Cubase vs Reaper

by Gralio Mar 17, 2025

Cubase and Reaper are both powerful digital audio workstations catering to different needs. Cubase offers a more polished and integrated experience with built-in instruments, while Reaper prioritizes flexibility and affordability through extensive customization options and a lower price point.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 203 reviews and 60 websites, saving 1 hour, 37 minutes of reading.

Logo of Cubase
Logo of Reaper

About

Cubase is professional audio editing software designed for musicians and music producers. It provides a comprehensive set of tools to record, edit, mix, and master music. With Cubase, users can create professional-quality audio productions across various genres. Its features streamline the music production workflow, from initial recording to final mastering.
Reaper is a digital audio software for professionals and enthusiasts alike. It provides a comprehensive set of tools for recording, editing, mixing, and mastering audio. Reaper is known for its flexibility, extensive customization options, and compatibility with a wide range of hardware and plugins. It's a powerful tool for anyone working with audio, from musicians to podcasters to sound designers. Reaper offers a free trial and an affordable permanent license.

Summary

Main difference
Cubase offers built-in virtual instruments and a more polished user interface, making it suitable for users seeking an all-in-one solution. Reaper excels in customization and affordability, making it ideal for users who prioritize flexibility and value.

Relative strengths of Cubase (compared to Reaper)

  • Built-in virtual instruments offer a wide range of sounds and simplify music creation.

  • Intuitive user interface simplifies navigation and workflow.

  • Comprehensive set of tools streamlines the music production process.

Relative weaknesses of Cubase (compared to Reaper)

  • Higher price point compared to Reaper.

  • Resource intensive, requiring higher computer specifications.

  • Steeper learning curve for beginners compared to Reaper's customizable interface.

Who should use Cubase VS. Reaper

Cubase is a professional DAW perfect for musicians, producers, and sound engineers. Its comprehensive tools cover recording, editing, mixing, and mastering. Users praise its high-quality sound and intuitive interface but note occasional stability issues and resource-intensive nature. Best for small to medium businesses in media, entertainment, software, IT, or telecommunications.

Reaper is a cost-effective and highly customizable digital audio workstation (DAW) ideal for musicians, podcasters, and sound designers. Users praise its flexibility and lightweight design but note the steep learning curve. A helpful community forum supports users. Consider Reaper if you need a powerful DAW without the high price tag.

  • Best for small to medium businesses (1-1000 employees).

  • Ideal for media & entertainment, software, IT, and telecommunications.

  • Best for small to medium businesses (1-1000 employees).

  • Suitable for audio professionals and enthusiasts across all industries.

Cubase and Reaper features

Supported
Partially supported
Not supported
Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

  • MIDI Recording
    Supported

    Cubase supports MIDI recording, enabling work with virtual instruments and external MIDI devices.

    Supported

    Reaper supports MIDI recording.

  • Built-in instruments
    Supported

    Cubase offers various built-in virtual instruments like Retrologue and Groove Agent.

    Supported

    Reaper includes two basic built-in virtual instruments, ReaSynth and ReaSamplOmatic5000.

  • Audio restoration
    Supported

    Cubase offers basic audio restoration through SpectraLayers One, but advanced repairs may require other software.

    Supported

    Reaper offers noise reduction and audio cleanup tools like ReaFIR.

  • Multi-track recording
    Supported

    Cubase supports multi-track recording, limited by the audio interface.

    Supported

    Reaper supports simultaneous recording on multiple audio tracks.

  • Track mixing
    Supported

    Cubase supports adjusting levels and blending individual tracks together.

    Supported

    Reaper allows adjusting levels and blending individual tracks for mixing.

  • Volume adjustment
    Supported

    Cubase allows adjusting volume levels of audio tracks through various methods, including normalization and automation.

    Supported

    Reaper allows adjusting volume levels of audio tracks.

Qualities

  • Ease of Use
    +0.33
    Rather positive sentiment
    No data

Cubase and Reaper Pricing

No data
We couldn't find a pricing page for Cubase.
Reaper offers a discounted license for $60 and a commercial license for $225. A license allows usage on multiple computers but only one at a time. The discounted license applies to individuals for personal use, individuals or businesses with yearly gross revenue under $20,000, and educational or non-profit organizations.
Plans

User sentiment

Strongly positive
+1

See full Pricing page

Cubase and Reaper review insights

190 reviews analysed from and

Users love

  • High-quality sound.
  • Easy to navigate and operate.
  • Comprehensive set of tools for recording, editing, mixing, and mastering.
  • Solid and stable software with infrequent crashes.
  • Powerful suite of recording and composition tools.
  • Highly customizable interface and workflow.
  • Affordable price and flexible licensing options.
  • Lightweight and efficient, uses minimal system resources.
  • Active and helpful community forum.
  • Extensive plugin support and compatibility.

Users dislike

  • Difficult to use for creating instrumentals.
  • Confusing for users familiar with older versions.
  • Resource intensive, requires high computer specs.
  • Complex interface can limit creativity and speed.
  • Occasional stability issues and crashes.
  • Difficult workflow and interface can be confusing for beginners.
  • Lack of built-in virtual instruments and basic sampler.
  • Limited audio editing capabilities, especially for tasks like chopping and exporting small audio segments.
  • Some users find the routing audio between tracks complicated.
  • Lack of direct support and occasional unresponsiveness from the developers.

Cubase and Reaper Ratings

  • G2
    4.3/5
    (63)
  • Capterra
    4.7/5
    (99)
  • G2
    4.4/5
    (28)

Company health

Employee growth

3% increase in the last year
No data

Web traffic

14% decrease in the last quarter
No data

Financing

No data
No data

How important are built-in virtual instruments?

Built-in virtual instruments are a significant differentiating factor between Cubase and Reaper. Cubase offers several built-in instruments, making it a more complete solution for music creation out-of-the-box. Reaper, while highly customizable and extensible through plugins, lacks these built-in instruments, requiring users to acquire and integrate third-party options. Therefore, the importance of built-in instruments depends on the user's needs and workflow. For users seeking an all-in-one solution and relying heavily on virtual instruments, Cubase's built-in options are highly advantageous. For users who already own or prefer specific third-party instruments or prioritize customizability and a lower price point, Reaper's reliance on external plugins might be acceptable.

Which product offers a more intuitive interface for beginners?

Cubase has an ease-of-use rating of 0.33, while Reaper's user reviews mention it being "difficult for beginners." Therefore, Cubase offers a more intuitive interface for beginners.

What are the advantages of Cubase?

Cubase offers built-in virtual instruments, which Reaper lacks, potentially saving users the cost and effort of acquiring third-party plugins. User reviews highlight Cubase's ease of navigation and comprehensive toolset for a streamlined workflow, while Reaper's interface is noted as potentially confusing for beginners. Although both cater to similar target audiences, Cubase has a stronger presence in the media and entertainment industry, suggesting a more specialized focus and potentially better-suited features for that market.

What are the disadvantages of Cubase?

Cubase can be resource intensive, requiring a computer with high specifications. The complex interface can be confusing for new users and may limit creativity and speed for some. It is also known to have occasional stability issues and can crash. While it offers built-in instruments, it is considered difficult to use specifically for creating instrumentals. Users familiar with older versions may find the newer versions confusing.

Alternatives to Cubase and Reaper

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Page co-authored by
MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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