Today there are 69 different songwriting software. We spent 83 hours comparing the top 50 to find the seven best you can use to write your music with.
What is the Best Songwriting Software?
- Hookpad — best of the best
- MasterWriter — best for professional songwriters
- BandLab — best for beginners
- Hum On — best for iOS
- Chordbot — best for Android
- Noteflight — best for teachers
- Finale by Makemusic — best for Mac
1. Hookpad
Our Verdict — Best Of The Best
Price: Starts at $4.99/month
Hookpad is an intuitive music sketchpad software built to simplify songwriting. We think it’s the best because of its intuitive chord palette, expertly tuned virtual instruments, and music theory features.
The Best Part:
Intuitive chord palette. Hookpad’s visual chord palette enables you to experiment with creative ideas and create harmonically rich songs without breaking a sweat.
The Worst Part:
Limited sound library. HookPad's sound library might not be as extensive as some of the alternatives.
Get it if you want a user-friendly tool to help you compose captivating songs and chord progressions, even without prior music theory knowledge.
I recommend you start with the free plan, then get a paid Hookpad subscription for $4.99/month.
(free plan)
Best For
Hookpad is best for songwriters who want a user-friendly tool to get inspired and write unique songs.
Top Features
- Intelligent suggestions. Leverage Hookpad's AI-powered visual cues for chords, melodies, and harmonies to inspire your compositions.
- Customizable instruments. Choose from a selection of virtual instruments, including piano, guitar, and strings, to infuse your song with personality and flair.
- Band templates. Kickstart your songwriting process with pre-built bands, instruments, and rhythms in many styles and genres.
- Tempo and time signature control. Customize your song's tempo and time signature to create your groove just like you envisioned it.
- MIDI export. Export your songs as MIDI files to continue refining your masterpiece in your go-to digital audio workstation (DAW).
Pricing
Hookpad offers three pricing plans:
- Hookpad Free: Free forever, for songwriters who want to explore Hookpad’s basic songwriting features.
- Hookpad: $4.99/month for songwriters who want a comprehensive songwriting solution with a full range of features.
- Hookpad + Books: $4.99/month + $34.98 one-time payment for the Hooktheory Book Series, for songwriters aiming to advance their songwriting skills while using a powerful songwriting software.
Annual plans provide an 18% discount.
Try Hookpad today with the free plan.
2. MasterWriter
Our Verdict — Best For Professional Songwriters
Price: Starts at $9.95/month
MasterWriter is a straightforward, powerful songwriting toolkit for professional songwriters looking for inspiration. We think it’s the best for professional songwriters because of its straightforward approach, extensive vocabulary libraries, and comprehensive rhyming dictionary.
The Best Part:
Robust rhyme and thesaurus tools. MasterWriter enables you to easily find the perfect words for your lyrics using powerful rhyme, phrase, and synonym lookup tools.
The Worst Part:
English only. MasterWriter’s dictionary and vocabulary lookup features are limited to the English language.
Get it if you want a powerful and straightforward songwriting software to help you write the best lyrics for your songs in the shortest time possible.
I recommend you start with the 10-day free trial, then get the MasterWriter 2 Year plan for $119.95/two years.
(10-day free trial)
Best For
MasterWriter is best for professional songwriters and lyricists who want a tool that quickly finds the perfect words for their songs.
Top Features
- Advanced speech types. Venture into word families and different parts of speech to create captivating and diverse lyrics for your songs.
- Song organization. Keep your songwriting projects neat and tidy with MasterWriter's easy-to-use project management features
- It keeps your work handy. Store your projects safely and automatically sync them across multiple devices.
- Copyright guardian. Safeguard your intellectual property by timestamping your songs within MasterWriter, to avoid potential copyright battles.
- 24/7 access. Be able to work whenever inspiration hits, no matter where you are, with MasterWriter's iOS and Android mobile apps.
Pricing
MasterWriter offers three pricing plans:
- MasterWriter Monthly: $9.95/month for professional songwriters who want a flexible, cancel-anytime payment option.
- MasterWriter 1 Year: $79.95/year for seasoned lyricists and songwriters who want a cost-effective annual subscription.
