No. 4 of 38 ·Digital Audio Workstations

Cakewalk Next

Windows · Mac

Freedom report

Two barsScore 6.4

Free tierA free tier is on its own pricing page
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely2 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

Cakewalk Next is ranked #4 of 38 in digital audio workstations on Freedom251. It runs on macOS, Windows. There is a free plan.

Cakewalk Next plans and pricing

All plans

Cakewalk Next Free Free Unlimited tracks · virtual instruments · built-in effects · VST and AU plugin support cakewalk.com · 4 Oct 2026

BandLab Membership (optional) Not published Pricing is on the BandLab Membership page; Cakewalk’s FAQ does not state an amount. Optional access to unlimited BandLab Sounds and BandLab Splitter for stem separation cakewalk.com · 4 Oct 2026

Compared on digital audio workstations

Free plan: Yes
Operating systems: macos_windows
Audio warping: Yes
VST3 support: Yes

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The record

Product: Cakewalk Next is a streamlined digital audio workstation for songwriters, beatmakers, and content creators.
Recording: The app supports audio recording with flexible routing options.
Arrangement: Users can arrange song sections as timeline blocks and drag, duplicate, or reorder them.
MIDI editing: The Piano Roll provides drawing tools, snap-to-grid, and note editing.
Lyrics: Lyrics can be written, edited, and placed directly in the timeline alongside vocal tracks.
Instruments and effects: Cakewalk Next includes a library of virtual instruments and effect chains and supports VST plugins.
Samples: The product page says users can integrate over 100,000 royalty-free samples into a session.
Membership features: BandLab Membership adds unlimited access to BandLab Sounds and BandLab Splitter for stem separation.
Account requirement: A free BandLab account is required to use Cakewalk Next.
Platform requirements: The stated minimum operating systems are Windows 11 or later and macOS Catalina 10.15 or later.
Computer requirements: The suggested specifications list 16 GB RAM for both systems, an 8-core CPU on Windows, and a 64-bit Intel Core or Apple M-series processor on macOS.
BandLab integration: Linking a BandLab account allows users to access and import BandLab projects and publish projects directly to BandLab.
Support: Cakewalk provides a Help Center with Next setup, recording, tutorials, troubleshooting, and product installation sections.
Privacy: BandLab’s privacy policy says its services may collect account details, uploaded content, support communications, usage analytics, cookies, and log information.
Price from: Free

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Digital Audio Workstations in 2026#4 of 38
Best Game Music Software in 2026#6 of 26

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Sources

cakewalk.com/next· checked 4 Oct 2026
help.cakewalk.com/hc/en-us/articles/13814081360409-How-do· checked 4 Oct 2026
help.cakewalk.com/hc/en-us/categories/14729904305817-Next· checked 4 Oct 2026
bandlabtechnologies.com/policies/bandlab-privacy-policy/· checked 4 Oct 2026
bandlabtechnologies.com/news/bandlab-technologies-appoints-ivan· checked 4 Oct 2026