8.8Great
Steinberg Cubase 15 is a full digital audio workstation for composition, recording, mixing, and scoring, available in Pro, Artist, and Elements editions.
Plugin comparison
Cubase 15 vs Studio One 7
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
8.2Great
DAW software built on the Studio One platform, sold by Fender (formerly PreSonus Studio One Pro 7), with recording, editing, mixing and mastering tools.
Score verdict
Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, Cubase 15 comes out ahead (8.8). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | Cubase 15 | Studio One 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99–$580 | $199.99 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.8 | 8.2 |
| Formats | VST3, standalone, macOS, Windows | VST2, VST3, AU (Audio Unit), CLAP, ReWire, ARA / ARA2 |
| Editions | Pro, Artist, Elements (plus AI/LE OEM tiers) | — |
| License | Perpetual download license (no subscription) | Perpetual license, $199.99 USD; never lose access to the purchased version |
| Pro street price | About $579.99 USD full version | — |
| Key 15 features | Melodic Pattern Sequencer, AI-powered stem separation, Expression Maps updates, Omnivocal beta improvements | — |
| System | Windows 10 22H2+ / Windows 11 24H2+; macOS Sonoma / Sequoia / Tahoe | — |
| RAM / storage | 8 GB RAM minimum; ~84 GB free storage recommended | — |
| Plugin support | VST3 instruments and effects (plus Steinberg ecosystem) | — |
| Current product / version | — | PreSonus Studio One Pro 7 has been rebranded to Fender Studio Pro (now v8.1); the PreSonus product URL 301-redirects to fender.com |
| Included content | — | Over 45 native effects and 9 virtual instruments |
| Fender amp/FX content | — | Fender Mustang Guitar and Rumble Bass plug-ins: 39 guitar amps, 39 bass amps, 73 FX pedals, plus presets |
| Audio/AI tools | — | Native stem separation, Audio-to-MIDI (Audio-to-Note) conversion, Chord Assistant, native Vocal Tune, Studio Verb |
| Integrations | — | Splice, Moises Studio, Melodyne, Tonalic, and Dolby Atmos |
| Operating systems | — | macOS and Windows (64-bit); Studio One Pro 7 minimums were macOS 12.4+ and Windows 10/11 22H2+ |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.