- MasterWriter 2 Year: $119.95/two years for committed songwriters who want to save even more with a longer subscription period.
The annual plan provides a 33% discount.
Try MasterWriter today with a free 10-day trial.
3. BandLab
Our Verdict — Best For Beginners
Price: Starts at $14.99/month
BandLab is a beginner-friendly music creation platform with an unlimited free plan for songwriters. We think it’s the best for beginners because of its intuitive interface, smooth learning curve, and unlimited free plan.
The Best Part:
User-friendly interface. BandLab's beginner-friendly design features a drag-and-drop workspace, color-coded tracks, and easily accessible menus.
The Worst Part:
Limited pro features. BandLab may not have all the professional tools and features that seasoned songwriters require for complex projects, such as advanced audio editing capabilities, comprehensive plugin support, and extensive automation options.
Get it if you want a beginner-friendly songwriting platform that provides a creative environment to experiment, learn, and collaborate with fellow songwriters.
I recommend you get started with BandLab’s free plan.
(free plan)
Best For
BandLab is best for beginner songwriters who want a user-friendly platform to develop their songwriting skills.
Top Features
- Virtual instruments. Experiment with BandLab’s assortment of over 200 virtual instruments, such as keyboards, drums, and guitars.
- Collaboration tools. Team up with friends or fellow songwriters to collaborate on your BandLab projects and albums.
- Free cloud storage. Store your projects in the cloud for free and work on them on Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS devices.
- Automated mastering. Make your sound sound professional with BandLab's unlimited free algorithmic mastering.
- Unlimited free plan. Enjoy unrestricted access to BandLab’s suite of songwriting tools, music storage space, and collaboration features, completely free of charge.
Pricing
BandLab offers two pricing plans:
- BandLab Free: Free forever, for beginner songwriters who want access to a user-friendly platform to learn, create, and share music.
- BandLab Boost Membership: $14.99/month for beginner songwriters who want to increase their visibility and reach more people by turning their profile or posts into featured ads within the BandLab community.
Annual plans provide a 17% discount.
Try BandLab today with the free plan.
Our Top Three Picks
Here’s a quick summary of our top three picks:
- Hookpad — best of the best
- MasterWriter — best for professional songwriters
- BandLab — best for beginners
Here’s a quick comparison of our top seven picks:
Tool | Entry Offer | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
Hookpad | Free plan | Starts at $4.99/mo |
MasterWriter | 10-day free trial | Starts at $9.95/mo |
BandLab | Free plan | Starts at $14.99/mo |
Hum On | 30-day money-back guarantee | $2.99 |
Chordbot | Free plan | $4.99 |
Noteflight | Free plan | Starts at $7.95/mo |
Finale by Makemusic | 14-day free trial | $299 |
Here are the top 50 songwriting software we considered in this review:
- Hookpad
- MasterWriter
- BandLab
- Hum On
- Chordbot
- Noteflight
- Finale by Makemusic
- GarageBand
- IO-808
- RhymeZone
- Ableton Live
- Guitar Pro
- MuseScore
- Reverse Chord Finder
- Songwriter's Pad
- TuneSmith
- Cubasis
- Tracktion Waveform
- Audio Tool
- Scale in Ableton
- Scaler
- Rhythmiq
- Songwriting Apps
- Suggester
- Simple Songwriter
- Rhyme Genie
- Writer's Session
- SoundGym
- Rhyme Brain
- Circle of Fifths
- Song Topic Generator
- Theorytab
- Magic Chord
- Pitch Journal
- Songcraft
- Autochords
- LANDR Collaboration
- Chord Miner
- Chord Progressions
- Ludwig
- Song Sharpener
- Verse Perfect
- Chordwizard Songtrix
- OpenSong
- Four Chord Songs
- Easy Song Writer
- Jammer Songmaker
- Crescendo Music Notation Software
- Audiotool
- Metronome
Is Hookpad worth it?
Hookpad is absolutely worth it, especially for songwriters seeking a user-friendly and intuitive tool to help them write captivating songs and chord progressions, even without prior music theory knowledge.
