Best Audio Editor For The Mac

It is one of the best free audio editing software for Mac and Windows. It is a professional music editor that allows you to cut, copy, paste and add effects like reduce noise, amplification in your recording. FL Studio is a truly a professional audio editor. The website description of FL Studio lists it as a DAW i.e., a Digital Audio Workstation. It has a really complicated Interface for a beginner but if you have already used audio editors then you will not hesitate from calling it one of the best audio editing software.

Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.

The Rundown

  • Best From Hobbyist to Pro:Final Cut Pro X at Apple.com, “A video editing software that you can use even if you don’t have much experience.”
  • Most Accessible Apple Editor: Apple iMovie at Apple.com, “If you haven’t done video editing before, this is a good place to get started before moving on to more serious software.”
  • Best for Pros:Adobe Premiere Pro CC at Amazon, “A powerful video editor for professionals putting out movies, short films, and the like.”
  • Easiest-to-Use Cross-Platform Editor:Adobe Premiere Elements 2018 at Amazon, “An easily approachable video editing software for those just getting started.”
  • Best Open-Source Software:Shotcut at Shortcut.org, “A multi-track editing software like any other serious software, and you can readily rearrange the workspace to suit your editing needs.”
  • Best Starter Freeware:Lightworks at Lwks.com, “Whether or not you need the free or paid versions is a question you can answer for yourself.”
  • Best Freeware:DaVinci Resolve 15 at Blackmagicdesign.com, “Plenty of functionality to take your footage, organize it with data to help you find what you need, and edit it all together.”
  • Best for Tutorial and Presentation Videos:Camtasia at Techsmith.com, “It’s a screen recorder and video editor built into one product.”

Our Top Picks

Best From Hobbyist to Pro: Final Cut Pro X

If you want a video editing software that you can use even if you don’t have much experience (and you plan on growing as a video editor while using it), then Final Cut Pro X is well worth your consideration. It may take a few tutorial videos to really get yourself ready to start doing much, but once you get your feet wet, you can do basic editing and learn more and more advanced tricks over time.

While Final Cut Pro X is a professional video editing tool, it’s approachable enough for hobbyist videographers to get on board with. And it has a bit more reasonable price than some of the other serious pro video editing software. As a pro software, it comes packed with handy features to help you realize your vision.

The latest version of Final Cut Pro X has the multi-track timeline needed for editing but brings in the future of video and pro features. It supports 360-degree video, graphics, and effects. You can edit together video from multi-cam recording setups and easily switching between multiple angles. And, you can create HDR content. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Apple offers a free trial so you can see if this one is up your alley before you dive all the way in.

Most Accessible Apple editor: Apple iMovie

If you really just want to get started editing videos on your Mac, or even on your iPhone or iPad, then the easiest way is to get Apple iMovie. This is Apple’s free video editing software, and it runs on both Mac OS and iOS platforms, so you can do you video editing just about wherever you go.

For hobbyist and amateur filmmakers, Apple iMovie will have approachable tools to help you easily take your footage and edit a video with a clear flow. You’ll be able to combine multiple video files, layer different video and audio tracks, and add title screens to your video without much fuss. It even includes video filters and some special effects, including picture-in-picture.

The latest version of Apple iMovie keeps up with the trends in video, supporting 4K video editing. So, all that 4K video you capture on your iPhone can be turned into a movie in iMovie. If you haven’t done video editing before, this is a good place to get started before moving on to more serious software.

Best for Pros: Adobe Premiere Pro CC

Adobe’s Premiere Pro CC (Creative Cloud) software is a powerful video editor for professionals putting out movies, short films, and the like. Of course, it’s also a viable option for hobbyists looking to sharpen their teeth on a video editor that gets used in professional positions. If you’re not trying to go professional with your editing quite yet, you may want to check out the next pick.

