Audacity
A free, open-source audio editor used by thousands of voice actors
Overview
Audacity is a free, open-source audio recording and editing application available on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It has been a go-to tool for voice actors on a budget for over two decades.
The software supports multi-track recording, basic noise reduction, equalization, compression, and export to all common audio formats. A large library of free plugins extends its functionality further.
How It Works
Audacity is used by beginners and professionals alike, often as a starting point before upgrading to paid software. Its active open-source community ensures regular updates and a wealth of online tutorials.
Audacity is completely free to download and use. There are no premium tiers, subscriptions, or hidden costs.
Who Uses It
The best starting point for new voice actors who need capable editing software without any financial investment. Learn the basics of noise removal, normalization, and compression to produce clean VO files.
Pricing & Plans
Audacity is completely free to download and use, with no premium tiers, subscriptions, hidden costs, or feature restrictions of any kind. The software is open-source under the GPL license, meaning the full source code is publicly available and the project is maintained by a global community of volunteer developers. There are no in-app purchases, upgrade prompts, or paid add-ons — every feature available in Audacity is accessible to every user from the moment of installation. The software runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux, providing the broadest platform compatibility of any audio editing tool available to voice actors. A rich ecosystem of free third-party plugins, including Nyquist scripts and LADSPA effects, extends Audacity's functionality well beyond its built-in feature set without any additional cost. For voice actors starting their careers with limited budgets, Audacity's zero cost removes one of the traditional barriers to entry, allowing you to invest your resources in microphones, acoustic treatment, and training instead of software licenses.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
The complete absence of any cost whatsoever makes Audacity the most accessible professional-grade audio editor available, democratizing access to voiceover production tools regardless of financial circumstances. Cross-platform availability means you can use the same familiar tool whether you are on a Windows PC, a Mac, or a Linux workstation, and your skills and workflow transfer seamlessly between systems. The massive global user community means an enormous library of free tutorials, YouTube walkthroughs, forum discussions, and troubleshooting guides are available for virtually any question or challenge you encounter. Audacity's multi-track editing capability, while more basic than professional DAWs, provides sufficient power for most voiceover production tasks including layering voice with music beds, assembling composite takes, and producing demo reels. The noise reduction tool, while not as sophisticated as Adobe Audition's, handles the most common voice recording cleanup tasks effectively when configured properly. Regular updates from the open-source community keep the software current with modern operating systems and audio formats, ensuring long-term viability without the risk of a company discontinuing the product or changing its pricing model.
What Could Be Better
Audacity's user interface is functional but dated, lacking the modern, polished design of commercial alternatives, which can make the editing experience feel less professional and more cluttered, particularly for users accustomed to well-designed consumer software. The noise reduction tool, while adequate for basic cleanup, produces noticeably inferior results compared to the adaptive noise reduction algorithms in Adobe Audition or iZotope RX, and aggressive settings can introduce audible artifacts that compromise recording quality. Audacity's destructive editing model means changes are applied directly to the audio data, and while undo is available during a session, once you close the project, edits cannot be reversed — a significant limitation compared to non-destructive editing workflows in professional DAWs. Real-time effect preview is limited, making it harder to dial in processing parameters by ear compared to tools that let you adjust effects while audio plays continuously. The plugin system, while extensible, can be confusing to set up and configure, and compatibility issues between plugin versions and Audacity versions are not uncommon. Some professionals view Audacity as a beginner tool, and mentioning it in professional contexts can inadvertently signal a lack of investment in your craft, even though the software is genuinely capable for most voiceover editing tasks.
Our Recommendation
Audacity is the clear first choice for any voice actor who is just starting out and needs capable editing software without any financial investment. It is also an excellent option for established voice actors who primarily do straightforward recording and editing work and see no reason to pay monthly subscription fees for features they do not use. If you find yourself struggling with Audacity's noise reduction quality or wanting non-destructive editing capabilities, that is the signal to upgrade to Adobe Audition or a similar professional tool — but start here and only spend money when you hit a genuine limitation. Mac-based voice actors who want something more polished than Audacity but do not need a full DAW should consider Twisted Wave as an affordable step up. Voice actors who plan to do significant audiobook production or complex post-production work should learn Audacity's basics and then move to a more capable tool sooner rather than later, as the workflow habits formed in a limited editor can be hard to unlearn.
Pro Tips
Download Audacity and immediately learn three essential operations: noise reduction using a noise profile sampled from room silence, normalization to ensure consistent output levels, and the truncate silence tool to remove dead air between takes — these three skills handle the vast majority of voiceover editing needs. Customize your toolbar to show only the tools you use regularly, hiding the many features designed for music production and sound design that clutter the interface for voice-focused work. Learn the keyboard shortcuts for cut, copy, paste, undo, and zoom, as these operations account for the majority of editing actions and performing them by keyboard doubles your editing speed. Set your default project settings to match the most common delivery specifications you encounter — typically 44.1 kHz sample rate, 16-bit depth, WAV format for raw files and MP3 for compressed delivery. Explore the Nyquist plugin library for voice-specific tools like de-essing, breath removal, and advanced loudness normalization, as these free plugins significantly extend Audacity's capability for voiceover editing without any cost.