Head-to-head
FL Studio vs GarageBand
2 tools, 9 differing data points, mostly pricing and positioning.
The verdict
FL Studio or GarageBand?
Section 01
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
FFL Studio
Fruity Edition
$99 one-time
Producer Edition
$179 one-time
Adds audio recording and stem separation
Signature Bundle
$269 one-time
All Plugins Edition
$449 one-time
GGarageBand
Free
Free
Free from Apple on Mac, iPhone and iPad
Section 02
Pros and cons
From each tool's full review, written from the same checked facts.
FFL Studio
Pros
- Sold as one-time purchase editions with Lifetime Free Updates rather than a subscription.
- The download is fully functional forever, with every instrument and effect unlocked and no audio watermark.
- AI-powered stem separation splits a song into vocals, drums, bass and instruments from the Producer Edition and up.
- FL Cloud states your data is private, encrypted and never used to train AI.
Cons
- A saved project file cannot be reopened again until an edition is purchased.
- Newtone pitch correction is only included from the Signature Bundle edition and up.
- There is no surround or Dolby Atmos mixing and no score or notation view.
GGarageBand
Pros
- Entirely free on Mac, iPhone and iPad, with no paid tier or in-app purchase of any kind.
- Drummer, an AI session drummer, plays along with your song across 28 drummers and three percussionists in six genres.
- A Piano Roll Editor for MIDI, a Score Editor for notation, and pitch correction for audio regions.
- Hosts third-party Audio Unit plugins alongside its built-in Sound Library and Apple Loops.
Cons
- Has no surround or Atmos mixing.
- Has no stem-separation feature.
- Has no real-time collaboration for co-editing a project with other people.
Side by side
| Company | ||
| HQ | Belgium | United States |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac | Mac, iPhone, iPad |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | — |
| Free plan | Yes, free trial edition | Yes, the whole app |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Starting price | $99 one-time (Fruity) | Free |
| All plans | Fruity Edition — $99 one-time Producer Edition — $179 one-time Signature Bundle — $269 one-time All Plugins Edition — $449 one-time | Free — Free |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | Beat makers who want lifetime free updates on an edition they buy once | Beginners on Mac, iPhone or iPad who want to start making music for free |
| Differentiator | FL Studio is a pattern-based beat-making studio with AI stem separation and lifetime free updates. | GarageBand is Apple's free music studio with an AI session drummer, loops and a score view. |
| Competitors | Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Reaper | Logic Pro, FL Studio, Ableton Live |
Section 03
FL Studio vs GarageBand: common questions
Is FL Studio or GarageBand cheaper?
FL Studio's cheapest paid plan is $99 one-time (Fruity) and GarageBand's is Free. Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
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