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If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to FL Studio so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting FL Studio alternatives are Ableton Live (Paid), Audacity (Free, Open Source), Ardour (Freemium, Open Source) and Reaper (Paid). The list of alternatives was last updated on Nov 3, 2020. Download VST VSTI AU RTAS AAX DAW Plugins Free FL Studio Ableton Live Logic Pro Cubase Pro Tools reFX Nexus Sylenth Massive Xfer Serum Spire Kontakt 5 Waves DAW & Plugin, Vst Crack and Samples MAGIX VEGAS Pro 17 v17.0.0.321 WIN x64.
Making music has never been easier or more accessible.
Advances in technology and music software have opened up the world of music production to practically everybody.
Just think:
20 years ago you would have needed a studio with professional equipment and years of experience to make a song on your own.
But now all it takes is a laptop and some creativity!
But there’s just one problem…
There are so many different DAWs (digital audio workstations) available to new producers that it can be hard to know which one is right for you.
What’s worse is that it’s largely a matter of individual taste. There’s no one “perfect DAW.”
Each DAW, depending on your needs and personal approach to music, will have a number of advantages and disadvantages.
Two of the most popular DAWs right now for music producers are FL Studio and Ableton.
Both are high quality programs, so you can’t go wrong with either one.
But they also have a hefty price tag, so you don’t want to just jump right in without a good understanding of its workflow and features.
Because even though they’re both popular pieces of software, they couldn’t be more different!
So without further ado, let’s take a look at Ableton vs FL Studio so you can make the best decision for your own personal needs.
FL Studio
Originally known as Fruity Loops, FL Studio is one of the most popular DAWs for rap and hip-hop production.
Look at any top ten rap chart from the past decade, and you’ll find at least one song that was made in FL Studio.
So if you make hip-hop (or want to), FL Studio is certainly worth a look.
It’s also very affordable compared to Ableton:
The base version is $99, while the more fully fledged “Producer Edition” is only $200.
Whichever version you purchase, your DAW will come with enough built-in effect and instrument plugins for you to get started right away.
The developers also offer a flexible free trial version that lets you create new projects so you can get a feel for the workflow.
FL Studio Workflow
Speaking of workflows, FL Studio’s workflow is what really sets it apart.
Most DAWs primarily rely on a timeline-centric workflow:
Usually the audio clips and instrument tracks are arranged linearly, in one timeline.
But FL Studio is different. Instead, it uses a pattern-based workflow.
Patterns in FL Studio allow you to quickly build looping drum sequences and instrument tracks in the Channel rack. Then you would lay out the patterns from the Channel rack into the Playlist (the master timeline).
If you’re coming from a traditional DAW, this might sound confusing…
But once you get the hang of it, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you can sketch out ideas and song concepts.
FL Studio Pros and Cons
As with any DAW, FL Studio has its own strengths and weaknesses.
But these are mainly a matter of preference.
For example, take FL Studio’s pattern-based workflow:
If you make hip-hop beats, this function is perfect.
It allows you to loop and arrange drums, instruments, and samples quickly, making it much easier to build a full beat.
And considering that hip-hop music is based around loops and patterned arrangement, this makes FL Studio an ideal choice.
However, if you’re already comfortable producing with a different workflow, or if you don’t produce music that relies on patterns, then FL Studio might feel rigid and confusing.
Most of the functions you’ll use in FL Studio are separated in their own windows, and this might inhibit producers who prefer a seamless workflow.
Another disadvantage are the included instrument plug-ins.
Unless you are just getting started and are satisfied with basic sounds, you will probably be disappointed with FL Studio’s stock sounds.
This isn’t to say that they’re low-quality, but they’re fairly basic compared to the stock instruments in Ableton.
If you record your own audio, sample, or plan to use premium virtual instruments, this won’t be a problem.
And at a fraction of Ableton’s price, you can always invest your money into other instrument and sound libraries.
Overall, FL Studio is an excellent choice for most modern producers.
Despite its quirks and drawbacks, FL Studio is perfect for hip-hop producers, beginners, or experienced producers who prefer a pattern-based workflow.
Ableton
In the past few years, Ableton has become increasingly popular for various types of music producers.
While FL Studio is the top choice for hip-hop production, Ableton is a little more flexible.
No matter what kind of music you make, you will find a way to make it work for you.
However, compared to FL Studio, Ableton is expensive.
The standard version is $449, and it has a notable limitation:
The maximum number of audio and midi tracks per project is 16 for each.
This is usually enough for most producers, but FL Studio doesn’t have this limitation.
Besides that, Ableton is a very powerful DAW with a seamless workflow.
Ableton Workflow
Similar to FL Studio, Ableton has a unique workflow for music production.
In addition to the standard timeline view for arranging midi clips and audio files, it features the “Session” screen.
The Session area is where MIDI and audio clips are arranged into scenes.
Scenes allow you to quickly sketch out ideas and string them together in unique ways.
