What Tracktion does

Underlying the commercial products is a rewritten proprietary audio engine with reduced CPU load and perfect plugin delay compensation, multi-core support, plugin sandboxing to isolate third-party crashes, and multi-channel surround routing. Tracktion also maintains an open-source developer ecosystem through Tracktion Engine (an audio software toolkit) and Pluginval (a cross-platform plugin validator), embedded within the JUCE C++ framework community founded by Tracktion co-founder Julian Storer. The company monetizes entirely through one-time perpetual licenses with no subscription requirement, except for a pay-as-you-go AI Assistant introduced in Waveform 14, and reaches customers via direct e-commerce on tracktion.com, OEM bundling, organic social channels (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X), and a Certified Guru video training program. Customer segments span electronic music producers, podcasters, singer-songwriters, band recorders, film and game composers, hobbyist bedroom producers, and house-of-worship teams, with named professional advocates including Richard Devine, Dan Dean, Benn Jordan, and Jörg Hüttner.

Name

Tracktion

Legal name

Tracktion Software Corporation

Website

https://tracktion.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tracktion is a US audio software company that develops the Waveform digital audio workstation and a catalog of 30+ instrument and effect plugins, sold via perpetual licenses to music creators, producers, podcasters, and film/game composers through a freemium-to-Pro funnel and OEM partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Audio Workstation Software

NAICS

Sound Recording Industries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Audio Plugins & Virtual Instruments (VST/AU/AAX) (MPAIAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sample Library & Sound Design Creation (for production use) (MPAIAHAM)

Keywords

• Music production software
• Digital audio workstation
• Audio plugins
• Virtual instruments
• Sound design tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirkland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses - DAW: One-time perpetual license sales for Waveform Free (free tier with expansion upsell), Waveform Pro, and OEM versions. Revenue generated through initial license purchase and upgrade pricing.
2. Instrument Plugins - One-time Purchase: Premium synthesizer and instrument plugins sold as one-time purchases (BioTek 3 $179, F.'em, Collective 2 $49, Abyss $129, Chop Suey $89, Dan Dean Collection $99, RetroMod). Revenue from standalone plugin sales and upgrade pricing.
3. Expansion Packs - Waveform Free Add-ons: Modular feature expansions for Waveform Free (Multi Channel $50, Synth Pack $30, and others) allowing users to build custom feature sets. This creates upsell pathway from free product.
4. Sound Packs and Expansions: Themed sound packs and expansion content for instruments like BioTek, Abyss, Atmosia, F.'em, Horizen, and others. Revenue from individual pack purchases at various price points ($10-$30 per pack).
5. Bundle Upsells: Tiered bundle packages (Recommended Bundle $349, Studio Content Bundle $599, Everything Bundle $999) offering progressive access to all instruments and content at discounted rates versus individual purchases.
6. Freemium Player Model - Attracktive: Free cross-platform sound pack player with 100 included sounds; premium expansion packs available for purchase. Creates freemium funnel into the Tracktion ecosystem.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tracktion designs, develops and distributes music production software, principally the Waveform digital audio workstation (DAW) available as Waveform Free (free, expandable), Waveform Pro (perpetual license with bundled instruments and effects), and Waveform OEM (unrestricted version distributed via hardware partners). The company also develops and sells a catalog of standalone instrument plugins (BioTek 3, F.'em, RetroMod, Collective 2, Abyss, Chop Suey, Atmosia, Horizen, Hyperion, KULT, Myth, Novum, SpaceCraft, Waverazor, Dan Dean Essential Bass), effects plugins (DAW Essentials Collection, Artisan Collection, LOVE 2, Hate), and the Attracktive free sound pack player, plus open-source developer tools (Tracktion Engine, Pluginval) and themed sound packs.

