Logic Pro vs FL Studio (DAW Shootout & Comparison!)

• Which is best for making music in 2023: Logic Pro or FL Studio?
• Discover the pros and cons of using Logic Pro vs FL Studio
• Learn how to get the most out of your music-making software!
• Also, check out our FL Studio vs Ableton Live shootout!

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Depending on which DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) you choose, different strengths and weaknesses will become apparent over time.

When it comes to making and producing music, Logic Pro and FL Studio are powerful and accessible DAWs that can hold their own with little difficulty. This makes for a very intriguing head-to-head! 

With many years of DAW use and experience under my belt, I’ve looked at Logic Pro and FL Studio to weigh up their respective features and decide which is best for making music in 2023.

Let’s get to it!

Logic Pro vs. FL Studio: Which Is Best?

Logic Pro is your go-to for producing live recordings or creating soundtracks for visual media, while FL Studio stands out for those mainly interested in producing electronic music. If you work on a PC setup, though, then FL Studio is the only viable option – since Logic Pro does not officially support compatibility with Windows OS.

Let’s dive in deeper and take a proper look at each key aspect of both these DAWs. We’ll weigh up their merits to properly decide whether the strengths of one software outweigh the other. 

Feature
Accessibility For Beginners	Intuitive	Small learning curve
Clear GUI	Mostly (some advanced features are hidden by default)	Fairly complicated main layout, but has a handy navigation sidebar
Creative Tools	Many great tools	Some great tools
Compatibility	Mac OS only	Windows & Mac OS
Cost	$200	Free to $520
Updates	Yes – not always free	Yes – always free
Processing	64-bit, with options for saving CPU usage	64-bit and 32-bit, with options for saving CPU usage
Track Limit	Up to 1000 tracks. Still runs smoothly up to around 500 actively used tracks	Up to 500 tracks. Starts to run slowly after around 100 actively used tracks

Logic Pro vs. FL Studio: Breaking It Down

Accessibility (For Beginners)

Logic Pro

Logic Pro loads up in ‘Simple Mode’ by default. It’s a simple and decluttered layout, with few buttons that may confuse beginners or producers unfamiliar with this DAW. The ability to access fantastic MIDI instrument sounds, creative plugins, and audio processing is still there, even in ‘Simple Mode.’

Using this mode, you only omit the more specialist features like color-coding your instrument tracks and drawing in more detailed instrument/track automation. In some ways, this makes it more straightforward to load your MIDI instruments, loops, or recorded audio and get cracking with making your music!

To toggle between ‘Simple Mode’ and ‘Complete Features,’ simply navigate to the Apple toolbar at the top of the screen: Logic Pro > Settings > Advanced > tick/untick ‘Enable Complete Features.’

FL Studio

Although the newcomer to FL Studio may be a little overwhelmed by the number of colors and variety of buttons upon starting it up, the developers show mercy by providing a quick and easy access bar on the side of the main onscreen interface.

This access bar shows you every single feature and sub-window that you could possibly choose to load up, which makes it super easy to switch between project tasks or go from one to the next.

FL Studio stores most of its MIDI Instrument sounds as Plugins, so if you’re planning on making a banging Dance track from the off, just click ‘Plugin Database’ or ‘Plugin Presets’ if you want to be offered a selection of pre-prepared instrument sounds.

The ‘Channel Presets’ and ‘Mixer Presets’ sidebar headers are also handy for mixing your project.

Some fantastic sounds are on offer, including booming kick drums and fizzy analog synth patches. Once you’re done choosing your sound, you can easily drop some notes in on the Piano Roll (accessed by double-clicking a segment of audio on the main Arrangement window) – and boom, you’re off!

GUI (Graphic User Interface)

Logic Pro

Logic Pro sports a near-flawless GUI design, with a sense of evenness and cleanliness that Apple has pretty much made their stylistic trademark.

The overhead Section Marker, Beat Ruler, and Looper functions can be neatly utilized on top of the main ‘Audio Roll’ (the bar-by-bar section found to the right of each Audio/MIDI track), where you can drag & drop, record, or sequence your sounds.

You’ll find it easy to name your track, give it a pleasing icon, and organize your groups of tracks into ‘Summing Stacks,’ which save CPU usage and tie the location of chosen instrument tracks together for ease of accessibility.

Also, if you’re ever stuck, just click the ‘?’ button in the top-right corner of the upper-hand control bar (the big light gray section just below your Apple toolbar). By pressing this, some handy hints are available, which show you the function and purpose of every feature inside the software.

Having said all this, the only downside to Logic Pro’s GUI navigation is that you might find that it leaves some users stuck if they don’t already know that the ‘Complete Features’ toggle function exists or where to find it.

FL Studio

FL Studio, on the other hand, can seem a little more cryptic in how and where everything is stored. Although all its features are (eventually) possible to locate, the GUI doesn’t sport many obvious features upon its first load-up. 

You might find it frustrating on your first try because you don’t get much of a look into where everything is or even how to start creating audio. Unlike Logic Pro, which separates its MIDI and Audio tracks into two types of instrument tracks, you can only create one kind of instrument track in FL Studio. 

