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Music · head to head

Ableton Live vs Cubase

Ableton Live logo

Ableton Live

Music

Digital audio workstation built around a Session View for arranging ideas live

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: Ableton Live live 12 Intro is capped at 16 audio and MIDI tracks, where Standard and Suite are both listed as Unlimited; 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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ableton Live and Cubase actually diverge.

Attributes where Ableton Live and Cubase differ
AttributeAbleton LiveCubase
Starting price$99/one-time$99.99/one-time
Pricing modelone-timeOne-time purchase
PlatformsmacOS, WindowsWindows, macOS

Identical on both: 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 Ableton Live

Nothing recorded that Cubase does not also cover.

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.

Ableton Live

  • Music productionnot Cubase
  • Live performancenot Cubase
  • Electronic musicnot Cubase
  • Audio recordingnot Cubase
  • Sound designnot 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 Ableton Live
  • Driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanesnot Ableton Live
  • Studios standardised on Steinberg or Yamaha hardware, where control surface integration is already builtnot Ableton Live
  • Replacing a dongle based Cubase installation, where the reason to upgrade is removing the USB key as a single point of failurenot Ableton Live

Where each one falls short

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

Ableton Live

  • Live 12 Intro is capped at 16 audio and MIDI tracks, where Standard and Suite are both listed as Unlimited
  • Intro includes 8 software instruments and 27 audio effects, against 20 instruments and 58 effects in Suite
  • Max for Live is listed as Suite only, so neither Intro at USD 99 nor Standard at USD 349 includes it
  • Intro ships 5+ GB of sound content, against 38+ GB in Standard and 71+ GB in Suite
  • MIDI Tools are listed as 0 in Intro, against 14 in both Standard and Suite
  • Sold as a paid licence per edition, USD 99 for Intro, USD 349 for Standard and USD 749 for Suite, with no free tier

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

Ableton Live

$99/one-time
  • Live 12 Intro$99/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Entry edition
  • Live 12 Standard$349/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Not available on rent-to-own
  • Live 12 Suite$749/one-time
    • Perpetual licence
    • Available rent-to-own at $31.21 per month

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 Ableton Live if

  • You work on macOS, Windows.
Ableton Live review

Choose Cubase if

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

Questions people ask

Is Ableton Live or Cubase better?
Neither clearly leads. Ableton Live 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, Ableton Live or Cubase?
Ableton Live starts at $99/one-time and Cubase at $99.99/one-time.
Does Ableton Live or Cubase run on more platforms?
Ableton Live runs on macOS, Windows. Cubase runs on Windows, macOS.
What is Ableton Live best used for?
Ableton Live is most often used for music production, live performance, electronic music, audio recording. Of those, music production and live performance are not what Cubase is typically brought in for.
What can Ableton Live do that Cubase cannot?
Cubase covers Score editor, Expression maps, VariAudio, Chord Track and Chord Pads.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ableton Live: How much does Ableton Live cost?

Ableton sells three perpetual editions: Live 12 Intro at USD 99, Live 12 Standard at USD 349 and Live 12 Suite at USD 749. Suite is also offered rent-to-own at USD 31.21 per month.

Source
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.

Ableton Live: Is there a free version of Ableton Live?

There is no free edition. Ableton offers a free trial of Live 12, after which one of the three paid perpetual licences is required to keep using it.

Source
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.

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.

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.

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