If you are looking for a fully functional and professional-level DAW, both FL Studio and Logic Pro X are good options to explore. They are more than capable of allowing you to record and produce music of all kinds.
FL Studio focuses more on electronic music and is a favorite with people who work in related genres. Logic Pro X is a better all-around option that covers all angles of audio production and is designed for use with Mac computers.
My name is Donovan, and I’ve been making music for much of my life. I love to write, record, and produce music as often as possible, and I have experience working with Logic Pro X and FL Studio.
This post will compare and contrast FL Studio versus Logic Pro X in a few important head-to-head characteristics. My goal is to help you understand each DAW better so you can use whichever best meets your needs as a musician or producer.
Let’s dive in.
Contents
Quick Comparison
FL Studio | Logic Pro X | |
Ease of Use | Pretty easy to use, especially with experience in other DAWs | User-friendly interface and very intuitive for Mac users |
Type of Audio Production | Geared towards electronic music | All types of music and audio production |
Features/Functions | Software instruments and effects ideal for electronic music recording | Expansive features and functions including plugins, effects, and software instruments |
Workflow | Good workflow potential with different views, quick commands, and windows | Excellent workflow considerations. Many options might overwhelm beginners |
Limitations | Works with different platforms but slightly limited in scope and features | Only available on macOS |
Pricing | $99/$199/$299/$399 – different versions available | $199.99 |
Detailed Comparison
Here is a side-by-side look at FL Studio versus Logic Pro X to give you an idea of how the two DAWs hold up compared to one another.
1. Ease of Use
If you have some experience using DAWs or just a general sense of navigating new software and apps, both FL Studio and Logic Pro X are pretty easy to use. You don’t need high-level skills or experience to get started with either option.
For the complete beginner, FL Studio might be a bit easier to use overall. It has a relatively simple user interface that navigates you through all the basic steps of producing and recording music when you open the app.
FL Studio has become so popular because it’s a simple option for new and experienced producers alike to dive into electronic music production, and you don’t need many skills or know-how to get started.
FL Studio has a vector-based interface that makes it simple to comprehend and get rolling, no matter where you are in your production journey. That’s a benefit for newbies but also why it’s a favorite option for more experienced producers.
Logic Pro X also has a user-friendly interface, but it’s more complex overall than FL Studio. You can pick up the basics pretty quickly, and Logic’s Quick Help feature will give you tips for navigating many tools and functions within the app.
But once you go a little deeper, Logic can get complex in a hurray, making higher-end operations more difficult to navigate. So while both apps have easy entry-level interfaces, Logic ends up being more complicated in the long run.
Winner: FL Studio
2. Types of Audio Production
Before making any purchasing decision, you want to be sure that you choose the DAW that best suits the kind of music you want to make. This is especially important if you want to make music on a professional level.
FL Studio is mainly geared toward electronic music production. There are obviously various genres within this category, but much of what you can do with the app is based on creating music within the tools built right into it.
That doesn’t mean you can’t make other types of music with FL Studio, but it does limit what is possible to an extent. You don’t have as many tools at your disposal, which can ultimately limit your creativity if you don’t want to make electronic music.
Logic Pro X can help you make just about any type of music, and its audio production capabilities are extensive. It’s a complete music studio app that gives you the tools and capabilities to go wherever you want to creatively.
If you love to make electronic music and don’t plan on exploring many other genres, then FL Studio might be the option to choose because it caters to this. If you want more possible choices and want to record live instruments, Logic Pro X can be better.
Winner: Logic Pro X
3. Features/Functions
The features and functions of a DAW are the meat and potatoes of the app. Both FL Studio and Logic Pro X have many features, but I think Logic makes for a better value because it’s more expansive from a complete audio production standpoint.
That’s not to say FL Studio doesn’t have plenty of features and functions because it does. Its effects are very versatile and can be used in various situations, especially when you want to make electronic music.
FL Studio has plugins you can use to add depth and texture to your tracks, and these are easy to install on tracks and adjust. It just doesn’t have as many of these overall as Logic Pro X does, so if you want more plugin options, Logic is the best choice.