To start creating music segments with these instrument tracks, you’ll have to hold down your mouse (left-click) on an empty space in the audio roll interface, then drag the generated audio segment to as long as you want the section or loop. You can then apply sound-sculpting Plugins from the access bar on the side.

It’s a little bit of a wonky process to begin making music in FL Studio – and since it comes in multiple price-tiered versions, the less expensive versions have zero access to using audio loops or recorded audio files.

It’s a shame because we consider this tiered pricing gate (with the privilege of audio treatment behind it) to be a really limiting factor for those genuinely interested in making professional-standard music but can’t afford to shell out $520 on demand.

Creative Tools

Logic Pro

Logic Pro offers some great inclusive plugins and tools for creative MIDI/audio manipulation. For example, the ‘Remix FX’ plugin is accessed under ‘Multi Effects’ in the drop-down plugin menu (above the left-hand information bar of any track). 

We consider the ‘Remix FX’ plugin to be especially interesting – and it’s highly rewarding when designing wobbly spatial effects. The resulting effects can be targeted towards individual instrument tracks, groups, and even FX bus tracks, making it an incredibly versatile piece of virtual equipment.

It’s easy to create automated motion with Remix FX by setting your instrument track’s mode to ‘Touch’ on the drop-down automation menu (below the volume fader on the left-hand information bar of any track). 

Let the track play – then hold your mouse down and move it across various positions on the provided automation pads. Make sure to set the instrument track’s mode to ‘Read’ before listening back, or else you’ll overwrite your changes!
Another handy creative tool offered by default in all versions of Logic Pro is the Movie interface. Using this feature, you can have a video playing along with your music project in real-time, allowing you to easily create accurate musical scores and sound design for all styles of visual media.

If you’re scoring a film, TV series, or segment of a video game and want to load a specific piece of footage into your Logic project, then all you have to do is navigate to your Apple toolbar: File > Movie > Open Movie > search for your desired video clip. Unfortunately, Logic Pro limits itself to only loading one video clip per project at a time – but it’s still a fantastic feature!

FL Studio hits a plateau regarding extended forms of music-making, such as creating soundtracks for visual media. It can allow you to use some brilliant sounds and create multi-layered (mainly electronic) compositions, but it can’t load a video or give you live-time control over subtle FX changes as Logic Pro can.

FL Studio

To be fair to FL Studio, what it lacks in music-making versatility, it more than makes up for the richness and depth of its VST plugins and virtual instrument patches.

For example, if you’re after that signature, highly-professional Daft Punk sound, or you just want to innovate your own electronic bona fide, there are hundreds of suitable plugins to choose from – and they all come with FL Studio (even the free trial version).

I highly recommend loading up ‘YottaSaw,’ which is part of the ‘Plugin Presets’ menu on the left-hand access bar (Plugin Presets > Generators > Patcher > X Wiselab > YottaSaw). It’s a nifty sawtooth generator VST plugin with many great additional functions that can enhance the fundamental sound of the synth. The ‘Grit’ and ‘SQRZ’ dials can really crank your synth tone up a notch!

However, with all these great MIDI-generating plugins and high-end electronic sounds, there is a fair drawback to using FL Studio, even for creating EDM: the automation features are tricky to use. Most users would probably find themselves consulting an online guide to change toggles and turn dials on the fly with FL’s fairly clunky mapping functionality.

Compatibility

Logic Pro

If you’re a PC user (Windows OS), you’ll find yourself with no option of getting Logic Pro installed on your system unless you use a platform crossover software. 

It’s only compatible with Mac OS and can even be purchased inclusively with a new MacBook – arriving with a complementary guarantee of free updates and upgraded versions for 2 years. Unfortunately, Apple has yet to release Logic Pro for Windows OS or even express interest. 

FL Studio

This is one factor that makes FL Studio outshine – not only with its flexibility of purchasable versions but also its compatibility with both Windows OS and Mac OS.

You’ll also find it easy to transfer FL Studio project files between a PC and an Apple Mac computer: simply close and save the project file in FL Studio, then compress it as a Zip file and transfer it over to your other machine via USB, SSD, or Cloud service. 

You don’t need to change any formatting to open the same FL Studio file on both Windows and Mac operating systems, which I think is super handy!

Cost

Logic Pro 

Logic Pro is purchased in the Apple store under ‘Applications’ and costs around $200 USD. One of the most outstanding inclusive facilities you’re getting for $200 – besides the highly powerful music-making engine itself – is Logic Pro’s expansive Apple Loops library.

The Apple Loops library is home to literally thousands of loopable musical elements featuring solo instrument passages, riffs, vocals, drum beats, bass lines, synth patterns, and more. You can use Apple Loops as freely as you like in your compositions (without worrying about paying anybody royalties).

Overall, I think the $200 asking price is pretty reasonable, considering the wide variety and depth of music-making facilities you can access instantly.

FL Studio

FL Studio offers a tiered pricing system depending on the variety and depth of music-making features you can access.

