Softwr

Music · head to head

Bitwig Studio vs Cubase

Bitwig Studio logo

Bitwig Studio

Music

Modular DAW with a native Linux build and a 12-month upgrade window rather than a subscription

From
$99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cubase logo

Cubase

Music

Steinberg workstation with the strongest score editor of any DAW, now licensed without a USB dongle

From
$99.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bitwig Studio there is no score or notation editor of any kind, so composers who deliver sheet music must export MIDI into Dorico, Sibelius or MuseScore as a second step on every revision.; Cubase steinberg Licensing ties activations to an account across up to three machines, so an isolated or air-gapped studio computer needs the offline activation procedure rather than a carried dongle, and that procedure must be repeated whenever the hardware is rebuilt.
  • They diverge on capability: Bitwig Studio covers The Grid, Cubase covers Score editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bitwig Studio and Cubase actually diverge.

Attributes where Bitwig Studio and Cubase differ
AttributeBitwig StudioCubase
Starting price$99/one-time$99.99/one-time
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS

Identical on both: pricing model (One-time purchase), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Music).

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 Bitwig Studio

  • The Grid
  • Modulators
  • Per-track engine sandboxing
  • Native Linux build
  • CV instrument and CV out
  • Clip launcher
  • MPE and note effects
  • CLAP support

Only in Cubase

  • Score editor
  • Expression maps
  • VariAudio
  • Chord Track and Chord Pads
  • Logical Editor
  • Video track
  • Steinberg Licensing
  • MixConsole

What people use each for

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

Bitwig Studio

  • Building custom synthesisers and effects inside the project rather than buying a separate modular hostnot Cubase
  • Running a commercial workstation on a Linux studio machine where Live, Cubase and Logic will not install at allnot Cubase
  • Sequencing and clocking Eurorack hardware from the timeline through a DC-coupled audio interfacenot Cubase
  • Keeping a performance laptop permanently offline, where a licence file on a USB stick is the only authorisation stepnot Cubase

Cubase

  • Writing to picture where the deliverable includes printed parts as well as a mix, because the score comes from the same project rather than a MIDI exportnot Bitwig Studio
  • Driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanesnot Bitwig Studio
  • Studios standardised on Steinberg or Yamaha hardware, where control surface integration is already builtnot Bitwig Studio
  • Replacing a dongle based Cubase installation, where the reason to upgrade is removing the USB key as a single point of failurenot Bitwig Studio

Where each one falls short

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

Bitwig Studio

  • There is no score or notation editor of any kind, so composers who deliver sheet music must export MIDI into Dorico, Sibelius or MuseScore as a second step on every revision.
  • Bitwig does not support ARA, so Melodyne and similar tools run as offline transfers rather than editing in place, which makes vocal tuning materially slower than in Studio One or Cubase.
  • The bundled instrument and sample content is small next to Ableton Live Suite or Logic Pro, so the real cost of a working setup is the licence plus several hundred more in third-party instruments.
  • The Essentials and Producer editions withhold the Grid and the hardware CV features that are the main reason to choose Bitwig, so the honest entry price is the full Studio edition rather than the headline figure.
  • The user base is far smaller than Live or Logic, so tutorials, preset packs and template projects are sparse, and hiring an engineer who already knows the workflow is harder and more expensive.

Cubase

  • Steinberg Licensing ties activations to an account across up to three machines, so an isolated or air-gapped studio computer needs the offline activation procedure rather than a carried dongle, and that procedure must be repeated whenever the hardware is rebuilt.
  • Elements and Artist withhold features most buyers eventually need, including the top VariAudio tier and full surround work, so the realistic price is the Pro edition rather than the entry figure.
  • Projects saved in a newer version cannot be opened in an older one, so studios collaborating with clients on mixed versions have to standardise, and paid upgrades arrive roughly once a year.
  • There is no Linux build and no stated plan for one, so the platform choice is Windows or macOS only and a Linux studio is excluded outright.
  • The interface carries three decades of accumulated windows and dialogs spread across the Project window, MixConsole, Key Editor and Score Editor, so the learning curve is considerably longer than Live or Logic for a new user.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bitwig Studio

$99/one-time
  • Bitwig Studio Essentials$99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • 12 months of updates included
    • Entry device set
  • Bitwig Studio Producer$199/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • 12 months of updates included
    • Larger device set
  • Bitwig Studio$399/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • 12 months of updates included
    • Full device set including the Grid

Cubase

$99.99/one-time
  • Cubase Elements$99.99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Capped audio, MIDI and instrument track counts
    • Reduced editing and mixing tool set
  • Cubase Artist$329.99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Higher track limits than Elements
    • Score editor included
  • Cubase Pro$579.99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Unlimited tracks
    • Full score editor, expression maps and surround

Which should you pick?

Choose Bitwig Studio if

  • You need the grid.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want modulators.
Bitwig Studio review

Choose Cubase if

  • You need score editor.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want expression maps.
Cubase review

Questions people ask

Is Bitwig Studio or Cubase better?
Neither clearly leads. Bitwig Studio starts at $99/one-time and Cubase at $99.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bitwig Studio or Cubase?
Bitwig Studio starts at $99/one-time and Cubase at $99.99/one-time.
Does Bitwig Studio or Cubase run on more platforms?
Bitwig Studio runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Cubase runs on Windows, macOS.
What is Bitwig Studio best used for?
Bitwig Studio is most often used for building custom synthesisers and effects inside the project rather than buying a separate modular host, running a commercial workstation on a linux studio machine where live, cubase and logic will not install at all, sequencing and clocking eurorack hardware from the timeline through a dc-coupled audio interface, keeping a performance laptop permanently offline, where a licence file on a usb stick is the only authorisation step. Of those, building custom synthesisers and effects inside the project rather than buying a separate modular host and running a commercial workstation on a linux studio machine where live, cubase and logic will not install at all are not what Cubase is typically brought in for.
What can Bitwig Studio do that Cubase cannot?
Bitwig Studio covers The Grid, Modulators, Per-track engine sandboxing, Native Linux build. Cubase covers Score editor, Expression maps, VariAudio, Chord Track and Chord Pads.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bitwig Studio: Is Bitwig a subscription?

No. You buy a perpetual licence that includes 12 months of updates. When the window ends the software keeps running at the version you own, and renewing is optional.

Cubase: Does Cubase still need a USB dongle?

No. From Cubase 12 onwards Steinberg Licensing replaced the eLicenser. Activation runs through the Steinberg Activation Manager on up to three computers.

Bitwig Studio: Can I authorise Bitwig on a machine with no internet connection?

Yes. You generate a licence file on a connected machine and copy it across, so a permanently offline studio or stage computer works normally.

Cubase: Can I run Cubase on a computer with no internet access?

Yes, but through the offline activation path in the Activation Manager rather than a normal sign in, and you repeat it if the machine is rebuilt. Test it before committing an isolated scoring rig.

Bitwig Studio: Does the Linux build lag behind Windows and macOS?

No. The same version ships on all three platforms on the same day. The gap on Linux is third-party plugin availability, not the host.

Cubase: Is Cubase a subscription?

No. Editions are bought outright and keep working. Steinberg charges separately for version upgrades, which appear roughly once a year.

Bitwig Studio: Do I need the full Studio edition?

If you want the Grid or hardware CV output, yes. Essentials and Producer are cheaper but omit the features that distinguish Bitwig from other workstations.

Cubase: Which edition do I need for scoring work?

Pro. Artist includes a score editor, but Pro is the edition with the full engraving, expression map and surround feature set that media work assumes.

Share

Related pages

More on Bitwig Studio

More on Cubase

Keep looking

Other head to heads