Ardour vs LMMS
Both are free audio & music tools. Here is how they actually differ.
Ardour and LMMS at a glance
| Feature | Ardour | LMMS |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Ardour community | LMMS Team |
| Licence | Open Source | Open Source |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile | No | No |
| Source code | Public | Public |
Ardour: what it's good at
Ardour is a full digital audio workstation aimed at professional recording, editing and mixing, with unlimited tracks, full automation, plugin support and surround capability. It is the most serious open-source DAW available.
- Unlimited multi-track recording
- Full mix automation
- VST, LV2 and AU plugin support
- Non-destructive editing
LMMS: what it's good at
LMMS is a music production environment oriented toward composing with software instruments and sequenced patterns, in the spirit of FL Studio. It includes built-in synthesisers, a beat and bassline editor and a piano roll.
- Built-in synthesisers and samplers
- Pattern-based beat and bassline editor
- Piano roll composition
- VST instrument support
Which should you choose?
Both are free, so the honest answer is that you can install either and decide for yourself — that is the advantage of free software over a paid trial.
Both run on Windows, macOS, Linux. Both are open source, so neither locks you in.
We deliberately do not publish a star rating for either. We have no way to verify a rating that would be honest at scale, and an invented one would be worse than none — so we give you the facts and let you decide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ardour better than LMMS?
Neither is universally better. Ardour professional open-source digital audio workstation, while LMMS free music production studio for beat-making and composition. The right pick depends on your platform and workflow.
Are both really free?
Ardour is open source and LMMS is open source. Both can be downloaded without paying.
Can I install both?
Yes. Since neither costs anything, installing both and comparing them on your own files is usually the fastest way to decide.