Mac: Yes
Win: Yes
Linux: No
Audio: Yes
MIDI: Yes
Virtual: Yes
Notation: No
Rewire: Yes
Plug-In: VST
Driver: ASIO/Core Audio
Price: $60/$225
Reaper is a DAW designed and supported by Cockos. It is configured to be completely customisable by the user while maintaining pristine audio quality. Reaper is a digital audio processor and MIDI sequencer, and it supports VST and DX virtual instruments. It isn’t open source, but some of the coding is open to manipulation by users. Reaper actually has two prices: one is a professional license for $225 and the other is a personal license (for personal use, educational institutions, and businesses grossing less than $20,000 per year) for $60.
Reaper’s big strength is that it is customisable in every way. It will allow you to manipulate the order of your mixer, rearrange your window layout, and even change the behaviour of your mouse. Because of this customisability, Reaper has a decent learning curve and demands it’s users understand signal flow and processors to make it work for them. This isn’t a Garage Band-type application that will do a lot of functions in the background or create and connect tracks for the novice user. On the flip side, it can be a great learning tool for those interested in knowing everything that is happening in the signal path. Reaper is made for both Mac and Windows and is really a boutique program for people that are tired of the hype and constant updates (that don’t fix the real problems) of big and heavily marketed DAWs. If that describes you then check it out. It even has a FREE 30-day trial.