9 Best GarageBand Alternatives For Android

• Looking for free alternatives to GarageBand?
• Wondering if you can download Audacity on your Android?
• Does Android even have GarageBand? We answer all your burning questions.
• Also, check out our post on 5 GarageBand Alternatives For Windows

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Are you a macOS and GarageBand user with an Android phone looking for a mobile replacement for Apple’s GarageBand?

Or are you simply an Android user and music-lover who wants to be able to make music on the phone?

Well, for any music-maker looking to get similar results to GarageBand on Android, the good news is that many Android apps behave and function like GarageBand.

When selecting the best GarageBand alternatives for Android, we took the following criteria into account:

• The DAW needed to be easy-to-use, with a fairly good UX/UI
• The DAW had to be (mostly) free of bugs
• The DAW needed to have enough basic functionality to allow you to write and create music on your device.
• And, of course, it had to be compatible with Android.

What Are The Best GarageBand Alternatives For Android In 2022?

If you’re looking for something free and simple, we recommend using BandLab. It’s widely popular and performs great for users from beginner-level to advanced.

However, suppose you’re looking for something that mimics more of the modern DAW experience. In that case, I recommend going with FL Studio Mobile or n-Track Music Studio to achieve all of a standard DAW’s features and functionality. 

With all that out of the way, we’ve shortlisted nine app-based DAWs that will work well with Android:

1. Band Lab (Best Free Option) 
2. FL Studio (Best DAW Recreation) 
3. Walk Band
4. Song Maker
5. Music Maker JAM
6. n-Track Music Studio DAW
7. Stagelight
8. Audio Evolution
9. J4T Multi-track recorder (Best For Instrumentalists/Songwriters)

1. BandLab (Best Free Option)

BandLab is arguably the best free music recording and leading social music creation platform with an astounding 40 million-plus users worldwide.

BandLab allows you to create and share music no matter your skill level or how much experience you have with making music.

You can make beats, add creative effects, and use royalty-free sounds from every genre imaginable.

BandLab is a twelve-track app that allows you to record, edit, and remix your music from start to finish.

Read our full BandLab review.

Pros: 

• Free
• Hundreds of free sound packs that rival those of GarageBand
• The interface is easy to understand, and there are a lot of features
• Ability to interact with people 
• Fun to use 

Cons: 

• Lots of ads make the app technically not “free” 
• Is prone to glitches and bugs (like all mobile DAW apps) 
• Maybe the least amount of latency problems among mobile DAWs 

Price: Free

Google Play Rating: 4.5 Stars

2. FL Studio (Best DAW Recreation)

While FL Studio is a popular DAW for many computer musicians, they also offer an app version for their multi-track recording product.

FL Studio is known for its ease of use, simplicity, and ability to offer users everything they need to do in music production with their product.

Many users see this as one of Android’s only realistic GarageBand alternatives.

Pros: 

• Comes with 133 quality instruments, sliced-loop beats, and drum kits; each with configurable settings. 
• Allows you to do everything you need to do in one app. 
• Ability to import and export MIDI files and share your songs via DropBox, email, or any other cloud storage service. 
• Allows you to undo and redo 
• Tons of effects such as Reverb, EQ, Delay, Limiter, Chorus, plus 99 track sequencers 

Cons: 

• Doesn’t have the optimal workflow 
• There are a lot of windows to navigate through. 
• Steeper learning curve compared to other apps (but more complex)
• Users experience a relatively high amount of technical issues 

Price: $14.99

Google Play Rating: 3.8 Stars

3. Walk Band

Walk Band is one of the best GarageBand alternatives on the market and has over 50 million downloads.

It brings nearly all of GarageBand’s features to the table such as instrumentation, effects, studio-quality recording, and more.

The comparison to GarageBand most notably comes from its ability to connect a USB MIDI keyboard to your smartphone and play it through the phone.

With this app, you can also record your vocals and do everything else needed to make quality music.

Pros:

• Awarded “Editor’s Choice on the Google Play Store.”
• It has a rating of 4.3 on the Play store
• You can choose up to 50 instruments with the app
• Can connect a MIDI keyboard 

Cons:

• Can be buggy and glitchy at times
• The metronome won’t play while you’re recording
• It lacks Garage Band’s editing capabilities

Price: Free 

Google Play Rating: 4.1 Stars 

4. Song Maker

Created by Chrome Music Lab, Song Maker is a website where you can compose music by mixing musical elements.

It focuses on using pre-recorded samples, sounds, beats, and rhythms instead of plugging in an instrument and making music from scratch.

However, it also allows you to record your voice and add it to the track in real-time.

This website is more for the modern content creator who isn’t quite interested in going too deep into theory, learning too much, or spending too much time creating original sounds and would instead use the library that it provides. 

Pros: 

• Comes with thousands of free sounds, beats, and loops to use (Library with Bass, Hip Hop, Trap & Future Bass, Metal, Drums, etc) 
• Allows you to record your voice while listening to the track 
• Has a music editor for sounds and loops
• Allows you to save your work, export it, and let your friends listen to it
• Free to use 

Cons: 

• You can’t really “edit” sounds like you would be able to in a fully-fledged DAW
• Some users report crash issues with this app while trying to export 
• Comes with a lot of ads 

Price: Free, $1.99 to unlock all of the sounds 

Google Play Rating: 4.3 Stars 

5. Music Maker JAM

 Music Maker Jam has an eight-channel mixer, is easy to use, and will work for a wide variety of people: from beginner to advanced users.

