Recording and editing20 of 28
Mixing and control8 of 13
Plugins11 of 11
Systems6 of 6
Licence and updates12 of 22
Price7 of 20
digital audio workstation · Bitwig GmbH
Bitwig Studio
Clip-based DAW for Windows, macOS and Linux with unlimited tracks in every edition, from 99 euros.
In short
- Essentials costs 99 euros, Producer 199 and Studio 399, and every edition lists unlimited audio, instrument and hybrid tracks1.
- Each purchase includes 12 months of free updates; the terms grant use for an unlimited period1,5.
- There is no free edition, but a 30-day trial runs without limitations4.
- It loads VST3 and CLAP plug-ins and supports MPE in all three editions2,6.
- Builds exist for Windows, macOS and Linux4.
Bitwig Studio suits producers who want a bought-once DAW with no track cap and plug-in formats such as CLAP and MPE1,2,6. Essentials at 99 euros lists no audio comping and only 4/8 audio I/O busses, so most people compare it with Producer at 199 euros1,2. The catch: updates are free for only 12 months, and there is no free edition1,4.
Best for: Producers who want a one-time licence, CLAP and MPE support, and a Linux build.
Where the points come from
Recording and editing 20 of 28 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 100 or more tracks | YesEssentials, Producer and Studio each list unlimited audio, instrument and hybrid tracks1,3. | 10 / 10 |
| Take comping | YesProducer and Studio list audio comping in the arranger and Clip Launcher; Essentials does not list it2. | 5 / 5 |
| Built-in time-stretch | YesEvery edition has audio stretching: 3 algorithms in Essentials, 8 including Elastique in Producer and Studio2,3. | 5 / 5 |
| Audio to MIDI | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's user guide chapter on notes and audio, which covers bouncing and slicing only10. | 0 / 4 |
| Video track | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's overview, feature list or project export guide2,3,9. | 0 / 4 |
Mixing and control 8 of 13 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Surround mixing | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's feature list or mixer routing guide; only multichannel audio interfaces are described3,11. | 0 / 5 |
| MPE support | YesAll three editions list full MPE support; the feature list names playing, recording and editing2,3. | 4 / 4 |
| Scripting or extension API | YesUser guide says users can edit or write controller scripts in Java or JavaScript, with API documentation in the Help tab7. | 4 / 4 |
Plugins 11 of 11 points
Systems 6 of 6 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Other desktop systems | macOS, LinuxSystem requirements list macOS 12 or later, Windows 10 or 11, and Ubuntu or Flatpak on Linux4. | 6 / 6 |
Licence and updates 12 of 22 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Buy once, keep forever | YesEditions are listed with a price and no subscription; the terms grant use for an unlimited period1,5. | 6 / 6 |
| Update policy | periodAll updates in the 12 months after purchase are free; terms say free functional updates last one year1,5. | 3 / 6 |
| Open source | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's terms page5. | 0 / 4 |
| Works offline after activation | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's terms or download pages, which cover activation only4,5. | 0 / 3 |
| Free trial of a paid edition | YesThe download page offers 30 days to explore Bitwig Studio without limitations, free4. | 3 / 3 |
Price 7 of 20 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Free edition | NoThe buy page lists three paid editions and the download page offers only a 30-day trial1,4. | 0 / 8 |
| Cheapest edition with no track limit | $110.74/yrEssentials, 99 euros one-time; it lists unlimited audio tracks. Price page shows euros only1. Converted at €1 = $1.118612. | 7 / 12 |
The rule behind each line: how we score digital audio workstations.
Plans and prices
As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.
| Plan | Price as listed | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials1 person | €991 | – | Unlimited tracks; 4/8 audio I/O busses; 12 months of updates |
| Producer1 person | €1991,2 | – | Adds audio comping and unlimited audio I/O busses |
| Studio1 person | €3991 | – | Adds the Grid, 188 devices and the full multisample editor |
Prices are shown in euros. The page lists a 12-month free-update period for all editions and does not list renewal prices1.
Strengths
What Bitwig GmbH says
Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.
- Bitwig says all updates in the 12 months after purchase are free1.
Other digital audio workstations
- 1
WaveformProducers who want a free DAW on Windows, macOS and Linux with a paid upgrade path85/100$0cheapest edition with no track limit - 2
ArdourPeople who want an open-source DAW with Lua scripting and a video timeline75/100$0cheapest edition with no track limit - 3
REAPERHome producers who want a one-off price of $60 and no track limit71/100$60/yrcheapest edition with no track limit - 5
FL StudioProducers who want to pay once and keep every future update63/100$179/yrcheapest edition with no track limit
Sources
- Buy Bitwig Studio, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Bitwig Studio overview, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Bitwig Studio feature list, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Download Bitwig Studio, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Terms and conditions, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- The Dashboard, Bitwig Studio user guide, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- MIDI Controllers, Bitwig Studio user guide, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Plug-ins, Bitwig Studio user guide, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Working with Projects and Exporting, Bitwig Studio user guide, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Going Between Notes and Audio, Bitwig Studio user guide, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Master Track Routing, Bitwig Studio user guide, Bitwig. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates: US dollar, European Central Bank. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Website: www.bitwig.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Bitwig GmbH.