Music · head to head
Cubase vs Splice
Cubase
Music
Steinberg workstation with the strongest score editor of any DAW, now licensed without a USB dongle
- From
- $99.99/one-time
- Rated
- -
Splice
Music
Subscription sample and preset library with cloud project storage, unrelated to the catalogued Splice Software insurance platform
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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.; Splice download credits reset monthly and do not roll over, so a producer working in bursts can exhaust an allowance and then wait for the reset or upgrade tiers.
- They diverge on capability: Cubase covers Score editor, Splice covers Royalty-cleared sample library.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Cubase and Splice actually diverge.
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 Cubase
- Score editor
- Expression maps
- VariAudio
- Chord Track and Chord Pads
- Logical Editor
- Video track
- Steinberg Licensing
- MixConsole
Only in Splice
- Royalty-cleared sample library
- Credit-based downloads
- INSTRUMENT
- Cloud project backup
- Plugin rentals
- Keep what you download
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
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 Splice
- Driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanesnot Splice
- Studios standardised on Steinberg or Yamaha hardware, where control surface integration is already builtnot Splice
- Replacing a dongle based Cubase installation, where the reason to upgrade is removing the USB key as a single point of failurenot Splice
Splice
- A producer who wants a continuously refreshed sample library rather than buying static sample packs outrightnot Cubase
- A beatmaker wanting royalty-cleared loops searchable by exact key and tempo for faster sketchingnot Cubase
- A home studio wanting cloud backup and version history for digital audio workstation projectsnot Cubase
- A sound designer wanting access to curated artist sound packs through the INSTRUMENT tiernot Cubase
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
Splice
- Download credits reset monthly and do not roll over, so a producer working in bursts can exhaust an allowance and then wait for the reset or upgrade tiers.
- It is a genuinely ongoing cost, unlike buying a sample pack outright once, so the total spend over years of production can exceed the cost of a curated static sample library.
- Search relevance across millions of sounds can surface a large volume of similar-sounding loops, making it time-consuming to find something distinctive.
- Cloud project backup and version history are tied to an active subscription, so cancelling risks losing convenient access to that project history even though downloaded audio files remain usable.
- It has no connection to Splice Software, an unrelated insurance industry platform that shares the same name; buyers searching generically for "Splice" should confirm which product they mean.
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Splice
On request- Sounds+$12.99/month
- Entry-level monthly download credit allowance
- Royalty-cleared sample access
- Creator$19.99/month
- Higher monthly download credit allowance
- Cloud project storage and version history
- Creator+$39.99/month
- Largest monthly download credit allowance
- Access to INSTRUMENT curated sound packs
Which should you pick?
Choose Cubase if
- You need score editor.
- You work on Windows, macOS.
- You also want expression maps.
Choose Splice if
- You need royalty-cleared sample library.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Web.
- You also want credit-based downloads.
Questions people ask
- Is Cubase or Splice better?
- Neither clearly leads. Cubase starts at $99.99/one-time and Splice at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Cubase or Splice?
- Cubase starts at $99.99/one-time and Splice at On request.
- Does Cubase or Splice run on more platforms?
- Cubase runs on Windows, macOS. Splice runs on Windows, macOS, Web.
- What is Cubase best used for?
- Cubase is most often used for 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 export, driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanes, studios standardised on steinberg or yamaha hardware, where control surface integration is already built, replacing a dongle based cubase installation, where the reason to upgrade is removing the usb key as a single point of failure. Of those, 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 export and driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanes are not what Splice is typically brought in for.
- What can Cubase do that Splice cannot?
- Cubase covers Score editor, Expression maps, VariAudio, Chord Track and Chord Pads. Splice covers Royalty-cleared sample library, Credit-based downloads, INSTRUMENT, Cloud project backup.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
Splice: Do I keep sounds I downloaded if I cancel Splice?
Yes, downloaded royalty-cleared sounds remain usable after a subscription ends; only new downloads and some cloud features stop.
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.
Splice: What is INSTRUMENT?
A curated tier of playable sounds from featured artists and producers, available on higher subscription plans.
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.
Splice: Is this the same company as Splice Software?
No, Splice Software is an unrelated insurance industry product; splice.com is a music sample and production platform.
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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