Voice-over is the art of inserting audio notes or files on top of the video that is already being played. It is used for many different purposes and in many different areas of work as well.
If you have seen any visual content or even audio content lately, you must have noticed voice-overs done.
Since podcasting is also on the rise, thanks to the new age of streaming, many people are starting to get really interested in the world of voice-overs.
So, if you are thinking of getting a new voice-over software, well then you have come to the right article because here I will discuss eight of the best voice-over software that you can try out right now.
Also read: The best voice modulator
Contents
How to choose the right and best voice-over software?
There are plenty of different voice-over software that are available to use these days. All of the software are targeted at different groups of people based on the level of advancement they are at.
Almost all the software that are available allows users to record their audio and have the basic audio editing techniques enabled in them.
If you choose some of the higher-end software that are available, you get more range of features and customization options.
So, you need to decide for what purpose you are looking for this software and what is your budget for purchasing one of these software.
How often do you need Voice-over software?
This depends on a lot of different factors, such as the type of content that you are making, the frequency with which you are uploading your content, etc.
If you are someone who is recording almost on a daily basis for different projects, such as a podcast or something else along the line, then you genuinely need voice-over software on a daily basis.
However, if you are someone who is just using voice-over software for the fun of it and not really serious about it for a full-fledged career, then you don’t need highly advanced voice-over software.
It all depends on your use case and what it is that you are trying to achieve from the overall use of the software or the product.
When do You Need voice-over software?
You need voice-over software for many different reasons and purposes. As I mentioned above, voice-overs are used a lot in various aspects, such as filmmaking, podcasting, etc.
If you are making a movie where the character is telling the audience about a particular detail, such as when and where the film is set in or what the character is doing, many directors end up using voiceovers.
The same is the case with when you are making a podcast. A lot of podcaster use voiceovers to either promote some product or talk to the people about the sponsorship of the episode.
Those times podcasters end up using Voiceovers for their promotion related work or for some other purposes.
Voiceovers have been in use for quite some time now, and as the time progresses, you find more and more uses for them. It is a great way to share a particular story or to highlight something.
3 Best voice-over software for Windows
Here are some of the best voice-over software that you can download for your Windows devices.
1. Audacity
Audacity is one of the best voiceover software that you can use. It is an open-source software which means that the overall software is free to use and access.
Audacity is a genuinely powerful software as a whole, and you are able to do a lot of different editing techniques while you use this software.
Price – Audacity is free of cost!
Best for – Audacity is best used and designed for being able to play around with different audio editing techniques while not having to pay anything to use the software.
Platforms – Audacity is available on both Windows and macOS devices.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Powerful set of features ✅Easy to use ✅Good performance | ❌Old UI ❌Sometimes the software faces a lot of bugs |
Key features of Audacity
- Open-source software
- Fairly easy to use
- Loads of different features
- Free of cost
Who is the right user for Audacity?
Audacity is a good pick for people who are just starting in the world of audio editing and voiceovers because Audacity is a good software that can be used and understood by beginners.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
Audacity is a fairly good option for editing your voiceovers; you have a good list of features and effects to choose from. However, you should not expect some high-end level of features on this software.
You have to limit your expectations while you are using this software; this is why I said that it is a good software for beginners because it is missing some of the more popular lists of features.
Still, it is a good software and one that you can easily use, and for most people, it should be sufficient. I will rate Audacity 3.5/5 stars.
2. Adobe Audition
Adobe Audition is part of the long list of Adobe products that you can find in its ‘Creative Cloud’ pack, or you can purchase it as a standalone software as well.
Adobe Audition is a professional-level voice editing software that you can use for making great voiceovers. Over here, you have a great list of features attached to the software and loads more customisation options.
Price – Adobe Audition costs $20.99/month, although you can get it for a lower price if you get the entire Adobe Creative Cloud pack.
Best for – Adobe Audition is best used for having a great list of features and the ability to sync with other Adobe products as well.
Platforms – Adobe Audition is available on both Windows and macOS devices.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Powerful software Integration with other ✅Adobe softwares ✅Great list of features | ❌Complicated UI ❌Expensive price plans |
Key features of Adobe Audition
- Great list of tools
- Multi-track editing
- Powerful audio processing
- Good performance
Who is the right user for Adobe Audition?
Adobe Audition is best suited for people who are fairly intermediates or professionals in the world of audio editing. This is not a software any beginner could easily understand and use.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
I have used Adobe Audition previously for some of my projects, and while it does the work that you are trying to achieve from it on the software, it takes quite some time to getting used to it.
Just like any Adobe product, you have access to a ton of different types of tools to choose from, and all of them work quite well, but they are also a bit difficult to use and understand.
I will be rating Adobe Audition 4/5 stars.
3. Windows Voice Recorder
Windows voice recorder is software that you can find only on Windows devices, and it allows users to record their audio for various types of voice-overs.
It is a fairly basic and straightforward software, and it doesn’t have most of the features that you might expect on some higher-end voice-over softwares.
Price – Windows voice recorder is an in-built application; hence it is free of cost.
Best for – It is best used to record audio for your voice-over projects.