Best Audio Editor For The Mac

Adobe Premiere Pro CC is a constantly evolving video editing software, as Adobe rolls out updates over time. Rather than buying a single edition of the software, you pay for a subscription as long as you’re using it. An added perk is that the software isn’t exclusive to Mac, so you can switch between different computers with different operating systems if you need to.

That subscription gives you access to Premiere Pro for editing all sorts of video, from 3D and even 8K. You’ll also be able to handle audio tracks, add graphics, manage light and color, and effectively put together whatever video you can imagine. If you use Adobe’s other software, like Photoshop or Illustrator, then Premiere Pro will be a great option for easily integrating different workflows.

Easiest-to-Use Cross-Platform Editor: Adobe Premiere Elements 2018

Adobe Premiere Elements 2018 is almost exactly what it sounds like. It’s a stripped down version of the pro Premiere software. This does make it a little less capable, and new features aren’t constantly rolling out to it, but it works as an easily approachable video editing software for those just getting started. And, without a subscription model, you can pay for the software once and you’re set.

Best Audio Editor For Macbook Pro

If you’re an amateur just getting started with video editing, and especially if you’re not planning on going pro, then Premiere Elements 2018 will be an excellent pick for you. While Premiere Elements does give you plenty of tools for putting together multiple video, image, and audio files into one complete video, it also has some tools to help you make a better video if you’re not a savvy editor already. Plus, the software is available on both Mac and PC.

Premier Elements 2018 helps you organize the files you’ll be using in your video, and it can guide you through the editing process from beginning to end. It will also let you add in some fun little effects to spice up your video. And, in keeping with the times, it supports 4K video.

Best Open-Source Software: Shotcut

Shotcut is highly versatile free video editing software available on Mac and PC. Once you get past the somewhat steep learning curve, you’ll find you can do quite a lot with Shotcut. And, since it’s a free software, you have the option of seeing whether or not you like it without having to pay a cent.

Shotcut is a multi-track editing software like any other serious software, and you can readily rearrange the workspace to suit your editing needs. Shotcut supports a wide variety of file types for both input and output, including 4K video. Plus, you can edit audio, color, and lighting effects in Shotcut.

Though Shotcut isn’t the easiest software to just pick up and start editing videos with, the nature of being a free software means plenty of people are using it and making incredibly helpful tutorial videos or guides on how to use it. And, if you want a readily portable option, Shotcut is it, since you can run it directly off an external storage drive.

Best Starter Freeware: Lightworks

Lightworks blends the offerings of a free editing software with a paid one. Compared to Shotcut, it has an easier learning curve, but some of the features that you’ll want may be part of the paid Lightworks Pro version, such as the ability to export your final product in more video formats and higher resolutions.

Whether or not you need the free or paid versions is a question you can answer for yourself later on though, as either will let you import a wide range of file formats, easily edit together multiple files, manage your audio, add titles, and tweak your visuals.

The free version of Lightworks will be a fine option for anyone who isn’t concerned much about video resolution, as you’ll still be able to output web-ready 720p videos. But, if you try out Lightworks, like how it works, and want to stick with it as your video editor of choice, you can upgrade to the Pro software and start putting out high-quality video. Plus, Lightworks is available on Windows, Mac, and Linux, so you’ll be able to stick with Lightworks even if you stop using a Mac later on.

Best Freeware: DaVinci Resolve 15

If you’re ready to get started editing all kinds of videos and putting out the final product in a high-quality, 4K format without having to pay a cent to do so, then DaVinci Resolve 15 is a great option. While there is a paid Studio version, you’ll really only need to go with that if you’re planning to do some collaboration or want access to a few of the software’s more advanced tools and effects.

For the most part, DaVinci Resolve 15 is going to give you plenty of functionality to take your footage, organize it with data to help you find what you need, and edit it all together. Once you’re done, you can output in just about any format you need, whether you want the highest quality or something that’s ready to upload quickly to YouTube.