For creative producers, this screen can offer almost unlimited possibilities for creative exploration and experimentation.
But if you prefer a standard workflow, Ableton’s timeline screen works much the same way as it does in other DAWs.
So whether you’re brand new to music production, or you’re familiar with the traditional “timeline” workflow, you will feel right at home with Ableton.
Ableton Pros and Cons
One of Ableton’s standout features are its sound design tools.
It offers a number of complex and advanced warping modes that allow you to warp audio clips and samples into something almost unrecognizable.
So if you like to experiment with sound design, Ableton is an excellent choice for the freedom it offers you.
On the downside, however, is Ableton’s complexity.
Ableton has a reputation of being a little more difficult to learn than other DAWs, especially FL Studio.
Its design and workflow are fairly unconventional, which can be a bit of a hurdle for newcomers.
The main screens, “Scene” and “Arranger”, can be difficult to understand at first.
But once you take the time to learn the program, you’ll realize how seamless you can create music in Ableton.
Overall, Ableton is a great choice for producers who create less structured music.
If you can get over the high price tag, the innovative workflow in Ableton is definitely a thrill to use.
Notable Users
By now you should have a good idea of which DAW will fit your needs.
But if you’re still in doubt, it might help to understand the type of music that each DAW is responsible for making.
This should help you get a feel for the type of sounds and styles that each DAW is suited to.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the notable users of FL Studio and Ableton.
Producers Who Use FL Studio
The list of notable FL Studio producers continues to grow and dominate the hip-hop charts.
Producers like Metro Boomin, Wondagurl, and Murda Beatz have produced some of their biggest songs on the platform.
But the list isn’t limited to mainstream hip-hop and trap. Plenty of sample-based producers, like 9th Wonder, have made powerful sample-based beats on the program.
A number of electronic producers use FL Studio as well:
Porter Robinson, DeadMau5 and Martin Garrix are all well known users of FL Studio.
By now, you can see that FL Studio isn’t limited to simple patterned beats. You can make nearly any style of music in FL Studio once you learn your way around the program.
Producers Who Use Ableton
The list of Ableton-based producers is just as long and illustrious as FL Studio.
One of the more notable hip-hop producers who uses Ableton is T-minus.
And Ableton’s varied sampling capabilities have also made it a favorite of experimental producers.
These include Knxwledge, Four Tet, and Flying Lotus.
It also attracts pop and alternative musicians like Panda Bear, Grimes and Imogen Heap.
It’s clear that Ableton is just as flexible as FL Studio, and attracts experimental and adventurous musicians.
Its workflow might even help to bring some creativity to your own music!
But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which producer uses the same program as you.
After all, a DAW is just a tool, and you still have to do the work.
Wrapping Up
After taking a look at both Ableton and FL Studio, you should have a good idea of which is best for you.
To summarize, here are the key takeaways from this post:
- FL Studio uses a pattern-based production style, and Ableton has its own scene-based style.
- Ableton starts at $449 for its standard version, and FL Studio starts at just $99.
- Both DAWs have a diverse user-base, but FL Studio is prominently used by hip-hop and electronic music producers, and Ableton is primarily used by experimental and pop producers.
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Now you just need to pick one.
When it comes to Ableton vs. FL Studio, there really isn’t a wrong answer.
And there certainly isn’t a one size fits all solution out there (unfortunately).
It all depends on your personal taste and needs.
To make it easier, I’d recommend trying out the demo version of each program first. That way you can test them out without spending any money.
Once you’ve gotten a feel for each DAW, then you can commit to the full version.
But don’t stress about the decision…
Even if you want to switch later, here’s the good news:
Once you have general experience, learning a new DAW is fairly straightforward.
In fact, it’s often helpful to experiment with new DAWs and workflows for a fresh outlook on your creative process.
So have fun and remember –
It’s not about the DAW you use; it’s the music you make that matters!
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Have you been thinking about making FL Studio your DAW of choice?
There are so many options out there for Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs).
I know it can be confusing to pick which one to use are your primary piece of software.
You can feel this anxiety about making the right choice.
And you are bombarded by loads of opinions about which is the best.
I went through this process a long time ago.
But let me tell you why I chose to go with FL Studio as my DAW
Here are my Top 5 reasons.
FL Studio Lifetime Free Updates
This might not seem significant at first, but let me tell you something. It is the sweetest music to my ears.
A couple of years back I had jumped into Apple pretty hard. I had purchased Logic and was trying to get used to the workflow of the program.
I was still getting my mind around the basics when they released Logic X.
So right after I had dropped $200, they wanted me to turn around and spend another $200 to upgrade to the latest and greatest of their software. That was super frustrating.
I had even looked at trying to get my foot in the door with something like ProTools.
But that whole process was confusing and frustrating. I downloaded Pro Tools First, and you had to create a special account and install some crazy password program in order to get it working right.
And then I started looking at their pricing and options, and it is stupidly confusing.
