Head-to-head
GarageBand vs Logic Pro
2 tools, 9 differing data points, mostly pricing and positioning.
The verdict
GarageBand or Logic Pro?
Section 01
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
GGarageBand
Free
Free
Free from Apple on Mac, iPhone and iPad
LLogic Pro
Logic Pro for Mac
$199.99 one-time
Apple Creator Studio
$12.99/mo · $10.75/mo billed yearly
Subscription bundle with other Apple apps; includes Logic Pro for iPad
Section 02
Pros and cons
From each tool's full review, written from the same checked facts.
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.
LLogic Pro
Pros
- Logic Pro for Mac is a one-time purchase, owned outright with no subscription required.
- Stem Splitter separates drums, bass, vocals, guitar and piano from a track for remixing or practice.
- Session Players are AI-powered musicians that play synth, bass, keyboard and drum parts to fit a song on direction.
- Spatial Audio mixing uses integrated Dolby Atmos tools and exports ADM files ready for streaming services.
Cons
- Logic Pro for iPad's full feature set requires the separate Apple Creator Studio subscription bundle.
- There is no real-time collaboration feature for multiple people working on the same project.
- It has no public developer API for building outside integrations.
Side by side
| Company | ||
| HQ | United States | United States |
| Platforms | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Mac, iPad |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | — | One-time purchase or subscription |
| Free plan | Yes, the whole app | No |
| Free trial | No | Yes, 30 days |
| Starting price | Free | $199.99 one-time (Mac) |
| All plans | Free — Free | Logic Pro for Mac — $199.99 one-time Apple Creator Studio — $12.99/mo |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | Beginners on Mac, iPhone or iPad who want to start making music for free | Mac musicians who want a full studio with AI session players and Atmos mixing, bought once |
| Differentiator | GarageBand is Apple's free music studio with an AI session drummer, loops and a score view. | Logic Pro adds AI Session Players, Stem Splitter and Dolby Atmos mixing to a Mac studio you buy once. |
| Competitors | Logic Pro, FL Studio, Ableton Live | Ableton Live, FL Studio, Pro Tools |
Section 03
GarageBand vs Logic Pro: common questions
Is GarageBand or Logic Pro cheaper?
GarageBand's cheapest paid plan is Free and Logic Pro's is $199.99 one-time (Mac). Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
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