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Video Production · head to head

Adobe Audition vs Maya

Adobe Audition logo

Adobe Audition

Video Production

Industry-standard professional audio editing

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Maya logo

Maya

Entertainment

3D animation, modeling, simulation, and rendering software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Maya has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Adobe Audition listed on UK G-Cloud as part of Adobe Creative Cloud for business (which bundles Audition) at £58 to £80 per licence per month, via reseller ServiceKey; Maya complex interface that requires significant training and experience
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Audition covers Multitrack editing, Maya covers 3D modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe Audition and Maya actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Audition and Maya differ
AttributeAdobe AuditionMaya
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMacos, WindowsWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryVideo ProductionEntertainment

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), founded (1982).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adobe Audition

  • Multitrack editing
  • Audio restoration
  • Noise reduction
  • Effects and mixing
  • Spectral editing
  • Batch processing
  • Premiere Pro
  • After Effects

Only in Maya

  • 3D modeling
  • Character animation
  • Visual effects
  • Simulation
  • Rendering
  • Arnold renderer
  • Mental Ray
  • V-Ray

Both cover

  • Macos support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adobe Audition

  • Podcast editingnot Maya
  • Audio restorationnot Maya
  • Video post-productionnot Maya
  • Music productionnot Maya
  • Sound designnot Maya

Maya

  • Film productionnot Adobe Audition
  • Game developmentnot Adobe Audition
  • TV animationnot Adobe Audition
  • VFX creationnot Adobe Audition
  • Architectural visualizationnot Adobe Audition

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adobe Audition

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud as part of Adobe Creative Cloud for business (which bundles Audition) at £58 to £80 per licence per month, via reseller ServiceKey

Maya

  • Complex interface that requires significant training and experience
  • Software crashes and stability issues reported by users
  • Heavy system requirements and resource-intensive processing

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Audition

$22.99/month
  • Audition Single App$22.99/month
    • Full Audition features
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Adobe Portfolio
  • All Apps$59.99/month
    • All Creative Cloud apps
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Adobe Portfolio

Maya

Free
  • Monthly Subscription$245/month
    • Full features
  • Annual Subscription$1945/year
    • Full features
  • Indie License$305/year
    • Full features for revenue under $100k
  • Student LicenseFree
    • Free for 3 years (watermarked)

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe Audition if

  • You need multitrack editing.
  • You work on Macos, Windows.
  • You also want audio restoration.
Adobe Audition review

Choose Maya if

  • You need 3d modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want character animation.
Maya review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Audition or Maya better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Audition starts at $22.99/month and Maya at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Audition or Maya?
Maya has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe Audition and Free for Maya.
Does Adobe Audition or Maya run on more platforms?
Adobe Audition runs on Macos, Windows. Maya runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Maya for free?
Yes. Maya has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Adobe Audition starts at $22.99/month.
What is Adobe Audition best used for?
Adobe Audition is most often used for podcast editing, audio restoration, video post-production, music production. Of those, podcast editing and audio restoration are not what Maya is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Audition do that Maya cannot?
Adobe Audition covers Multitrack editing, Audio restoration, Noise reduction, Effects and mixing. Maya covers 3D modeling, Character animation, Visual effects, Simulation. Both handle Macos support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Maya: What is the cost of an annual Maya subscription?

A standard annual Maya subscription costs $1,945 per year, with a monthly option at $245 per month. Indie users with revenue under $100k USD qualify for $305 per year. Educational licenses are free for 3 years but watermark output.

Source
Maya: Does Maya include rendering capabilities?

Yes. Maya includes Arnold, a high-quality rendering engine built into the software for producing photorealistic renders directly within Maya.

Source
Maya: What platforms does Maya run on?

Maya runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Maya 2027 supports Windows 11, macOS versions 26.x through 14.x, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux with Rocky Linux.

Source
Maya: Can students use Maya for free?

Yes. Maya is free for students at registered educational institutions. The license lasts 3 years but is non-commercial only and watermarks exported files.

Source
Maya: Does Maya integrate with other software?

Maya supports many plugins including ZooTools Pro for rigging, RealFlow for simulation, ngSkinTools for character skinning, and MASH for motion graphics, extending its capabilities for production workflows.

Source
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