It allows you to record your voice as well as instruments, mix it with effects, and then share your song via Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, etc.

It’s free and comes with many nifty features, like creating your own random remix by shaking your device, choosing from 100 different styles, and editing your sounds in innovative ways.

Pros: 

• You can add vocals to your track on top of your beats
• You can apply free effects to get creative with your beats 
• Ability to instantly share your track to a worldwide audience 
• Ability to record your vocals or instrument 

Cons: 

• Appeals more to the novice music creator who is willing to settle functionality for ease of use 
• The user interface could provide a faster workflow for the user 
• Not as good for people who play instruments

Price: Free

Google Play Rating: 4.5 Stars 

6. n-Track Music Studio DAW

n-Track Music Studio is an app that looks like “putting a PC DAW on a phone.”

Everything you’d have on a PC seems to be packed into this small user interface including built-in instruments (or external instruments), a piano roll, unlimited tracks, and all the functionality required to turn your pocket phone into a music studio. 

Pros: 

• Easy to use virtual instruments and drums 
• The user interface is simple and looks like a modern DAW on a PC 
• Allows you to record, edit, and mix an unlimited number of tracks 
• In-depth mixing tools such as VocalTune, guitar amps, and reverb 
• You can edit your songs, then share them online & join their Songtree community to collaborate with other artists

Cons:

• Users report a relatively high amount of technical problems with the app 
• Audio recording from USB devices is time-limited when using n-Track USB audio driver
• The design of the app can be complex and hard to navigate for beginner users 

Price: $29.99

Google Play Rating: 4.3 Stars 

7. Stagelight

Stagelight is not as apt for those serious about making music and wanting the more advanced features of a DAW compared to a PC.

Stagelight is easy to learn and has tutorials to walk you through the basics, and the app allows you to show your creativity using a variety of instruments and sounds.

It comes with 9 Built-in instruments, including a keyboard, a sampler, a synthesizer, and a drum kit. 

Pros:

• Relatively easy to learn 
• You can make a song in a few minutes 
• MIDI device support 
• Cloud saving and stereo export 
• Comes with 9 built-in instruments and 4 free effects

Cons:

• Not as good for advanced users and those serious about making music 
• Can feel a little bit like a game instead of a creative tool 

8. Audio Evolution

Made by developer Davy Wentzlerm, Audio Evolution brings a conventional DAW approach to the mobile DAW game.

Audio Evolution allows users a free version where you are limited to three tracks, to which you can explore the app before deciding to buy.

The app then will offer a number of different in-app purchases, giving users new and more advanced features. 

Pros:

• Core MIDI support allows you to use external MIDI hardware with appropriate connectivity
• Looks and feels like a modern DAW for PC 
• Ability to integrate seamlessly with audio interfaces 

Cons: 

• Not the friendliest UX/UI for beginners 
• The free version is only for test purposes and you will have to pay to truly experience this app

Price: Limited Free Trial, $5.99 for the full version 

Google Play Rating: 4.3 Stars 

9. J4T Multitrack Recorder (Best For Instrumentalists/Songwriters)

J4T Multitrack Recorder is great if you want to make rough tracks on the go before you make studio-quality final versions of it later.

This app is a simple 4-track recorder built with songwriters in mind.

The app is mainly designed to capture song ideas, demos, and sketches quickly and easily, anywhere and anytime those muses decide to pay a visit.

You can also share your creation via SoundCloud, Google Drive, Gmail, Dropbox, and other supported platforms.

Pros: 

• Perfect for quick/on-the-go recording when you have an idea for a song, and you don’t have access to any recording equipment.
• Very simple, user-friendly, and has a short learning curve 
• You can apply many effects to your tracks, including Chorus, Delay, EQ, Reverb, Flanger, and Phaser.

Cons:

• Functionality can get pretty glitchy and buggy at times for users 
• Has latency issues at times but they are easy to correct  

Price: $3.49

Google Play Rating: 4.3 Stars 

Wrapping Up 

While nothing will truly replace the functionality and features that you will get in GarageBand (on mobile devices), many of these GarageBand alternatives come close. As with all DAWs, much of it will come down to your preference. So, watch a few YouTube videos before paying for any of these. That way, you can get a better feel of how they will vibe with your personal workflow, before parting with your hard-earned cash.

FAQs

Can I Download Audacity On My Android?

Audacity is a widely popular, versatile, and free audio editing software that has been available since 2000. Audacity allows users to easily import, edit, combine, and export audio files.

Audacity is not available for Android users and iOS users. It is only available on the PC, Mac, GNU/Linux, or other main operating systems. 

Is BandLab Free?

Yes, BandLab is free music-making software available on both Android and Apple mobile products.

However, there are a relatively high amount of ads on the platform. 

What Is A Free Alternative To GarageBand?

There are many free alternatives to GarageBand for Android and Apple, but the most popular ones are BandLab, Walk Man, Song Maker, and Music Maker JAM. 

Does Android Have GarageBand? 

Unfortunately, No. GarageBand is only available on the macOS and iOS platforms.

However, many GarageBand alternatives are listed in this article, such as BandLab, Walk Man, FL Studio, and more. 

Is BandLab Any Good? 

Users on the Google Play Store rate BandLab as the best music production app on the market.

With its free business model and simple user interface, the rating matches the product in this case and is a great app for people looking to create music from start to finish.

It comes with hundreds of free sound packs so you start making music instantaneously.

Before you head off, check out our guide to the best Android Music Making Apps!