Product overview

Tracktion is a creative audio software company offering a suite of Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) products and music production tools. The portfolio is organized around the Waveform DAW as the core platform, available in three tiers: Waveform Free (free, expandable via individual feature packs), Waveform Pro ($249, the flagship professional DAW bundled with instruments and effects), and Waveform OEM (distributed via hardware manufacturer partnerships). Waveform Pro and its bundled/upgrade tiers serve as the platform into which Tracktion's own instruments and third-party tools integrate. Instrument plugins include BioTek 3 (the flagship creative synthesizer, $179), F.'em (11-operator FM/VA/hybrid synthesizer), RetroMod Collection (7 virtual instruments recreating classic hardware), Collective 2 (sample-based synthesis platform, $49), Dan Dean Essential Bass Collection ($99), Abyss ($129, visual synthesizer by Dawesome), Chop Suey ($89, kick drum designer by Dawesome), Atmosia, Horizen, Hyperion/Theia, KULT, Myth, Novum, SpaceCraft, and Waverazor. Effects plugins include LOVE 2, Hate, DAW Essentials Collection (16 contemporary DSP effects), and Artisan Collection (186 Airwindows-based DSP plugins). Free tools include Attracktive (cross-platform sound pack player) and various sound packs. Developer tools include Tracktion Engine (open source audio toolkit) and Pluginval (open source plugin validation tool). All Waveform products support VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin formats, with extensive controller support including Novation and AKAI devices, plus Ableton Link synchronization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Waveform: Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software product line including Waveform Free and Waveform Pro.
• BioTek
• Collective
• F.'em
• RetroMod
• Attracktive
• Abyss
• Chop Suey
• StageBox
• DAW Essentials Collection
• Artisan Collection
• Tracktion Engine
• Pluginval

