9.0Essential
REAPER by Cockos is a complete digital audio workstation for recording, editing, mixing, and mastering, with a $60 discounted license and full free evaluation.
Plugin comparison
REAPER vs Splice Create
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
Splice Create is a free macOS DAW powered by the Splice sample catalog, with voice and text control, built-in instruments and a $9.99/mo Pro tier.
Technical matrix
Specs compared
| Signal | REAPER | Splice Create |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $60 / $225 | Free |
| Dubspot Score | 9.0 | — |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU, CLAP, LV2, standalone, macOS, Windows, Linux | standalone, macOS |
| Type | Full multitrack DAW (audio, MIDI, video) | Standalone desktop DAW |
| Current version | 7.x (e.g. 7.77 as of July 2026) | — |
| License | $60 discounted / $225 commercial; DRM-free | — |
| Evaluation | 60-day full-featured evaluation | — |
| Updates | New v7 license includes free updates through 8.99 | — |
| Plugin formats | VST, VST3, LV2, AU, CLAP, DX, JS | — |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | — |
| Notable v7 features | Track lanes, swipe comping, FX containers, up to 128 track channels | — |
| Platform | — | macOS 12 or later (beta) |
| Coming soon | — | Windows and web versions |
| Bundled sounds | — | Splice Sounds catalog, 100% royalty-free |
| Instruments | — | Splice INSTRUMENT virtual instruments |
| Plugins | — | 130+ rent-to-own tools, interest-free monthly payments |
| Assistance | — | Voice and text control, Point guidance, Assist |
| Export | — | Full mixes or stems as WAV (Create Pro) |
| DAW interop | — | Open sessions in Ableton Live; shortcut presets for Ableton, Logic, Bitwig, Pro Tools |
| Price | — | Free; Create Pro $9.99/mo introductory |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.