FL Studio 20 vs Pro Tools
Which DAW hits the right notes?
WITH CREATIVITY-BASED software, many of the most popular and market-leading programs have several alternatives that carry out the same tasks, whether that’s graphic design, photo-editing, or music production. There may be lots of reasons to pick one over the other, including price, features, or accessibility but familiarity with the program, suite, or company you are currently using may be a powerful reason to stick with what you know.
While alternatives may offer a similar or superior product, that decision often comes down to what you feel most comfortable using. This applies to digital audio workstations (DAWs) too. A DAW allows you to compile a variety of different sounds, samples, and instruments together to complete a polished final track.
Both Image-Line’s FL Studio 20 and Avid’s Pro Tools are capable programs that deliver high-quality professional-grade audio, so which one should you pick if you are starting out? And, if you already use one, is it worth switching over to the other?
Avid’s Pro Tools is considered the industry standard in digital audio workstations. Originally created by
Digidesign, this piece of software has been through many variations and changes since it was first officially released under the Pro Tools name in 1991. Its popularity in the production industry has grown since then, and it has now become an essential tool for recording and mixing engineers.
Formerly known as FruityLoops, FL Studio began life at the end of the 1990s. This program was seen as a more introductory piece of software but, over time, it has become a professional-grade application with the potential to produce commercial audio. It was never initially intended for professional musicians, as the developers of the original Image-line software had no previous musical experience, instead their focus was on game design.
However, this different perspective is what made, and still makes, FL Studio so appealing—especially in terms of user interface design. The design language is vibrant, intuitive, and colorful. Its ease of use and ‘friendly’ styling harks back to the fact that Image-line came from a gaming background. At a time where most music applications looked as exciting as an Excel spreadsheet, FL
Studio appealed to beginners. Although Pro Tools now has a clever UI, it still has a more corporate design that can be a little overwhelming. FL Studio’s software feels more polished and user-friendly with its distinctive orange color scheme. Subtle design elements make the application an easier place to work. Both are pretty well organized DAWs, but Pro Tools’ UI is a little sharper in some areas.
One main difference between these two DAWs is the price. FL Studio has four versions. The basic Fruity Edition costs $99 and comes with no audio clips or audio recording. Next up is the Producer Edition costing $199, which features audio recording, full playlist features, and six additional native plugins. The Signature Bundle costs $399 and comes with the same features, but has 13 additional native plugins instead of six.
At the top of the range is FL Studio All Plugins Addition, which has all of the native plugins for $499. This program certainly gets pricier the further you go up the range—factor in the additional packs, presets, samples, and loops, and you can end up spending a fair amount.
Avid’s Pro Tools works on a subscription basis. There are two versions available, Pro Tools and Pro Tools Ultimate. The regular version is $300 upfront or $30 a month for a one-year subscription, and $35 per month for a rolling monthly subscription. The Ultimate Edition comes with 192 (with HDX) channels of I/O compared to the regular 64. You also get 2048 audio tracks instead of 256, and the addition of surround and immersive multi-channel mixing, instead of just mono and stereo.
The Ultimate edition costs $800 per year, $80 monthly on a yearly subscription, or $90 on a rolling monthly basis. That works out pretty expensive, but both versions boast over $1,600 worth of free plugins, sound libraries, and training content though, which is a great addition.
In our view, FL Studio wins this battle based on its value for money—but it also has a neat trick up its sleeve. Purchase FL Studio and you get free updates for life, so you’ll always have the latest version. In some respects, you get what you pay for, Pro Tools is a more well-rounded product that sets the bar for others, including FL Studio. Industry-standard doesn’t have to be the best priced or best designed, there is a reason why it is being used by many recording studios. FL Studio’s popularity comes down to its design and quality features in a fun package. It’s not just for beginners, there are plenty of producers using it, hence the multiple versions.
Although these DAWs can both create the same outcome, the main difference is the target market. Pro Tools is focused on a more commercial high-end studio production market, whereas FL Studio’s ease of use appeals to a younger audience who are getting into the audio production world. That’s not to undermine FL, as it’s an amazing piece of software that in most cases will be all you’ll need, but with its intuitive, colorful, and bold aesthetic, beginners can get to grips with the foundations of audio production in a seamless manner.
If you want to try and practice audio production, but are unsure of how it will
VERDICT 9 FL Studio 20
FRUITY Free lifetime updates; user-friendly; great piano roll.
LOOPY Most powerful plugins only available in ‘All Plugins Bundle’; tricky recording process.
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 8.1, 10, 11 or later. CPU, Intel and AMD (ARM not supported), the more powerful the CPU the more instruments you can run. RAM, 4GB. Disk Space, 4GB.
FL Studio Fruity Edition $99 FL Studio Producer Edition $199 FL Studio Signature Bundle $299 FL Studio All Plugins Edition $499 www.image-line.com progress, FL Studio is a great place to start. For a slightly more professional and commercial route, practice with Pro Tools. For overall performance with a higher level of control and quality, Pro Tools is the DAW for you and will provide you with everything you’ll ever need.
But for its great UI with lots of features, an intuitive style, FL Studio is a great place to start. In this battle of the DAWs, it has to be a tie—both offer great features at different price levels and are exceptionally good DAWs. It just depends on what level of production you are after. Both offer trials, so it’s worth giving both a try-out to see which suits your needs. –SAM LEWIS
VERDICT 9 Pro Tools
PRO TOOL Industry-leading standard; plenty of features.
POOR TOOL Wallet-burning subscription costs; no upfront purchase option; design looks rather outdated.
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10, (Windows 11 not yet supported). CPU for Pro Tools—Intel Core i5 processor. CPU for Pro Tools Ultimate—Intel Core i9 or Intel Xeon processor. RAM, 16GB (32GB recommended). Disk Space, 15GB (installation)
Pro Tools one-year subscription $399
Pro Tools Ultimate one-year subscription $800 www.avid.com