If you want a video editing software you can get serious with, then DaVinci Resolve 15 fits the bill. It’s just a bonus that the free version is so capable because it’ll give you a chance to try it for yourself and see if it feels like something you can really use.

Best for Tutorial and Presentation Videos: Camtasia

Camtasia is particularly handy if you’re planning to make videos that will use footage captured from your computer screen. That’s because it’s a screen recorder and video editor built into one product.

With Camtasia, you’ll be able to record the screen and audio of your computer or even your iOS device. If you’re putting together tutorial videos, this capability will be incredibly useful. Plus, you have the option of adding webcam footage on top of the screen-captured video.

Free

Beyond screen-capture, Camtasia also gives you multi-track timeline editing and tools for transitions, animations, audio and video effects, and annotations. If you want to make a presentation video, you can also add in a PowerPoint. So, whether you’re an educator, business professional, or just trying to put some tutorials up on YouTube, Camtasia offers tools you can use to capture and edit the video you need. A free trial will give you a chance to see if its tool and features a good fit for you.

What to Look for in Video Editing Software for a Mac

Free vs. paid - If you’re a beginner just dipping your toes into the world of video editing, a free software program is probably your best bet. If you have more advanced needs, you’ll likely need to pay to access the features you’ll need. However, most software programs have free trials that let you try them before you buy them.

File compatibility - Before you commit to a new program, make sure it’s compatible with the type of video you’ll be shooting. While some programs support 4K video, others don’t, and yet others will support 3D and 4K. Be sure to consider both the input and output formats you’ll need.

Extra features - Most video editing programs can handle the basics—merging clips, adding transitions, and laying down audio—but the extra features are what will take your video from amateur to expert. Look for handy features like multi-track timelines, filters, special effects, and more.


If you want to create a song or record a song clip in a film, what should you do? At this time, a good audio editor is necessary. There are many audio editors available in Windows, but what about Mac? Today I would like to introduce 5 best audio editors for Mac.

Part 1: 5 Best Audio Editors for Mac

The most popular digital device in the world now may be iPhone, and then second iPad. There is a free app in iPhone and iPad App Stores called Podcasts that can offer you various audio files, and within that app you can search whatever words you like such as 'Joel Osteen' and download free the corresponding podcasts to your iPhone or iPad so as to listen to it whenever you like. Now I introduce you the detailed steps on Joel Osteen podcast free download with that app on iPhone.

1. Leawo Music Recorder

Leawo Music Recorder is an all-in-one audio editor Mac that allows you to free record audio from built-in input audio, microphone, computer audio and online music from over 500 websites like YouTube, Spotify, Dailymotion, etc. This audio editor Mac supports to record music in over 300 formats and save them in MP3 or WAV format with lossless quality. Besides, this Mac audio editor can automatically download and add music tags. If needed, you can also manually edit music tags like title, artist and genre with this audio editor Mac. What’s more, you can simply upload those recordings to your iTunes with one click.

2. Online MP3 Cutter

Online MP3 Cutter is an online audio editor that is compatible with Windows and Mac, so you can also use this online, free Mac audio editor to record audio. Without the need to register and install the software, you can easily and quickly record audio and cut an audio track in a few clicks. The free Mac audio editor supports over 300 files formats, fade in and fade out modes and recording quality presets. In addition, you can use this audio editor for Mac to extract audio from video. In this way, you don’t need to worry that you have no idea how to extract music from a video when you listen to a song in the video next time.

3. Wavepad

When you need professional audio editing in your computer, Wavepad is no doubt the top choice for you. This Mac audio editor allows you to cut, copy and paste any part of recordings and add sound effects including amplify, normalize, equalizer, envelope and so forth to your recordings. It supports almost every popular audio format like MP3, WAV, VOX, WMA, OGG, etc. With this audio editor for Mac, you can create bookmarks and regions to easily find your recording. Moreover, it is featured by a plethora of useful and advanced tools like spectral analysis, speech synthesis, voice changer, etc.