FL Studio still has all the basic features you would expect from a really good DAW. You get access to EQ, Compression, and other production tools that allow you to make adjustments however you see fit.
But Logic Pro X has many more functions and features to take advantage of. This makes it more of a challenge to unlock the app’s true potential. But once you do, there are near endless possibilities for production.
Logic Pro X also has many more software instruments than FL Studio. If you are making music from scratch and don’t plan on recording live instruments, this gives you much more to work with and is an obvious benefit.
Winner: Logic Pro X
4. Workflow
Workflow considerations are one of my primary deciding factors with any app or software I use for creative purchases. I like to have my workflow really dialed in so I can be as efficient as possible and not be held back when I’m in the flow.
With that in mind, FL Studio and Logic Pro X are both pretty good from a workflow perspective. I ultimately like Logic Pro X better because you simply have more options when it comes to customized workflow options.
But FL Studio allows for a quicker setup, especially if you don’t have much experience. Because FL Studio isn’t quite as expansive with its tools and functions, you can’t customize workflow as in-depth – but you can still set things up to be highly effective.
The Mixer view in FL Studio helps to streamline workflow and gives you hands-on control that can be extremely useful. This visual display makes a lot of sense and allows you to dial things in quickly, which ultimately benefits your workflow.
Logic Pro X gives you more options when it comes to workflow. You have a lot of quick key commands, different window views, and other options that allow you to customize your workflow and keep changing it as you see fit.
Ultimately, I think FL Studio has good workflow considerations for the average or beginner producer who isn’t necessarily working in a professional studio. Logic Pro X is better suited for more complex workflow setups.
Winner: Tie
5. Limitations
There are many things that can hold you back when trying to make the best music possible, and a DAW can be one of them. FL Studio and Logic Pro X are both awesome apps, but each has its limitations.
Logic Pro X is only available on Mac, which is a definite limitation if you don’t use or want to use this type of computer. There are no versions available for Windows, and there isn’t a mobile version of Logic you can use on an iPhone.
FL Studio is available on both Mac and Windows computers, and there is also a mobile version. So this app has fewer limitations related to compatibility. If you want an option that works on most devices, this is a good choice.
But FL Studio still has limitations in its tools and features. It isn’t as complex or in-depth of an app as Logic Pro X. If you just want to make electronic music, you’ll be fine. If you want to explore all types of music, it can hold you back.
These limitations appear when you want to use effects or software instruments during the audio production process. FL Studio gives you access to both of these, but you don’t have as many options as you do with Logic Pro X.
What limits one producer might not limit another, so it can be difficult to make an accurate assessment until you dive in hands-on with either app. But as a Mac user and non-exclusively electronic music producer, I think Logic Pro X has fewer limitations.
Winner: Logic Pro X
6. Pricing
Last but not least on the comparison list is pricing. A DAW is a significant expense for any working musician or producer, but that doesn’t mean we all have an unlimited budget to spend on apps. It’s good to weigh your options so you have the cash to spend on other gear.
Logic Pro X comes in at $199.99. This is pretty affordable in the big picture, and it’s one of the cheaper pro-level DAWs out there. This price gets you lifetime updates to the app, and you can use it on multiple computers.
FL Studio has several versions that each come with a different price. The basic version is only $99, and it’s pretty limited in scope but good for beginners. There are also options at $199, $299, and $399.
If you want to most extensive option with all the plugins and capabilities, then the $399 is the way to go. But that’s still right around double what you’d pay to get the full version of Logic Pro X.
Winner: Logic Pro X
Final Verdict
Logic Pro X is a more complete DAW, in my opinion, than FL Studio. Logic has more functions and features and comes at a lower price, making it a good value for many types of musicians and producers.
But FL Studio can be a good option if you like to make electronic music, and it has a user-friendly interface that is easy to learn and perfect.
Have you used both FL Studio and Logic Pro X? Which did you like better and why? Let me know in the comments below.