Price is often the first thing musicians take into consideration when purchasing a DAW. Buying music production software can be costly and it’s important to know exactly what you are getting for the price tag. If you’re thinking about buying Pro Tools, you’re probably wondering how much it costs and if it’s the right fit for you.
The price you pay for Pro Tools depends on which edition of the software you choose. The three editions of Pro Tools include: Artist, Studio and Flex. Pro Tools Artist can be purchased for $9.99 USD/month (or $99.00 USD/year), Pro Tools Studio for $39.99 USD/month (or $299.00 USD/year) and Pro Tools Flex for $99.00 USD/month (or $999.00 USD/year).
In this guide, we’ll answer all the biggest questions musicians have when considering purchasing Pro Tools, as well as a deep-dive of the costs involved, the best time to buy Pro Tools and whether or not it’s worth it.
- | How Much Does Pro Tools Cost?
- | Pro Tools Edition Comparison
- | Can You Still Buy Pro Tools Perpetual?
- | Does Pro Tools Have A Free Trial?
- | Does Pro Tools Ever Go On Sale?
- | How Much Is Pro Tools With A Student Discount?
- | Are Pro Tools Updates Free?
- | Is Pro Tools Worth The Money?
Without further ado, let’s get started!
| How Much Does Pro Tools Cost?
Pro Tools uses a subscription-based model for each edition of the software. The price you pay for Pro Tools depends on which edition of the software you choose. The three editions of Pro Tools include: Artist, Studio and Flex.
Pro Tools Artist can be purchased for $9.99 USD/month (or $99.00 USD/year), Pro Tools Studio for $39.99 USD/month (or $299.00 USD/year) and Pro Tools Flex for $99.00 USD/month (or $999.00 USD/year). Avid also provides the option to subscribe to Pro Tools Studio for $31.99 USD/month when you commit for one year compared to a month-to-month plan.
| Pro Tools Edition Comparison
Pro Tools Artist | Pro Tools Studio | Pro Tools Flex | |
Cost | $9.99 USD/month | $31.99 USD/month | $99.00 USD/month |
Included Plugins | 100+ | 120+ | 120+ |
Audio Tracks | 32 | 512 | 2048 |
MIDI Tracks | 64 | 1024 | 1024 |
Instrument Tracks | 32 | 512 | 512 |
Aux Input Tracks | 32 | 128 | 1024 |
Busses | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Video Editing | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Dolby Atmos & Surround Mixing | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Each edition of Pro Tools comes with increasingly more features, additional content and less creative restrictions. Depending on the size and complexity of your projects, your feature requirements and budget, there is an edition of Pro Tools that is perfect for you. To view a more in-depth comparison of each edition of Pro Tools, click here.
| Can You Still Buy Pro Tools Perpetual?
In the past, a Pro Tools license could be purchased with a one-time payment, also known as a ‘perpetual license’. Unfortunately, there is no longer an option to buy a perpetual license from the Avid website. However, there are a number of third-party retailers that still sell outdated versions of Pro Tools as a perpetual license. If you would like to purchase the latest version of Pro Tools, you will need to select between a number of monthly and yearly plans as part of Avid’s revised subscription structure.
| Does Pro Tools Have A Free Trial?
Yes, Pro Tools does have a free 30-day trial. It comes with over 110 plugins, 2GB of high-quality loops and 1GB of Collaboration Cloud Storage. To download the Pro Tools free trial, click here. You will need to create an Avid account and log in.
| Does Pro Tools Ever Go On Sale?
While Pro Tools rarely goes on sale, it has seen big discounts in recent years. In 2021, customers could save 50% off a one-year subscription to Pro Tools during their Black Friday sale. Eligible students can also access discounted yearly-subscriptions on Pro Tools Studio and Pro Tools Flex all year round. If you’re hoping to get a copy of Pro Tools on sale, make sure to also keep an eye on Avid’s website this November.
| How Much Is Pro Tools With A Student Discount?
Students can access significant discounts on the yearly-subscription options of Pro Tools Studio and Pro Tools Flex. Avid’s student discount can save qualifying students and teachers up to $700 USD per year. If eligible, students can subscribe to Pro Tools Studio for $99.00 USD/year or Pro Tools Flex for $299.00 USD/year.
| Are Pro Tools Updates Free?
If you own a Pro Tools license as part of a monthly or yearly subscription plan, all future updates are free. However, owners of a Pro Tools perpetual license will need to purchase a 1-Year Upgrade with Software Updates + Support Plan in order to update their software to the latest version. This will also give perpetual license owners access to new releases, plugins and support for one year. To purchase a 1-Year Upgrade with Software Updates + Support Plan, click here.
| Is Pro Tools Worth The Money?
Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned expert, Avid’s Pro Tools is definitely worth the money. While Pro Tools is the stock-standard in professional music studios around the world, it’s incredible recording and editing capabilities can also be utilized by the everyday musician. Avid’s subscription-based plans make it affordable for musicians on a budget to access the software.
If you’re looking for a DAW that comes with an advanced toolset for live audio recording, mixing and mastering, I highly recommend you check out Pro Tools. Pro Tools is a fantastic all-round DAW that can be used to turn any idea into a complete mastered track.
If you would like to read more about the software or buy Pro Tools for yourself, click here.
Want To Know More?
Here at Live Aspects, we have dozens of useful lessons and tutorials created to enhance your music production skills and help speed up the learning process. You can access our huge range of music theory lessons and production tips and tricks here.