4. Pro Tools

Pro Tools is one of the most popular audio editors for Mac that can be used to record, edit and mix audio tracks. The interface of Pro Tools is pretty professional and you have to learn how to use it, especially for the beginners. It supports 128 tracks per session with 32 inputs and over 60 plugins, which contributes to the professional creation of music. The professional and best audio editor for Mac allows you to add effects to your recordings and edit them like adjusting volume, speed, tone and so forth.

5. PreSonus Studio One

Best Audio Editor For Videos

When it comes to professional free audio editor for Mac, PreSonus Studio One provides you with all professional elements you need to create a song. It is not exaggerated to say that you can get everything you expect from this free Mac audio editor. The interface of PreSonus Studio One is so professional that looks tough for beginners. However, once you master the skills, you can create music with unparalleled sound quality in a fast way. PreSonus Studio One has three different versions: PreSonus Studio Prime, PreSonus Studio Artist and PreSonus Studio One Professional. The professional one enjoys more features than other two versions. You can choose one version based on your actual need.

Part 2: How to Edit Audio on Mac with Leawo Music Recorder

Leawo Music Recorder for Mac is one of best audio editors for Mac. It can record audio from any sources like local music, online music and microphone. The audio editor Mac has Auto-filter tool to automatically remove ads in the recordings and Task Scheduler to automatically record audio. Besides, the best audio editor for Mac can automatically download and add music tags like song name, artist, album, etc. Now let’s learn how to record and edit audio with this Mac audio editor.

Leawo Music Recorder

☉ Record any music file from computer stream audio and built-in input audio.

☉ Record music from 1000+ music sites like YouTube, Facebook, Veoh, VEVO, etc.

Audio Editor For Mac Free

☉ Schedule music recording via the internal recording task scheduler.

Best Audio Editor For Mac Free

☉ Automatically/manually add and complete music tags like artist, album, cover, genre, etc.

Download and install this Mac audio editing software on your Mac computer and then launch it. The below steps would show you how to record and edit audio files on Mac. It works on Mac OS 10.6 and later.

Step 1: Set Audio Source

Tap on the little microphone icon at bottom left corner to choose 'Audio Source'. Here are two options: 'Record Built-in Audio' and 'Record computer Audio'. You can choose one based on your actual situation.

Step 2. Set output audio format and output directory

Go to Leawo Music Recorder > Preferences > Format to choose the output format: WAV, MP4 and MP3. You can change the parameters of audio codec, bit rate and sample rate to enhance the sound quality. After that, you can go to 'General' to choose the target output directory to save the recording.

Step 3. Start recording

Go to main interface to click the red recording button to start recording, then play audio you need to record. When finish recording, you can click the recording button again.

Best Text Editor On Mac

Step 4. Edit audio tags

Leawo Music Recorder is typical for automatically downloading and adding music tags. However, you can also right click the recording you need to edit to select 'Edit' option to edit music tags like song title, artist name, album name and genre on the recording panel.

For Windows computer, please turn to Leawo Music Recorder to record internet radio on Windows computer with ease.

Part 3: How to Edit Audio on Mac with Online MP3 Cutter

Online MP3 Cutter is a free audio editor for Mac that you can use to record music online without the need to register and install the software. All features are free of charge in this Mac audio editor. Now you can follow these steps to learn how to edit audio on Mac with Online MP3 Cutter.

1. Enter the website: http://mp3cut.net/ and click the blue button 'Open file' to upload the audio you need to edit.

2. Click the green button in the left to play the audio. You can choose the output format below the bar. MP3, AMR, WAV and AAC are available. You can also toggle on 'Fade in' or ' Fade out' at the top. Besides, drag the left and right edge to decide which parts you want to cut.

3. Click the blue 'Click' button to cut. When it finishes, you can click 'Download' to download the file.

Comments are closed.