Home/DAWs/Cakewalk by BandLab

🎂100% FREE

DAWs

★4.5/5

Windows

Cakewalk by BandLab

The professional DAW that went completely free in 2018. Formerly SONAR Platinum ($499), now free forever from BandLab. Genuinely a full-featured workstation with no gimped features or watermarks.

Free

Download / Learn More →

Best For:

Anyone on Windows who wants a real DAW at zero cost

Key Features

•Completely free forever, no watermarks
•Was the flagship $499 SONAR Platinum
•Unlimited audio and MIDI tracks
•Stock plugins including ProChannel modules
•VST3 support
•Regular updates from BandLab

Pros

✓The best free DAW on Windows — nothing else comes close
✓Feature-parity with paid DAWs in most areas
✓Great for singer-songwriters and producers
✓No gimped functionality

Cons

✗Windows only
✗UI is dated compared to modern DAWs
✗Learning curve if new to DAW workflows

Download / Learn More →