With its intelligent chord suggestions, customizable virtual instruments, and music theory integration, Hookpad streamlines the songwriting process and provides an essential tool for any music career. Additionally, its affordable pricing plans, starting at just $4.99/month, make it accessible to a wide range of songwriters. Starting with the free plan, users can get a feel for the software before committing to a paid subscription.
What is songwriting software?
Songwriting software refers to applications and tools designed to assist musicians, lyricists, and composers in the process of songwriting. These software programs typically offer a variety of features, such as chord dictionaries, intelligent chord suggestions, built-in music theory, and advanced editing features. They aim to simplify the creative process, improve the songwriting experience, and streamline music composition. Some popular songwriting software options include Hookpad, MasterWriter, and BandLab.
How do professional songwriters write songs?
Professional songwriters often follow a structured process when writing songs, which may involve several steps. These can include generating song ideas, creating demo recordings, developing lyrics and melodies, and refining the musical arrangement. To facilitate this process, professional songwriters may use specialized software for songwriting, such as Hookpad, MasterWriter, or Guitar Pro. These programs offer advanced features like intelligent chord suggestions, selection of chords, and customizable virtual instruments, helping songwriters craft amazing songs and hit tracks efficiently.
How to write a song software?
Writing a song using software involves several steps. First, select a songwriting software that best suits your needs, such as Hookpad, MasterWriter, or BandLab. These programs offer a range of features tailored to different aspects of the songwriting process. Next, use the software's tools and features to develop your song ideas, create demo recordings, and experiment with chord voicings, rhythm patterns, and melody lines. Finally, refine your song's arrangement, lyrics, and instrumentation, and export your work as an audio file, notation file, or MIDI file for further editing or sharing.
Is there a songwriting app?
Yes, there are several songwriting apps available for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, designed to enhance the creative process and provide essential tools for songwriters on the go. Some popular options include Hum On (best for iOS), Chordbot (best for Android), and Songwriter's Pad (for iOS and Android),
Hum On is an innovative iOS app that allows users to hum melodies into their device, which the app then converts into musical scores. This tool is ideal for capturing melodic ideas quickly and easily, even when a traditional instrument is not available. Hum On also offers a range of features to edit and refine the generated musical scores, making it a valuable tool in the songwriting process.
Chordbot is a versatile songwriting app for Android that focuses on chords and harmony. It offers a vast selection of chord voicings and progressions, along with intelligent suggestions to help users craft unique and engaging songs. Chordbot also allows users to create complex scores with multiple instruments and customize the tempo, key, and time signature.
Songwriter's Pad is a comprehensive app that helps songwriters brainstorm ideas, write lyrics, and organize their work. It features a built-in thesaurus, a rhyme dictionary, and a range of creative prompts to spark inspiration. The app also offers audio recording capabilities, allowing users to capture their song ideas as they emerge.
Most songwriting apps are compatible with mobile browsers, enabling songwriters to create and edit their work on the go. Many apps also offer integration with desktop-based songwriting software and music production tools, allowing for seamless transition between devices and platforms.
Is songwriting self-taught?
Songwriting can be self-taught, as many successful songwriters have developed their skills through practice, experimentation, and learning from others' work. However, formal education or training in music theory, composition, or songwriting can provide a solid foundation and accelerate the learning process.
For those who prefer self-directed learning, there are numerous online resources, tutorials, and courses available that cover various aspects of songwriting, including lyric writing, melody creation, and music theory. These resources can be invaluable for self-taught songwriters seeking to deepen their understanding and expand their skill set.
Software tools like Hookpad, MasterWriter, and Guitar Pro can also support self-taught songwriters in honing their craft and enhancing their creative process. These programs offer advanced features like intelligent chord suggestions, built-in music theory, and customizable virtual instruments, which can assist songwriters in developing their ideas and refining their work.
The Bottom Line
To recap, here are the best songwriting software to try this year:
- Hookpad — best of the best
- MasterWriter — best for professional songwriters
- BandLab — best for beginners
- Hum On — best for iOS
- Chordbot — best for Android
- Noteflight — best for teachers
- Finale by Makemusic — best for Mac
