Ableton Live 12 vs Pro Tools
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which daw to buy.
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Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, Ableton Live 12 comes out ahead (9.2). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Specs compared
| Ableton Live 12 | Pro Tools | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — | $0–$599+/yr |
| Dubspot Score | 9.2 | 8.7 |
| Formats | VST2, VST3, Audio Unit v2 (AU), Audio Unit v3 (AUv3) | AAX, standalone, macOS, Windows |
| Editions | Three: 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 | — |
| Sound library size | Intro: 5+ GB; Standard: 38+ GB; Suite: 71+ GB | — |
| Max for Live | Included in Suite edition only | — |
| Product type | — | industry-standard DAW |
| Developer | — | Avid |
| Typical price | — | $0–$599+/yr |
| Formats | — | AAX, standalone, macOS, Windows |
| Primary job | — | session interchange and post-production |
| Catalog status | — | Current as of 2026 |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.