Audacity vs Sound Forge
Audacity scores 8.5 to Sound Forge's 4.4 among the audio editors we rate, and is the better pick for 4 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
Audacity wins, 8.5 to 4.4
Audacity runs free and open source, while Sound Forge is a paid, Windows-only single-file waveform editor with no free plan beyond a trial. Sound Forge sells a one-time purchase, or a subscription from $24.95 a month, and edits audio against video, which Audacity cannot do. Audacity answers with spectral editing, a scripting API and optional AI plugins for stem separation and dialogue isolation. Both take third-party plugins.
Pick Audacity if if you want free multitrack editing with AI repair plugins.
Pick Sound Forge if if you need a one-time purchase for Windows only editing.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
- Edits several tracks at once: Audacity yes, Sound Forge no
- AI repair or dialogue isolation: Audacity yes, Sound Forge no
- Spectral editing: Audacity yes, Sound Forge no
- But Sound Forge leads on edits audio against video: Sound Forge yes, Audacity no
- Audio formats it exports: 8 export formats against 4 export formats
- Where it runs: 2 platforms against 1 platform
- Scripting or developer API: Audacity yes, Sound Forge does not say
- Free plan: Audacity yes, Sound Forge no
- Cheapest plan you can edit in, monthly: $0 against $24.95
- Source published under an open licence: Audacity yes, Sound Forge no
- Ways to reach support: 3 support channels against 2 support channels
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other audio editors we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. Audacity leads on 4 of 4 criteria.
Where they differ
Every point where the two vendors' published facts disagree, with a link to where each fact was read. "Not published" means the vendor does not say either way.
Published by only one of them
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Audacity
Sound Forge
For everything else about each tool, read the full Audacity review and Sound Forge review.
Audacity vs Sound Forge: common questions
Which is better, Audacity or Sound Forge?
Audacity scores 8.5 and Sound Forge 4.4 out of 10 among the audio editors we rate. Audacity is ahead on what it adds beyond the basics, workflow and output, pricing and privacy and trust.
Is Audacity or Sound Forge cheaper?
Audacity's cheapest paid plan is Free and Sound Forge's is $24.95/mo (Sound Forge). Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
Do Audacity and Sound Forge have a free plan?
Audacity does and Sound Forge does not.
What can Audacity do that Sound Forge cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: edits several tracks at once, aI repair or dialogue isolation, spectral editing, free plan and source published under an open licence.
What can Sound Forge do that Audacity cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: edits audio against video and surround or Atmos mixing.
