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.
Why choose Ardour?
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.
Ardour is open source, so the source code is public, the licence cannot be withdrawn, and no company can move it behind a paywall later. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and it comes from Ardour community rather than from a repackager — this page sends you to ardour.org, the publisher's own site, so what you install is the authentic signed build.
Worth comparing before you commit: Ardour vs Audacity, Ardour vs LMMS, Ardour vs MuseScore.
Ardour features
- Unlimited multi-track recording
- Full mix automation
- VST, LV2 and AU plugin support
- Non-destructive editing
How to download and install Ardour on Windows
- Use the official source. The download button on this page opens ardour.org, the publisher's own site — that is the safe route. If you would rather we double-check the current link first, ask and we email it. Either way, never take a ardour download from a mirror or a "download manager" portal, which is where bundled adware comes from.
- Pick the build for your system. Ardour runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. On Windows take the 64-bit package unless you are on an old 32-bit installation.
- Run the installer and accept the defaults. Ardour community ships no bundled extra software with it, so there is nothing to untick.
- Open it once before you need it. Confirming it launches and sees your files or hardware takes a minute now and saves a problem later.
- Keep it updated. Update from inside the program or from ardour.org — update prompts arriving by email or pop-up are not from the publisher.
Downloading Ardour in India
Ardour is the same software worldwide — there is no separate India build, no regional licence and nothing extra to pay. A ardour download in India gets the identical package everyone else receives, straight from ardour.org.
We link only to that official source, so a ardour setup download India from this page cannot arrive wrapped in a third-party installer. That matters more than download speed: the adware people blame on "free software" almost always comes from a mirror site, never from the publisher.
Is Ardour really free?
Open Source. Source code is public; free to use, study and modify. You can download and use it without paying, and without creating an account with us.
How to download Ardour safely
Use the request button on this page and we will email you the current link for ardour.org — the publisher's own website — so you receive the authentic, digitally signed build. We do not host, mirror, patch or repackage this software in any way.
Avoid third-party "download manager" sites offering Ardour. They commonly wrap the genuine installer in their own bundler, which is how adware and browser hijackers get onto a machine that the user believed was clean.
Alternatives to Ardour
Other free audio & music software worth comparing before you decide:
Audacity
The standard free audio recorder and editor.
View details
LMMS
Free music production studio for beat-making and composition.
View detailsMuseScore
The standard free music notation and scoring software.
View detailsMixxx
Free DJ software with real controller support.
View detailsSee all Ardour alternatives compared →
Compare Ardour head-to-head
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ardour download free?
Yes. Ardour is open-source software — free to download, use and keep, with no paid edition, no trial period and no feature held behind a key.
Is Ardour safe to download?
It is, provided it comes from ardour.org — Ardour community's own site, which is where the link we send you points. We host no installer of our own and never repackage software. Nearly every "free software gave me a virus" story traces back to a third-party download portal rather than the publisher.
Which platforms does Ardour run on?
Ardour runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Take the build that matches your operating system; on Windows that means the 64-bit package unless you are running an old 32-bit installation.
Do I need an account to download Ardour?
Not with us — FreeSoftwareX has no accounts, no paywall and no download gate. Ask for the link and we email it to you. Ardour community may ask you to register on their own site, which is their choice rather than ours.
What are the best free alternatives to Ardour?
The closest free audio & music options are Audacity, LMMS, MuseScore. Each is listed here with its own licence, platforms and features so you can compare them properly rather than guessing.
Tell us what went wrong — a person reads every message and replies. Corrections to this page are treated as priority fixes.
People also search for
The terms visitors use to find this page. Each one lands here because it describes the same program.
Searches from India
Ardour is identical worldwide — these are search phrasings, not different downloads. Every one of them gets the same official build from ardour.org.