Free alternative
A free Audacity alternative
A free, open source audio recorder and editor for Windows, macOS and Linux, with multitrack editing, built-in effects and support for third-party plug-ins. Anyfile is a free alternative for many of the same jobs: it opens, edits and converts files in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
Audacity and Anyfile, side by side
| Audacity | Anyfile | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free and open source. Audacity is released under the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3); individual source files may carry other licences as stated in those files. Source | Free, funded by optional donations |
| Free version | Yes. Audacity says it has always been, and will always remain, free for everyone, and that its source code is open for anyone to view or modify. Source | Everything is free |
| Free limits | No limits on the app itself are stated. Its FAQ says that if you paid for Audacity, it was either for extra Audacity Cloud storage or for an app not made by the Audacity team, as there is no Audacity app for iOS or Android. Source | No daily limits; size limits per kind of file (for example 100 MB pictures, 300 MB PDFs) |
| Are files uploaded? | Audacity is a desktop app, so audio is opened and edited on your own computer. Its privacy notice lists only update checking, error reporting and an optional anonymous identifier as network features, and says each can be turned off in Preferences. Source | No: files are opened and converted in your browser |
| How long files are kept | Not stated on their pages | Never stored: nothing is uploaded |
| Account needed | Not needed: Audacity’s privacy notice says the app does not require you to create an account or profile. Registering with audio.com is optional. Source | No |
| Ads | Not stated on their pages | None |
| Platforms | A desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux. Audacity says there is no mobile version. Source | Any current browser on a computer, tablet or phone; installable as an app |
| Formats | Imports, exports and converts files in every popular audio format, including MP3, M4A, AIFF, FLAC and WAV, and can combine clips from several formats in one project. It supports 16-bit, 24-bit and 32-bit audio, and VST3 and Nyquist plug-ins (plus LV2 and Audio Units, depending on the operating system). Source | 202 file extensions in 17 editors, with 639 one-click conversions |
Facts about Audacity come from its own pages, checked on 2026-10-22. Prices and limits change, so follow each source for today’s.
When Audacity is the better choice
Audacity is the better choice for recording from a microphone or mixer, editing and mixing several tracks, noise reduction and other effects, spectrogram analysis, and third-party plug-ins such as VST3 and Nyquist. Anyfile suits quick jobs such as trimming, fading, normalising loudness or converting one file without installing anything.