REAPER (Rapid Environment for Audio Production, Engineering, and Recording) is a renowned digital audio workstation (DAW) developed by Cockos. Famous for its tiny ~15MB installer, incredible CPU efficiency, rock-solid stability, and total interface customizability, REAPER is used globally for music production, podcasting, and game audio.
REAPER
Ultrafast, lightweight digital audio workstation for recording and mixing.
Best for: Music producers, sound designers, podcasters, and game audio engineers wanting extreme efficiency
- Free trial
- 60-Day Full Trial
4.9/5 ratingEditorial score 96/100reaper.fm
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60-Day Full Trial
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Editorial score96/100
The editorial note
What to know about REAPER
Is it right for you?
Who REAPER suits
Choose it if
- Music producers, sound designers, podcasters, and game audio engineers wanting extreme efficiency
Look elsewhere if
- Beginners wanting gigabytes of bundled loop libraries and instruments out of the box
What you get
Key features
- 64-bit internal audio processing engine
- Multitrack audio and MIDI recording, editing, and routing
- VST, VST3, AU, CLAP, and JSFX audio plugin support
- ReaScript automation engine (Lua, Python, EEL2)
- Portable installation support (run directly from a USB stick)
- Comprehensive video playback and video soundtrack editing
Works with
Integrations5
VST3Audio UnitsASIOCoreAudioWwise
What it costs
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation Trial | 60-Day Full TrialBilled one-time | 60 days of fully functional, unrestricted evaluation with zero limitations or audio dropouts |
| Discounted License | $60 one-timeBilled one-time | Perpetual license for personal use or businesses earning under $20,000 annually. Includes 2 major versions |
| Commercial License | $225 one-timeBilled one-time | Perpetual license for commercial studios earning over $20,000 annually. Includes free version upgrades |
Prices are recorded from the vendor's public pricing page and can change. Check before you buy.
The trade-off
Pros and cons
Pros
- Incredible CPU efficiency: runs smoothly even on older laptops with low audio latency
- Generous 60-day full-featured evaluation trial with zero artificial audio dropouts
- Endlessly customizable with custom keybindings, themes, and ReaScript Lua extensions
Cons
- Does not bundle large synthetic instrument sample libraries like Logic Pro
- Default graphical theme is functional rather than flashy out of the box
Quick read
At a glance
- Category
- Video & Audio
- Pricing model
- One time
- Entry plan
- 60-Day Full Trial
- Free plan
- Not listed
- Free trial
- Available
- Website
- reaper.fm
The verdict
Our take on REAPER
REAPER is the most respected, efficient, and fairly priced DAW in the audio industry, trusted by bedroom producers and AAA studios alike.
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