers a comprehensive set of audio editing features, allowing you to split, adjust volume, mix multiple tracks, convert audio files, etc.

audacity
😀 Pros
Free, cross-platform open source
Support multi-tract recording
Provide stunning audio editing tools
☹ Cons
Lack of native MIDI instruments

Part 2. FAQs about Audio Recording on Mac

Q1: Does Mac have a built-in audio recorder?

A: Yes. You can use built-in audio recorder on Mac. QuickTime Player is for basic audio capture, Voice Memos is for quick notes, GarageBand is for professional music and podcast creation.

Q2: Do I need an external microphone to record on my Mac?

A: It depends. Frankly speaking, the built-in microphone on Mac computer is enough for audio capture. However, if you pursue high-quality audio output without troublesome noise, an external microphone is worthy your investment.

Q3: What is the best voice recorder for singing?

A: There are lots of voice recorders for singing in the market. Among them, Joyoshare VidiKit, Voice Memos, Audacity and Adobe Audition can fit for different needs.

Conclusion

The final thoughts are that you should never compromise on quality. There are several tools compatible with Mac when it comes to the audio recording. However, you must not hesitate to choose the best for yourself. You should take time to study the key features of each software to choose the best for your work. Well, the audio recording software mentioned above is the best for both professionals and newbies. You can try Joyoshare VidiKit. It has all the qualities that everyone wants in the audio recording software for Mac.

Comments

Leave a comment

  Home >  Resource >  Reviews >  13 Best Audio Recording Software for Mac