Products and services

• Waveform Pro Tracktion's flagship professional digital audio workstation, bundling 38 built-in audio effects, 10 MIDI effects, 10 built-in instruments, and third-party tools including Auto-Tune Access, Melodyne Essential, Artisan Collection (186 plugins), Collective 2, BioTek 3, and Sanfilippo Imagina drum loops. Sold as a one-time perpetual license at $249 (new) with upgrade pricing.
• Waveform Free A fully featured, unlimited free DAW for macOS, Windows, and Linux, including 14 built-in audio effects, 8 MIDI effects, 11 utility plugins, and 4 built-in instruments (4OSC, Micro Drum Sampler, Micro Sampler, Rompler). Expandable via paid feature expansion packs starting at $30.
• Waveform OEM Unrestricted Waveform workstation software distributed through Tracktion's OEM partner program with hardware manufacturers. Includes unlimited track count, full plugin compatibility, and no 'Lite' restrictions; available on macOS, Windows, and Linux with 15 built-in audio effects, 8 MIDI effects, 11 utility plugins, and 4 built-in instruments.
• BioTek 3 Tracktion's flagship creative synthesizer plugin with sample, granular, and Spinal Saw oscillators (up to 44 oscillators per voice), nine high-quality effects, Transistor Ladder and Sallen-Key filters, over 800 factory presets, and CPU-efficient performance supporting 50+ instances. Priced at $179, upgrade from BioTek 2 $99.
• F.'em An 11-operator FM synthesizer functioning as a hybrid quad-timbral instrument combining FM, VA, and sample-based synthesis, with a freely configurable operator matrix, dual multimode filters, complex effect section, 32-stage tempo-synced envelopes, and a modulation matrix with up to 200 entries. Sold as part of the Recommended Bundle and Studio Content Bundle.
• RetroMod Collection A seven-instrument collection of sample-based virtual instruments (RetroMod LoFreq Wired/Classic/Modern, Digital 1, Lead, 106, Fat) sampled meticulously from classic analog and digital hardware, with XY pad controls, secondary filters, and creative FX. Part of the Studio Content Bundle.
• Attracktive A free cross-platform sound pack player supporting VST3, AU, and AAX formats for use in any DAW. Includes 100 free production-ready sounds, adapts its interface to each pack, and is fully compatible with the entire range of BioTek expansions. Premium expansion packs from $10.
• Abyss A visual synthesizer by Dawesome featuring a tone-colour approach to sound design with over 2,000 sound colours, FM timbres (v1.2), spectral processing, virtual analog filter, four sound effects (Shimmer, Delay, Reverb, Phaser), MPE support, and over 130 crafted patches. Priced at $129 with a 90-day unlimited trial.
• Chop Suey A kick drum design plugin by Dawesome that sequences kick drum elements (transient, body, tail) rather than layering them, with a kick-specific filter, surgical precision editing, visual waveform display, 'Punch Protect' function, and WYSIWYG visual editing. Priced at $89 with a free trial.
• Collective 2 A sample-based synthesis platform combining pristine sample playback with synthesis capabilities. Includes over 928 production-ready presets (factory library plus Miclop's new presets and Beta Maxed, Son of a Beta Maxed, and Platforms expansions), virtual analog oscillators, 4-operator FM module, versatile filters, LFOs, envelopes, and IR loader. Priced at $49, upgrade from v1 for $10.
• Dan Dean Essential Bass Collection A sample-based bass instrument featuring six meticulously sampled bass guitars from Dan Dean's personal collection (Alembic Spoiler, Alembic Fretless, Fender Precision, Fender Telecaster, Lull Jazz, Washburn Fretless), with modeled amplifiers, a 4-slot FX page, and over 100 factory presets with performance articulations. Priced at $99.
• Hyperion A multi-layer modular synthesizer by Wavesequencer with multi-layer capabilities designed for complex sound design and performance. Part of the Studio Content Bundle.
• Theia A synthesizer by Wavesequencer offering the sonic character of Hyperion in a more accessible form. Part of the Everything Bundle.
• SpaceCraft A granular synthesizer plugin. Part of the Studio Content Bundle.
• Waverazor An advanced wavetable synthesizer developed with MOK, featuring a unique contextual editor and multi-sync wavetable capabilities. Part of the Studio Content Bundle ($159 value).
• KULT A synthesis development instrument by Dawesome focused on experimental sound design with instability, transformation, and expressive unpredictability. MPE-enabled. Part of the Everything Bundle.
• Myth A synthesizer by Dawesome designed for hands-on sonic exploration. Part of the Everything Bundle.
• Novum A next-generation sampling instrument by Dawesome that transforms hybrid acoustic sources (cello, flute, guitar, celesta) through granular motion into organic, abstract textures. Part of the Everything Bundle.
• Atmosia A synthesizer for crafting cinematic atmospheres. New product featured in the Everything Bundle ($69 value).
• Horizen A synthesizer delivering pristine cinematic sound. Part of the Everything Bundle.
• LOVE 2 An effects plugin delivering instant beauty for any sound. Version 2. Priced at $59 as part of the Everything Bundle.
• Hate An effects plugin for aggressive sound transformation. Part of the Everything Bundle ($59 value).
• StageBox A plugin host and setlist manager for live keyboard players. Manages plugin instances and setlists for live performance scenarios. Part of the Everything Bundle.
• DAW Essentials Collection A collection of 16 contemporary DSP effects plugins for use with any DAW. Built using the latest algorithms and coding techniques for extraordinary sound quality and efficient CPU usage. Included with Waveform Pro and available standalone for any DAW.
• Artisan Collection A collection of 186 DSP plugins based on the popular Airwindows open-source code. Included with Waveform Pro, providing audio sculpting tools ranging from practical sound shaping to experimental effects.
• Imagina Drum Loops Exclusive high-quality drum loop libraries by Alex Sanfilippo. Waveform Pro includes the Sanfilippo Imagina library ($99 value) and the Everything Bundle adds the Testa Imagina and Lombardo Imagina libraries. 24-track drum construction kits.
• Sound Packs Themed construction kits and sound packs for various Tracktion instruments including BioTek 3, F.'em, Abyss, Attracktive, Horizen, Hyperion/Theia, KULT, LOVE, Myth, Novum, Subtractive, and Waveform. Available individually from $10 or as part of the Everything Bundle ($1,800 value).
• Tracktion Engine An open source toolkit for developing complex audio software. Part of Tracktion's developer ecosystem, providing the foundational audio engine technology used to build Tracktion's own products.
• Pluginval An open source cross-platform validation and testing tool for audio plugin developers. Part of Tracktion's developer ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• BioTek 3 handles over 50 instances effortlessly with optimized CPU usage
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration18 records

