Softwr

Music · head to head

Cubase vs Pro Tools

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
Pro Tools logo

Pro Tools

Music

Avid digital audio workstation with four tiers gated by track count and simultaneous I/O rather than by feature

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Pro Tools has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Pro Tools intro’s 8-track, 4-simultaneous-input cap is restrictive enough that even a simple full-band recording forces an upgrade almost immediately.
  • They diverge on capability: Cubase covers Score editor, Pro Tools covers Edit and Mix windows.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cubase and Pro Tools actually diverge.

Attributes where Cubase and Pro Tools differ
AttributeCubasePro Tools
Starting price$99.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchasePer user per year
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOSmacOS, Windows

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 Cubase

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

Only in Pro Tools

  • Edit and Mix windows
  • Elastic Audio and Time
  • Avid Cloud Collaboration
  • HDX and native DSP
  • Dolby Atmos mixing
  • Video track support

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 Pro Tools
  • Driving large orchestral sample libraries, where expression maps turn articulation switching into notation instead of hidden keyswitch lanesnot Pro Tools
  • Studios standardised on Steinberg or Yamaha hardware, where control surface integration is already builtnot Pro Tools
  • Replacing a dongle based Cubase installation, where the reason to upgrade is removing the USB key as a single point of failurenot Pro Tools

Pro Tools

  • A home producer who needs more than 8 tracks and picks Artist rather than paying for Studio headroom they will not usenot Cubase
  • A mixing engineer who needs unlimited tracks and Dolby Atmos support and buys Studionot Cubase
  • A large studio recording full bands or orchestras simultaneously that needs Ultimate’s 256-channel I/Onot Cubase
  • A post-production house standardising on Pro Tools because every other studio it exchanges sessions with also uses itnot 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.

Pro Tools

  • Intro’s 8-track, 4-simultaneous-input cap is restrictive enough that even a simple full-band recording forces an upgrade almost immediately.
  • Ultimate costs several times what Studio does mainly for I/O headroom that home and small project studios will rarely need, making it poor value outside large-format studios.
  • Session files do not translate perfectly to Logic Pro, Ableton Live or Cubase, so collaborators on other DAWs face real conversion friction even on straightforward projects.
  • The interface and workflow assume prior training; new users coming from GarageBand or BandLab face a steeper learning curve than most competing DAWs.
  • Annual subscription or upgrade plan payments are required to keep receiving updates, so lapsing a plan on Studio or Ultimate freezes the software at its last version rather than removing access outright, which still surprises buyers expecting a permanent purchase.

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

Pro Tools

Free
  • Pro Tools IntroFree
    • 8 audio tracks, 4 simultaneous recording tracks
    • 4 aux channels
    • Core editing and mixing tools
  • Pro Tools Artist$99/year
    • 32 audio, aux and instrument tracks
    • 64 MIDI tracks
    • 16 channels of simultaneous I/O
  • Pro Tools Studio$299/year
    • Unlimited tracks
    • Dolby Atmos mixing
    • Advanced automation and mixing tools
  • Pro Tools Ultimate$599/year
    • Unlimited tracks
    • Up to 256 simultaneous audio inputs
    • HDX hardware DSP support, advanced video and post tools

Which should you pick?

Choose Cubase if

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

Choose Pro Tools if

  • You need edit and mix windows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows.
  • You also want elastic audio and time.
Pro Tools review

Questions people ask

Is Cubase or Pro Tools better?
Neither clearly leads. Cubase starts at $99.99/one-time and Pro Tools at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cubase or Pro Tools?
Pro Tools has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99.99/one-time for Cubase and Free for Pro Tools.
Does Cubase or Pro Tools run on more platforms?
Cubase runs on Windows, macOS. Pro Tools runs on macOS, Windows.
Can I use Pro Tools for free?
Yes. Pro Tools has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cubase starts at $99.99/one-time.
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 Pro Tools is typically brought in for.
What can Cubase do that Pro Tools cannot?
Cubase covers Score editor, Expression maps, VariAudio, Chord Track and Chord Pads. Pro Tools covers Edit and Mix windows, Elastic Audio and Time, Avid Cloud Collaboration, HDX and native DSP.

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.

Pro Tools: Is Pro Tools Intro really free forever?

Yes, but it is capped at 8 audio tracks and 4 simultaneous recording tracks, which most real sessions exceed quickly.

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.

Pro Tools: What is the actual difference between Studio and Ultimate?

Both offer unlimited tracks; Ultimate adds far higher simultaneous I/O, HDX hardware DSP support and deeper post-production and video tools that most music-only users do not need.

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.

Pro Tools: Can I buy a perpetual licence instead of subscribing?

Avid has moved primarily to subscription and annual upgrade plans; perpetual options exist for some tiers but are less prominent than the subscription path.

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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