Platforms – As mentioned above, Windows voice recorder is available only on Windows devices.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Simple to use ✅Great compatibility | ❌Lacks major features ❌Not available for macOS devices |
Key features of Windows voice recorder
- Simple software
- Easy to use
- Easy file sharing
- Light app
Who is the right user for Windows voice recorder?
Windows voice recorder is designed for people who are fairly new to the game of voice-overs and everything else related to it. You can expect a fairly decent level of customisation on this software.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
Windows voice recorder is an in-built voice-over software that you can use for recording your audio and sharing that file with other video editing softwares to use it on other projects.
It lacks some of the major editing tools that you might come to expect on softwares like Adobe Audition or even Audacity, for that matter, but it is not designed for audio editing.
The overall usage of this app is plainly for recording the audio files and sharing them with different editing software; if that is something that you are looking for, then you are in luck.
I will rate Windows voice recorder 3/5 stars.
3 Best voice-over software for macOS
Here are some of the best voice-over softwares that you can use for your macOS devices.
1. GarageBand
GarageBand is an audio editing software that comes mostly pre-installed in the newer generation of Apple products. It has loads of different options to choose from in terms of editing your audio files.
The overall software is also built fairly well and can record multiple different audio tracks at once so that you can customise it as you like while you are editing it.
Price – GarageBand is a free application for use!
Best for – GarageBand is designed for multiple different Apple products and offers a great range of editing for your voice-over projects.
Platforms – It is available only for Apple products such as macOS and IOS.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Powerful editing software ✅Great list of tools ✅Great compatibility | ❌Crowded UI ❌Not available for Windows devices |
Key features of GarageBand
- Multi-task editing
- Number of different editing tools
- Designed specifically for Apple products
Who is the right user for GarageBand?
If you are an Apple user, then this product is perfect for you. It has various types of setting available that will allow you to create different types of files for your voice-over projects.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
GarageBand is a dedicated Apple product, and it comes pre-installed in almost all the latest Apple products. It is a fairly powerful software as well, as it allows users to create different types of audio files.
The editing tools available on this software are also something that you can fully utilise for creating great voice-over projects of yours.
The overall software is also fairly powerful, and if you are someone who is an intermediate or a beginner, then you should definitely use this software.
I will rate GarageBand 3.5/5 stars.
2. Logic Pro
Logic Pro is the next version of Garageband. It is a very powerful audio editing software that you can very easily use for various different recording purposes.
The overall software is also designed for Apple products as it is also developed by Apple itself. However, it is not free like GarageBand.
Price – Logic Pro does offer a free trial, but to access all of its features, you need to pay $199 Dollars for a lifetime access of it.
Best for – Logic Pro is best designed and used for its professional-level tools and a very powerful audio editing software.
Platforms – Logic Pro is available only on macOS devices.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Very powerful software ✅Tons of different effects ✅Various plug-ins | ❌Very expensive ❌UI is not easy to understand and use |
Key features of Logic Pro
- High fidelity recordings
- Various different tools
- Numerous plugins
- Powerful software
Who is the right user for Logic Pro?
Logic Pro is definitely suited for people who are professionals in this field and have experience with editing audio files and handling various different audio files.
It is not a software that a beginner or an intermediate would be comfortable using.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
Logic Pro is a software that is used by professionals for editing their audio files and it is a fairly powerful software as a whole. It is used by a lot of podcasters and voice-over artists for professional work.
If you are someone who is genuinely serious about your voice-over projects and you have the money to spend on this software, then you can give this software a try.
However, it is not an easy project to learn and understand. I will rate Logic Pro 4/5 stars.
3. Pro Tools
Pro Tools is also a professional-level audio editing that you can try out. Many people in the industry do use it for recording their audio and editing it with different layers of effects.
It is not a new software and has been around for quite some time now, because of which the UI of the software may seem a little old compared to today’s standards.
Price – Pro tools offers a free trial. However, if you want to access its full set of features, then you will have to pay $29.99/month.
Best for – Pro Tools is also best designed to be used by professionals for audio recording and audio editing.
Platforms – Pro Tools is available on both macOS and Windows devices.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Great list of features ✅Easy to plug in external mics | ❌Poor UI ❌Steep learning curve |
Key features of Pro Tools
- Great list of features
- Used by professionals
- Loads of different plugins available
- Easy setup of external mics
Who is the right user for Pro Tools?
Pro Tools is also a software that is designed specifically for professionals as this allows for editing of various different types of audio files and is a fairly powerful software as a whole.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
Pro Tools is a great software that has been used by people who have been working in the industry for quite some time now. The overall software is quite powerful but quite expensive as well.
Just like the other softwares that I have mentioned above, you need to be sure about using this software, and I would advise you to first try out its free trial before deciding to purchase the software.
If you are okay with using a little old UI, then you can use this software for your voice-over projects. I will rate Pro Tools 3.5/5 stars.
3 Best voice-over apps for iPhone and Android
There are some voice-over apps that you can try out for your smartphones as well; here are some of them.
1. Dolby On
Dolby On is a voice-over recording software from the good folks at Dolby Laboratories. The app lets users record their audio on the app, and edit it as per their liking with different tools that are available in the app itself.
