Softwr

Music · head to head

BandLab vs Cubase

BandLab logo

BandLab

Music

Free, browser and mobile-based collaborative DAW, with optional Pro and Max membership tiers for sample libraries and extras

From
Free
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

  • Only BandLab has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BandLab mixing and mastering depth is shallower than desktop DAWs like Pro Tools or Ableton Live, so serious production work eventually outgrows it.; 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: BandLab covers Browser-based DAW, Cubase covers Score editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BandLab and Cubase actually diverge.

Attributes where BandLab and Cubase differ
AttributeBandLabCubase
Starting priceFree$99.99/one-time
Pricing modelPer user per yearOne-time purchase
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsWindows, macOS

Identical on both: 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 BandLab

  • Browser-based DAW
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Cloud project storage
  • Sample and loop library
  • Social publishing feed
  • SongStarter AI

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.

BandLab

  • A mobile-first artist who wants to record, edit and publish a track entirely from a phone or tabletnot Cubase
  • A remote collaboration between musicians in different locations working on the same project in real timenot Cubase
  • A beginner who wants a fully functional DAW without buying a computer capable of running Pro Tools or Logic Pronot Cubase
  • A creator using SongStarter to break through writer’s block with an AI-generated starting pointnot 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 BandLab
  • Driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanesnot BandLab
  • Studios standardised on Steinberg or Yamaha hardware, where control surface integration is already builtnot BandLab
  • Replacing a dongle based Cubase installation, where the reason to upgrade is removing the USB key as a single point of failurenot BandLab

Where each one falls short

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

BandLab

  • Mixing and mastering depth is shallower than desktop DAWs like Pro Tools or Ableton Live, so serious production work eventually outgrows it.
  • Being browser-based, it depends on a stable internet connection for cloud sync and collaboration in a way desktop DAWs do not.
  • Pro and Max pricing steps up sharply after the first-year introductory rate (from $99 to $149, and $199 to $299), which is easy to miss when signing up.
  • Third-party plugin support is far more limited than a native desktop DAW, restricting sound design options for advanced producers.
  • The social publishing feed and artist-services framing mean the product is partly built around community engagement rather than purely production, which is not what every user wants from a DAW.

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

BandLab

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full DAW functionality, no track limits
    • 20 sample downloads per month
  • Pro$99/year
    • First-year introductory price, renews at $149/year
    • 100 sample downloads per month
    • Artist services and platform perks
  • Max$199/year
    • First-year introductory price, renews at $299/year
    • 500 sample downloads per month
    • Expanded artist services

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 BandLab if

  • You need browser-based daw.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
BandLab review

Choose Cubase if

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

Questions people ask

Is BandLab or Cubase better?
Neither clearly leads. BandLab starts at Free 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, BandLab or Cubase?
BandLab has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for BandLab and $99.99/one-time for Cubase.
Does BandLab or Cubase run on more platforms?
BandLab runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Cubase runs on Windows, macOS.
Can I use BandLab for free?
Yes. BandLab has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cubase starts at $99.99/one-time.
What is BandLab best used for?
BandLab is most often used for a mobile-first artist who wants to record, edit and publish a track entirely from a phone or tablet, a remote collaboration between musicians in different locations working on the same project in real time, a beginner who wants a fully functional daw without buying a computer capable of running pro tools or logic pro, a creator using songstarter to break through writer’s block with an ai-generated starting point. Of those, a mobile-first artist who wants to record, edit and publish a track entirely from a phone or tablet and a remote collaboration between musicians in different locations working on the same project in real time are not what Cubase is typically brought in for.
What can BandLab do that Cubase cannot?
BandLab covers Browser-based DAW, Real-time collaboration, Cloud project storage, Sample and loop library. Cubase covers Score editor, Expression maps, VariAudio, Chord Track and Chord Pads.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BandLab: Is BandLab really free with no functionality limits?

Core recording, mixing and publishing are free with no track caps; paid tiers mainly add sample download quotas and artist services.

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.

BandLab: What renewal price should I expect on Pro or Max?

Both renew higher than the first-year price: Pro from $99 to $149, Max from $199 to $299.

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.

BandLab: Can I use BandLab without installing anything?

Yes, it runs fully in a web browser, with mobile and desktop apps also available.

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.

Share

Related pages

More on BandLab

More on Cubase

Keep looking

Other head to heads