The best audio editing software for video editors — 2022

Best plug-in

iZotope RX 10 Standard/Advanced

iZotope RX 10 is a powerful audio editing plug-in that offers an extensive toolset. This includes tools like De-ess, De-plosive, De-reverb, Ambience Match and Voice De-noise. It also features impressive restoration capabilities. While the RX line has always been a first-class plug-in, iZotope RX 10 takes it a step further. iZotope RX 10 offers Dialogue Isolate, a new feature that extracts clean dialogue from recordings with noisy backgrounds. So, even if you’re recording around a loud crowd, on a busy street or in bad weather, iZotope RX 10 can save you from having to rerecord your audio.

Since iZotope offers audio suites with different tools and capabilities. As you add on functions, the higher the price. However, depending on your needs, you might save some money if you need to use just a few of iZotope’s tools. Still, it’s best if you review all of the suits to ensure you get the tools you need at the best deal.

iZotope RX 10 is compatible with many host programs, like Adobe Audition, Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Apple Final Cut Pro X. The iZotope RX 10 standard goes for $299, while iZotope RX 10 Advanced goes for $799.

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Best free audio editing software

Audacity

Audacity is a fast, free open-source audio editing software that’s also really easy to use. Some people don’t like it and don’t consider it a true DAW because it’s a destructive file editor; however, with the right file management, this really isn’t an issue. 

Audacity can record and edit 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit  samples at up to 96 KHz sample rate and can import a wide range of file formats. The software has a wide range of tools included but can be further expanded with plug-ins for increased integration with other programs or to add new effects. 

There are unlimited Undo (and Redo), and the only limit to the number of tracks you can edit and mix are the limits of your computer’s processor and RAM. This free software also has some good plug-ins. FFmpeg, for instance, allows you to edit your audio in sync with your video file. If you’re looking for free software that can work with an older system, this is a good option. Audacity is compatible with Windows, Mac OS or Linux.

Free

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Features we considered

You can do a lot of audio work directly in your video editing software, but when you need more specialized tools, a separate audio editing program can really come in handy. Moreover, if you’ve hit the limits of your built-in audio tools, it might be time to look for a more robust solution.

What can your editing system support?

Before we get into features and capabilities, the first step to finding the right audio editing software for you should be to consider your computer hardware. That said, some audio software requires more processor power than many video editing packages. Plus, there’s a chance your audio card may also need to be upgraded. With that said, an external audio device might be an easy solution for this. Other factors such as your computer’s operating system can also be a factor since some DAWs are OS specific. In fact, some of these audio editing programs are even specific about the version of that OS. For example, the program might work on Windows 7 but not on Windows 10. Likewise, if you’re considering an audio editing plugin, make sure it’s compatible with your preferred host software.

Some audio editing software is more specialized than others, so carefully consider how your needs match up with the software’s capabilities before you buy. Here are some of the features that might compel you to invest in a dedicated digital audio workstation.

Equalizers and spectrum analyzers

One of the biggest benefits of many DAWs is their equalizers and spectrum analyzers. Most video editing software offers high pass and low pass equalizer (EQ) filters but don’t have 32 band EQ or parametric EQs which are almost standard for DAWs. These more sophisticated EQs allow you to isolate and remove specific sounds from a clip like the chirping of a cricket.

Additionally, if you are needing to enhance or eliminate a particular sound in a mix, this can be tricky to do with video editing software because the only graphical view you can often get is an audio waveform showing the gain, or volume. A spectrum analyzer shows you a graph of the gain of different frequencies. Using this can save a lot of time lost to guesswork. For example, if you’re trying to augment a person’s voice, you can look at the spectrum analyzer for the right range of frequencies — around 500 Hz to 2 kHz for most people — and find the peaks to show you how you’ll want to adjust your equalizer to enhance their voice.

Noise reduction and clip restoration

Video editing software rarely had much in the way of tools for cleaning up audio clips. Audio editing and repair used to be a painstaking process that typically left you with subpar results. Now many issues can be fixed with a simple click of a button — if you have the right toolset.

If you have audio that has a lot of noise, distortion or additional common issues, a DAW is often your best hope for fixing those tracks.

If you have audio that has a lot of noise, distortion or additional common issues, a DAW is often your best hope for fixing those tracks. Look for options that come with de-noise and de-reverb capabilities, since these will likely be your most common audio issues. If you know you often encounter the same specific audio issue, put a tool that can help with that at the top of your wishlist.

Plug-ins and file types

Using a DAW is often the only way to get access to some of the powerful audio plugins in formats like VST. Some of these are plugins are even free and can greatly expand your options for repairing your audio and adding stylistic effects.

Additionally, using a DAW will often allow you to work with higher quality file formats like Broadcast WAV (BWF) and AIFF, giving you flexibility and metadata capabilities that aren’t available in containers like WAV and MP3.

DAWs and controllers

The ability to use a control surface is one factor that sets DAWs apart from your editing software’s built-in audio tools. For example, when many think of DAWs, large mixing consoles is what immediately comes to mind. Picture an audio engineer laying down music tracks like Lucious Lyon in “Empire.”

However, mixing consoles can also be used with DAWs to manipulate sound for your video projects. These controllers range in capabilities and price, but they give you an interface that is easier to work with. 

That said, the price range for controllers is also similar in pricing to camera support; they start at less than a hundred dollars with prices into the thousands depending upon the features offered. Additionally, most digital mixers can be used as controllers, and many DAWs support live multi-track recording. It’s important to note that many users don’t consider a DAW to truly be a workstation without a hardware controller.

Before you buy

With all of these software options, there are many features that they have in common. However, there are also quite a few unique tools specific to each software. Unfortunately, there were too many features for each program to list in this article.

Most editors consider using a DAW when there’s a particular problem with a project that they need to solve. Therefore, the feature that provides that solution may be what influences your purchase the most. However, video editors usually continue to use their DAW for greater audio control. In the end, there is no single best DAW; the best DAW for you will be the one that fits your needs and your budget.

Contributors to this article include W. H. Bourne and the Videomaker Editorial staff.