Price – The app is free to download!
Best for – Dolby On is best designed for using some great list of audio-enhancing tools that are available on the app to use.
Platforms – Dolby On is available on both Android and IOS devices.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Light app ✅Lots of different features ✅Easy to use | ❌Sometimes the app experiences bugs related issues |
Key features of Dolby On
- Remove background noise
- Livestream from the app
- Directly post videos from the app
- Lots of different features
Who is the right user for Dolby On?
Dolby On is a great app for people who are new to the world of voice-over. It has some tools that can be quite beneficiary for people who have new voice-over projects.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
Dolby On is a fairly decent product, in terms of the quality that you are getting and for the free price plan.
Since the app is also developed by Dolby, one of the leading sound designing companies working right now, you can expect there to be some really good options for your audio-related effects.
The overall software is pretty light, and you can easily choose different types of settings on it. I will rate Dolby On 3/5 stars.
2. In-built microphone app
Nowadays, most smartphones have pretty good microphones enabled and pretty great in-built audio recording apps as well. You can very use the apps that are already installed to record your desired type of audio files.
It wouldn’t be as good as using a professional mic, but if you are looking for some voice-over apps on your phone, then you have to manage your ex[ectations to a certain degree.
Price – Since most of these apps are in-built, you don’t need to pay for anything to use them.
Best for – These in-built voice recording apps are best designed to fit your phone, so they should run pretty smoothly and comfortably on your device.
Platforms – These apps are available on both Android and IOS devices.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Great compatibility ✅Enough recording tools | ❌Not as good as professional audio files. |
Key features of In-built microphone apps
- Designed specifically for your phones
- Easy to use
- Moderate list of features
- Easy sharing
Who is the right user for In-built microphone apps?
In-built apps can be used by voice-over artists who are fairly new to this business and don’t have enough resources available to choose any type of audio-related equipment.
It is a fairly good start, as you get pretty good audio quality from these apps as well.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
In-built microphone apps are designed specifically for your phones, and the overall usage of it is pretty light.
You can easily use the software to record your voice-overs, and the end result is pretty good because of how great smartphones’ microphones have gotten lately.
You can very comfortably start your voice-over channel or projects from these apps and share these audio files pretty easily to any video editing software that you are using for your voice-over work.
You have to maintain your expectations with the end quality of the product, but then again, if you are using a phone in the first place to record your audio files, then you probably already know about that.
As I said above, it is a good start for your voice-over career, and you can jump onto some of the other professional softwares as you progress further.
I will rate In-built microphone apps 3/5 stars.
FAQs
Let’s discuss some of the frequently asked questions regarding this matter.
Which software is the best for Voice-over?
It really depends on your use case, if I am being frank. If you are just using voiceover software for the sake of it, then you are better off using a simpler and an inexpensive software such as Audacity.
It has a great list of tools and most people should be satisfied with it.
However, if you are serious about this field, then you can choose some of the more professional options such as Logic Pro, Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, etc.
Which is the best free voice-over software?
In my opinion, the best free voiceover software that is available is Audacity. Audacity is a fairly powerful software that lets you record your audio and edit it on the same app itself.
It is an open-sourced software which means that it is free to use, and users can easily choose the type of settings that they want to have.
You have loads of different settings available on this software, and you are also able to export the audio files into different audio types.
It is a pretty great and powerful software for audio editing, and you can seriously use it for your voiceover projects.
Which software do VoiceOver artists use?
Voiceover artists, as I mentioned above, who are professional and are earning fairly good money out of this occupation usually end up going for some higher-end software.
Softwares such as Logic Pro, Pro Tools, and Adobe Audition all have a great range of variety and extensive sound effects library to choose from.
The overall software usage is not designed for beginners or intermediates as the UI can be a little too complicated for them to use, and the software are also not inexpensive as well.
Still, you get a great range of customisation options while you use these services.
Are paid voice-over softwares better than free alternatives?
In simple terms, yes. You get a lot of different ranges of effects and great sets of tools to choose from when you choose a paying voiceover software rather than a free alternative.
However, as I always say in such statements, it all depends on your use case. If you are someone who is just getting started in the world of voiceovers, you don’t need to pay any big bucks.
You have loads of free options to choose from for all your audio-related work, and the overall output is pretty good as well.
How to do a voice-over on a PC?
For doing a voiceover on your PC, the two key components you need are an external microphone and a software that can read the audio files that your external microphone is sharing.
You will need to connect your microphone to your PC and open the software. Once you have done that, you can start recording the voiceover that you have planned for the project.
After you are happy with your recording, you can then use various editing tools that are available on the software to make the overall audio quality of the recording better, and then you export your files.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. An article discussing the different types of voiceover software and apps that you can try out right now.
The reason why I mentioned only two apps for mobile devices is that there aren’t a lot of good options to choose from because voiceover is mostly done on PCs and not on your smartphones.
The list of softwares that I have mentioned above is all pretty good and is based on different use cases.
Do you agree with the softwares that I mentioned? Or do you think I missed some of them? Whatever your thoughts are, do let us know about them in the comments down below!
