01In plain English
A digital audio workstation is where music is made on a computer. It records audio and MIDI onto tracks, hosts virtual instruments and effects, and mixes everything down to a finished song. An audio editor, by contrast, works on one recording at a time.
02Why it matters when you are choosing
If you make music, you need a DAW. If you only clean up podcasts or voice-overs, an audio editor is usually simpler.
03What to check
Ask the vendor
Check which plugin formats it loads, how it handles MIDI, and whether it runs on your operating system.