AI capability5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dawesome (Peter V)coreTechnology or IntegrationDawesome, founded by Peter V, creates innovative synthesizer plugins (Abyss, Chop Suey, and others) that are distributed and sold through Tracktion's platform. Peter V brings unique expertise in visual synthesis and AI-assisted sound design, contributing distinct products to Tracktion's ecosystem.
• Antares TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationAntares Technologies provides genuine Auto-Tune technology included in Waveform Pro. The Auto-Tune Access plugin delivers real-time pitch correction and vocal effects that have powered countless hits, integrated as a core feature of Waveform Pro.
• Celemony SoftwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationCelemony provides Melodyne Essential pitch correction technology included in Waveform Pro. Melodyne allows detailed audio editing for intonation, timing, and dynamics without sacrificing naturalness, integrated as a core feature.
• ModeAudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerModeAudio, a prolific sound design team, created exclusive content for Waveform Pro 14 including drums, basses, synths, and more in contemporary styles for use with the clip launcher. ModeAudio has collaborated with major brands including Ableton, Native Instruments, Reason Studios, U-he, Image-Line, Elektron, Bitwig, Applied Acoustic Systems.
• Wolfram FrankecoreOthersWolfram Franke is the industry veteran who created the BioTek codebase, refined through designing instruments for Waldorf Music. His expertise in deep synthesis architecture forms the technical foundation of BioTek 3.
• Björn TorwellencoreOthersGerman techno artist and kick design expert with 20+ years of experience who collaborated with Peter V (Dawesome) on Chop Suey kick drum designer. Shared his workflow expertise through a 6-hour masterclass at Sinee Institute for Electronic Music.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ableton: Ableton's Live DAW is a direct competitor to Tracktion's Waveform in the electronic music production and creative workflow segment. Both target individual producers with creative-first workflows and session/clip-based production models.
• Image-Line (FL Studio): FL Studio is a long-standing DAW competitor with a similar perpetual license model and electronic music production focus. Both companies serve bedroom producers and offer a free entry tier with paid upgrades.
• Bitwig: Bitwig Studio is a direct DAW competitor founded by former Ableton staff, targeting creative electronic music production with modular capabilities. Comparable in team size and creative-first positioning to Tracktion.
• Cockos (Reaper): Reaper is a low-cost, highly customizable DAW targeting independent producers and engineers. It competes with Waveform in the value-conscious and power-user segments with a similar perpetual license approach.
• Steinberg (Cubase): Steinberg's Cubase is a professional DAW with strong composition, scoring, and audio production features, competing with Waveform Pro in the professional producer segment. Both serve the same broad music creator base.
• PreSonus (Studio One): Studio One is a DAW competing with Waveform in the indie and professional producer market, with similar creative workflow design and integrated instrument/effect bundles. PreSonus also bundles its DAW with hardware products, mirroring Tracktion's OEM strategy.
• Native Instruments: Native Instruments is a leading music production software and virtual instrument company whose Komplete bundles, Kontakt sampler, and Reaktor platform directly compete with Tracktion's plugin portfolio and bundle strategy.
• Arturia: Arturia makes virtual instruments, effects, and hardware controllers, competing with Tracktion's BioTek, F.'em, RetroMod, and effects lines. Both target electronic music producers with creative synthesizer tools and hardware/software integration.

Broad incumbents

• Apple (Logic Pro): Apple's Logic Pro is a professional DAW bundled with macOS at a one-time price, competing with Waveform Pro across composition, mixing, and production workflows. As a major platform owner, Apple represents a broad incumbent with vastly more resources.
• Avid (Pro Tools): Pro Tools is the industry-standard DAW for professional audio production, post-production, and recording studios. It competes with Waveform Pro at the high end of the professional market as a broad incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tracktionsw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TracktionSoftware
• Facebookfacebook.com/tracktionsoftware
• Instagraminstagram.com/tracktionsoftware
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tracktion-software-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tracktion