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LMMS

Free, open-source music production software for Linux, Windows and macOS.

Try LMMS (opens the LMMS website in a new tab)

Our verdict

LMMS is for beginners and hobbyists who want a free, open-source tool to sequence, mix and arrange songs. Skip it if you want recent stable releases or a commercial product with vendor support.

What it does well

  • Free, with source code under the GNU GPL version 2
  • Includes a Piano Roll, Beat+Bassline editor and 16 built-in synthesizers
  • Supports VST instruments, SoundFont and LADSPA plugins

Where it falls short

  • Latest stable build on the download page is 1.2.2, from June 2020
  • VST effects are listed for Linux and Windows only
  • Newer 1.3.0 alpha builds are marked as possibly less stable
The LMMS website
The official LMMS website, 16 October 2026.

LMMS calls itself a free, cross-platform tool for making music on your computer. Its site describes a 100% free, open source, community-driven project, and the GitHub repository calls it an open-source cross-platform digital audio workstation.

You can sequence, compose, mix and automate songs in one interface, with a Beat+Bassline Editor and a Piano Roll Editor, and import MIDI and Hydrogen project files. It lists 16 built-in synthesizers, including emulations of the TB-303, C64 SID, NES, GameBoy and OPL2, plus ZynAddSubFx, and support for SoundFont, Giga and GUS multisamples.

There is no price and no paid tier. The source code in the official GitHub repository is licensed under GPL-2.0, and the repository contains the GNU General Public License version 2 text.

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Last updated 16 October 2026. Facts checked against the official site on 16 October 2026. How we make money