GarageBand review

GarageBand is an easy place to start: it is free on the Mac App Store and built for people who have never used a DAW. Quick Help explains controls as you hover, and Drummer adds a virtual session drummer, with 33 players across genres such as EDM, hip hop and rock, that follows a few simple controls. Guitarists get Amp Designer with 25 amps and cabinets and a Pedalboard with 35 stompboxes, and songs can grow to 255 tracks. Flex Time and Groove Track tidy up timing, and multi-take recording lets you pick your best performance. The app also includes 40 Basic Lessons for guitar and piano. You can start a song on iPhone or iPad and finish it on the Mac through iCloud. GarageBand runs out of road when you need detailed mixing, mastering or advanced editing, which is when Logic Pro makes sense.

Who it is for

Beginners on a Mac who want to start recording for free.

Price

Free on the US Mac App Store.

GarageBand A recording studio on your Mac Only for Mac Free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Drummer: a virtual session drummer with 33 players across genres
• Up to 255 tracks per song
• Amp Designer with 25 amps and cabinets, plus 35 stompbox effects
• Flex Time, Groove Track and multi-take recording
• 40 Basic Lessons for guitar and piano

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free, with a simple interface built for beginners
• Strength: Quick Help shows hints wherever you hover
• Strength: Imports GarageBand for iOS songs from iCloud
• Weakness: Mac only
• Weakness: Fewer advanced mixing and editing tools than Logic Pro
• Weakness: No Windows or Linux version for mixed-device households

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Platform: Mac (GarageBand for iOS is a separate app)
• Maximum tracks: 255
• Drummer players: 33
• App Store age rating: 4+

Where it ranks

GarageBand is No. 5 in our Best DAW Software verdict.