What’s the difference between the subscription and the perpetual license?
Do I still have to pay yearly with the perpetual license? How many upgrades are included?
It’s like you have to have a degree just to figure out how to purchase it.
And then you have to continue to pay through the nose year after year for the privilege of using their software.
No thanks.
I paid once with FL Studio.
As I’ve upgraded my computer, I just log on, download the latest version. Login to my account.
Boom. Done.
One gripe I do have has to do with the installation of the latest version of FL Studio.
You are installing a whole new program, rather than just updating the old one.
So all of the projects that you had from your old version are still just sitting in a separate folder.
I think they have started to address this in FL Studio 20, because they are saving projects out to a common folder like Documents.
So hopefully as you install 21 and beyond, all the projects and samples will be available easily.
But that is a small inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.
Flexibility of FL Studio’s Workflow
Another one of the things that I love about FL studio is the flexibility of the workflow.
What I mean by this is that there are about 3-5 different ways you can go about doing anything in the program, such as recording audio, midi, or automations.
This means that I can experiment and develop a workflow that works well for me.
And I am constantly trying new ways of doing things so that I can get more work done in less amount of time.
And I appreciate a DAW that let’s me do things the way that I prefer.
For example, my workflow for recording audio has been slowly morphing.
I used to set it up so that the tracks would record directly to the playlist.
You would have to go into each mixer track.
Make sure you armed it for recording and named the file and chose the location that you wanted it saved.
Then you had to make sure that the audio recording option was turned on in the recording settings.
But then recently I have started loading an instance of Edison a mixer track that I bus all my recording channels to (Vocals, guitar, bass, and even an instance of Kontakt).
This let’s me record any source that I want to in a project quickly. And let’s loop things quickly as well.
I can name the files quickly, save one or more of the takes, and quickly drag and drop onto my project.
I explain how I record audio in FL studio in another article, so if you want more in depth information you can check that out.
But again, the benefit is that I can change and adapt my workflow for my needs.
That’s a huge plus for me.
The Visual Nature of the Native FL Studio Plugins
This one may not make sense initially.
What does the the “visual nature” mean?
Well I am a visual learner. So being able to see how things respond in real time helps me figure out how it works more quickly.
So if you look at the Parametric EQ2 plugin, Fruity Limiter plugin, and Maximus for example, you can see in real time how audio that you are passing through the plugin is responding to the changes that you are making.
I like to use the Fruity Limiter as a compressor. I can go to the screen where the options are for that.
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And I get to see as I tweak the attack, release, and threshold how that affects the audio, both visually and with my ears.
I find that really helpful in being able to see how far or subtly I can change the audio and still make it work with what I already have.
FL Studio is not the only DAW out there with this feature. But as a visual learner, I appreciate that they have this built in to some of their core plugins like EQ and compression.
And it really nice on a plugin like Maximus, when you get into a final stage of mastering your song. Being able to see visually the subtle changes you are making helps me be able to be more efficient in mastering my own songs.
ZGameEditor Visualizer
This is probably the secret weapon of FL Studio.
I honestly don’t know of any other DAW that has this capability built in as part of the core software.
So ZGameEditor Visualizer (why couldn’t they pick a different name?) is a plugin that allows you to create graphics, text, and other visual elements to your song. What does that mean?
It basically means that you can create a music video of sorts right from FL Studio.
That’s NUTS!!
I explain how to make a basic music video for YouTube in this article about ZGameEditor Visualizer, but that really only scratches the surface of what the plugin can do.
You can also create Lyric videos, and actually bring it into a live environment with midi control queues and much more.
I haven’t gotten to that depth with the plugin yet, but I know it can do it.
NOTE: I like to use this plugin once I have exported the song to a track that will be mastered.
It’s a CPU and Memory intensive plugin, so having less plugins and channels competing for resources is the better way to go in my opinion.
But if you have a beast of a computer, and want to see how far you can push, go right ahead.
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FL STUDIO PERFORMANCE MODE
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I touched on this a little earlier, but FL Studio also has a different mode that you can operate the DAW in, which is performance mode.
This means that you can take your material on the road and do shows. It’s in the same vein as something like Ableton Live, but I honestly haven’t messed with this feature at all.
Having the capability to create a live environment outside of your home studio is a pretty cool feature though. And not many DAWs are set up to be able to handle that well.
CONCLUSION
Now I hope that you understand why I love this program so much.
I personally have been using the Producer Edition.
But with a couple of the additional plugins that are available, like NewTone and Grossbeat, I’ve been thinking about upgrading to the Signature Edition.
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And I’ll say it again, I’m still blown away that there is a plugin available in FL Studio that allows you to create videos for your music. That’s pretty amazing. I’m not sure that there is another DAW on the market that has that capability.
Visual Learning, Video Creation inside the DAW, and an ability to develop a live performance mode for songs you are creating is pretty awesome.
I hope this helps you if you are thinking about using FL Studio as a DAW.