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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.
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.
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- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
- 😀 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.