This tiered pricing system ranges all the way from FL Studio’s Free Trial option – which is actually pretty solid – to the ‘All Plugins Edition,’ which gives you all-inclusive access to every feature and native plugin available to purchase on the FruityLoops official website (at the time of purchase).

The FruityLoops website includes in-depth descriptions and video tutorials for each version of FL Studio on offer, helping you find the version that’s right for your level of experience.

Also, you’ll probably find this tiered pricing to be a pretty useful gradient if you’re a developing musician or studying music production at college: if you’re ever in a position where you want to upgrade your tier of FL Studio to the next, you can log into the FruityLoops site and pay the difference.

I think the $520 USD asking price for the All Plugins Edition is a little extreme. It’s more than double the price of Logic Pro and only gives you more of the same things that the ‘Fruity’ edition gives for around $100: cool electronic synth sounds. 

Besides this, the Free Trial version already has a very expansive range of instruments and VST patches – not to mention it’s a time-unlimited trial. You could almost benefit most from simply downloading the FL Studio Free Trial and importing a couple of your own sound libraries into it! 

Updates

Logic Pro

If you haven’t purchased Logic Pro as an inclusive app for your new MacBook or iMac, then the chances are you’ll have to pay for any major future updates.

Apple will offer some same-version updates to Logic Pro for free in the App Store – but as soon as a new version of the DAW itself comes out, you’ll find yourself stuck in the past with an exhausted range of updated versions. Then, if you want the next version, you’ll have to buy the full-price app all over again!

This is most likely the only ‘price-catch’ with Logic Pro: you can’t expect to use it for a very long time before you’re wanting a newer version, and you won’t get it for free. This puts FL Studio head and shoulders above Logic Pro regarding the affordability of updating your DAW.

FL Studio

Infinite, limitless version updates – for free. 

Processing

Logic Pro

Logic Pro has a fantastic range of efficiency tools available for saving CPU usage. If your machine is a little aging or lacking computer power overall, simply navigate to the Apple toolbar at the top of the screen: Logic Pro > Settings > Audio. 

Here, you’ll find drop-down menus for toggle functions such as ‘I/O Buffer Size,’ ‘Recording Delay,’ ‘Processing Threads,’ ‘Process Buffer Range,’ ‘Multithreading,’ and ‘Summing.’ You can tweak these to their smallest possible sizes and change the Multithreading to ‘Playback Tracks’ to save a lot of CPU power!

However, you might find that you’re pretty much unable to record live audio when you’re in optimal ‘low-CPU mode’ because it takes a fair amount of computer power to combat latency (unwanted delay time between your instrument/mic and your music-making software). 

There’ll be seconds of latency if you switch every CPU-related function to its most efficient setting – making live playing or singing pretty much impossible to record – so it’s really a case of finding the setup that works for you, depending on what you’re doing within Logic Pro.

FL Studio

FL Studio offers more or less the same range of efficiency tools as Logic Pro. However, these are designed with MIDI information in mind rather than recorded or sampled audio.

Some of the features are quite handy, such as ‘Safe Overloads,’ which gives you the option of ramping up the volume of your instrument tracks without having to worry about the possibility of deafening yourself or unpleasantly distorting the sound of your composition. Still, sensible mixing strategies are probably the best way to get around that…

Also, check out our post on fixing crackling issues in FL Studio.

Track Limit

Logic Pro

Logic Pro can work with up to a whopping 1,000 MIDI or audio tracks at once per project, which is massive! 

However, when it comes to filling each track up with live automation and MIDI information, you’ll probably find the CPU starts to hiccup and reach its cap at around 500 active tracks. This still isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination.

FL Studio

FL Studio caps its track limit at 500 instrument tracks per project – and you’ll find the CPU begins to get shaky after about 100 of them are actively used. I think this a pretty poor turn-up – especially given the borderline-extortionate asking price of the highest tier version, where this track limit is still maintained.

Wrapping Up

With FL Studio, the features on offer simply aren’t broad, numerous, or deep enough for live audio to provide a solid overall facility for anything other than electronic music production. It sounds harsh, but I believe this is truly the case.

Logic Pro provides less richness in the way of EDM synths and drum patterns but outshines FL regarding versatility and different music-making methods. You can set up pretty much any music-related project in Logic Pro in any form. Its specialism is limited across the board, but it will do the job, and it will do it well.

You shouldn’t work with audio files in FL Studio for anything more than basic sampling because a) the ability to work with audio files at all is a privilege exclusive to the tiered pricing versions above the $100 ‘Fruity’ edition, and b) its audio manipulation functions pale in insignificance when compared with its ability to exploit and transform MIDI instrument parts.

Logic Pro, on the other hand, is strongest as a tool for organizing and manipulating live audio. Sure, you can generate your musical parts from MIDI – but be sure to bounce it all to audio sooner rather than later. The way Logic Pro handles MIDI is often very clunky and takes up a great deal of CPU power.

So, which one will have the final say – Logic Pro, our Golden Child of Versatility, or FL Studio, our Hero of EDM Banger Production? That choice will depend on what you want from it.

New to music producing and unsure where to start? Check out our guide here.