Based on 80 reviews and ratings
Based on 75 reviews and ratings
Highlights
Adobe Audition and Audacity are both Audio Editing tools available for use for sound and audio editing, as well as general sound (or more typically music) creation and production.
One key difference between Adobe Audition and Audacity is their price. While Audacity is a free, open-source product, Adobe Audition is not. However, users of Adobe Audition may enjoy taking advantage of bundles with other Adobe products that help make up for the cost of the software.
Features
Adobe Audition features support audio cleanup, restoration, and editing for both files with video and those without. Users can also record, edit, and integrate music clips into existing sound files. Another key feature of Adobe Audition includes sound quality enhancement, and file repair and restoration.
As an open-source tool, Audacity is popular due to its function as a sound recording tool. However, it fully supports sound editing and rearranging, including the ability to save sound files in different sound quality formats. It also features several plugins for adaptability. Audacity is also a solid choice for converting sound files into various other types.
Both Adobe Audition and Audacity can have steep learning curves, especially for new audio editing users. A key difference between the two is that Adobe Audition can support video whereas Audacity cannot.
Limitations
Common criticisms of Adobe Audition relate to its usability, with many saying its user interface is not very conducive to the audio editing experience. Others also say that it could be more feature-rich, and doesn’t appear to be on Adobe’s list of priorities compared to other creative tools.
As an open-source tool, Audacity can be a bit difficult in terms of improvements or support. Users find running into issues and solving them to be a rough experience. Others also dislike the need for using plug-ins to accomplish more advanced tasks.
Pricing
As previously mentioned, Audacity is available for download on-demand, completely free.
Adobe Audition is available as a standalone product for $20.99/mo. However, for $52.99/mo users can purchase Adobe Audition alongside 20+ other Adobe creative tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. as an affordable bundle.
Provided by the TrustRadius Research Team
Published on September 4, 2020
Attribute Ratings
- Adobe Audition is rated higher in 1 area: Likelihood to Recommend
- Audacity is rated higher in 1 area: Support Rating
Likelihood to Recommend
Audition
Audacity
Usability
Audition
Audacity
Support Rating
Audition
Audacity
Likelihood to Recommend
Audition
Audacity
Pros
Audition
- Sound waves - Sound originates in the air, arising from its vibrations. The source of air vibrations can be, for example, a person's vocal cords, a drum or loudspeaker membrane, or guitar strings. These vibrations push nearby molecules together, slightly increasing the air pressure.
- Bit depth - The bit depth (depth) of digital audio determines the dynamic range for an audio file. When a sound wave is digitized (sampled), each sample is assigned an amplitude value that most closely matches the amplitude of the original sound wave. The higher the bit depth value, the greater the dynamic range, the lower the noise level, and the higher the digital sound quality.
- Automatic filters and special effects - Adobe Audition includes a suite of new sound effects ranging from circuit-optimized Surround Reverb to a suite of diagnostic effects.
- Analog Audio: Positive and Negative Voltage - The microphone converts the pressure of sound waves into electrical current: high air pressure becomes a positive voltage, and low pressure becomes negative. As these voltage changes move along the microphone wire, they can be recorded (as changes in magnetic field strength) onto magnetic tape or onto a vinyl record (by resizing the grooves on the disc).
- High-performance code - Adobe Audition has received a new redesigned code. This means increased speed of audio processing, accurate and smooth sound reproduction during preprocessing, the ability to work with multiple files and audio tracks at the same time, high overall performance.
- Editing, enhancing and restoring audio - Any professional working with sound dreams of making the source material as close to ideal as possible. For this, special studios are being built with soundproofing, special acoustic form, and equipment. Indeed, if there is such an opportunity, then it is better to record sound in the studio. Even in this case, insignificant noises and unwanted sounds can be received at the input: a click of a switch, a weak background of a poor-quality or punctured cable, or, for example, a defect in human diction, in which some hissing sounds turn into whistling sounds. It is worth going out to record an interview, for example, in an office space - phone calls or conversations in the next room, the noise of the city outside the window, sounds of the door being opened, etc. will be added.
Audacity
- Audacity has a wide variety of controls and capabilities for editing, making it a very robust tool for audio editing.
- Even though it's a robust tool, it is very easy to use to get many basic things done in audio editing. The learning curve is small.
- Love that audacity is free! What else could you ask for? There really is no reason not to use it.
Cons
Audition
- It is a very expensive software, as is all of Adobe's other software.
- The interface and all the features can be difficult [for] beginners to get the hang of and get used to.
- When live listening to your recording with effects, there is an unavoidable latency which doesn't help.
Audacity
- The user interface theme has only two options, light and dark. It would be better if it was more customizable.
- Sometimes there is a lag or break when opening the software.
- There is no option to listen to the audio live with effects while you are recording.
Pricing Details
Audition
General
Free Trial
Free/Freemium Version
—Premium Consulting/Integration Services
—Entry-level set up fee?
Starting Price
Audition Editions & Modules
Edition
Audition - Individuals | $31.491 |
---|---|
Single App - Business | $33.991 |
- per month
Additional Pricing Details
—Audacity
General
Free Trial
—Free/Freemium Version
—Premium Consulting/Integration Services
—Entry-level set up fee?
Starting Price
—Audacity Editions & Modules
Additional Pricing Details
—Usability
Audition
Audacity
Support Rating
Audition
Audacity
- Online documentation and FAQ
- Online tutorials covering all functions
- Online user forums where questions are asked and answered by other users
- Online wiki with more information

Alternatives Considered
Audition
Audacity
Return on Investment
Audition
- Audition makes Audio editing/production so efficient that we're able to produce audio more rapidly than with any other software.
- The option to save in multiple file formats, and to save session files, makes it easy to go back and make edits to completed projects with just a few clicks.
- All versions of Audition work well together, so whether you have the latest version or an older one, you can pick up any session file and edit as needed.
Audacity
- I was able to make loops of my music to sell on royalty-free music sites years before I had my Mac Pro.
- Able to quickly edit music and other audio tracks on a PC without having to purchase a separate program, allowing us to upload more creative videos without having to spend extra money.
