DAW / Ableton
Ableton Live 12
9.2Essential
Ableton Live 12 is a digital audio workstation (DAW) for music creation, performance, recording, mixing, and production, available in Intro, Standard, and Suite editions.
Plugin comparison
Ableton Live 12 vs Ableton Live 13
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which daw to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
Contenders
The side-by-side
Ableton Live 13 DAW: Step Sequencer, ARA 2, Drum Synth, Capture Automation and 32-Macro Racks. Intro €99, Standard €279, Suite €599, out early 2027.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | Ableton Live 12 | Ableton Live 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — | €99 / €279 / €599 |
| Dubspot Score | 9.2 | — |
| Formats | VST2, VST3, Audio Unit v2 (AU), Audio Unit v3 (AUv3) | VST2, VST3, AU, macOS, Windows |
| Editions | Three: Intro, Standard, Suite | Intro, Standard, Suite |
| Plugin format support | VST2, VST3, and Audio Unit v2 and v3 | — |
| Audio & MIDI tracks | Intro: 16; Standard & Suite: Unlimited | — |
| Scenes | Intro: 16; Standard & Suite: Unlimited | — |
| Software instruments | Intro: 8; Standard: 12; Suite: 21 | — |
| Audio effects | Intro: 27; Standard: 36; Suite: 59 | Intro: 20; Standard: 35; Suite: 58 |
| Sound library size | Intro: 5+ GB; Standard: 38+ GB; Suite: 71+ GB | — |
| Max for Live | Included in Suite edition only | — |
| Tracks | — | Intro: 16; Standard and Suite: unlimited |
| Instruments | — | Intro: 8; Standard: 13; Suite: 20 |
| New in 13 | — | Step Sequencer, ARA 2, Drum Synth, Capture Automation, Contextual Browsing, Device Slots, Multiband and Mid-Side Racks |
| Suite extras | — | Max for Live, Melodyne essential, Looplet, Clipper, Transient Shaper, Classic Dynamics & EQ by Softube |
| Plug-in hosting | — | VST2, VST3, AU2, AU3 |
| Release | — | Early 2027; public beta now |
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