Verdict
BandLab gives a full multitrack studio away free, and TechRadar called it the most intuitive mobile music software its reviewer had used. The AI parts are add-ons to real music-making, with SongStarter ideas, a four-stem splitter and preset mastering free, and noise removal and AutoMix behind the £14.99 a month Pro plan. Free users complain in user reviews about heavy ads and features moving behind the paywall in 2026.
Best for
Teenagers and hobbyists recording songs or beats on a phone
Skip if
Hating ads, or wanting AI to write whole songs without playing anything
Key facts
- Category
- Music & audio
- Made by
- BandLab Technologies (BandLab Singapore Pte Ltd, part of Caldecott Music Group)
- Based in
- Singapore
- Launched
- 2015
- Works on
- iPhone, Android, Web
- In the UK
- Yes
- Price from
- £14.99 a month
- Free plan
- free studio with ads: up to 16 tracks and 15-minute projects, SongStarter, 4-stem Splitter, 4 mastering presets, 6 AutoPitch effects, cloud storage
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billed |
|---|---|---|
| BandLab Membership Pro | £14.99 | month |
| BandLab Membership Pro | £149.99 | year |
What it does
- records vocals and makes beats in a free mobile and web studio
- splits songs into vocals, drums, bass and other stems
- auto-tunes vocals with AutoPitch
- generates royalty-free song ideas with SongStarter
- includes 385+ virtual instruments, a drum machine, sampler and looper
- offers guided vocal exercises with VoiceTrainer
Ratings
What people say
Musicians in user reviews like its AI helpers (stem splitting, audio-to-MIDI) as tools rather than song generators, but 2026 threads are dominated by anger at pop-up ads and free features going behind the paywall. Store stars (4.64 iOS, 4.02 Play from 835,109) sit far above Trustpilot's 1.4 from 138 reviews about billing, crashes and lost work.
“I don't know why it's taken me so long to realize that Bandlab actually has some incredibly useful AI tools (if you are a traditional musician).”
Individual user review, 6 October 2026 · source
“I really enjoy the Audio to Midi. While I work or I'm out and about if a melody hits me ( as it usually does ) I just record me singing it in my phone.”
Individual user review, 6 October 2026 · source
“7$ a month to eq a vocal track is ridiculous.”
Individual user review, 5 September 2026 · source
“for a free recording platform, bandlab is not that bad. even if you have to pay for premium for some things premium is still a fraction of the cost of daws like fl”
Individual user review, 5 September 2026 · source
“bro like you cant even open the app without getting pop up ads every time you open it spam pop ups cant even avoid it”
Individual user review, 29 June 2026 · source
Press reviews
- TechRadar 2025-06-22
'The most intuitive mobile music software I've ever used'; simpler than desktop DAWs, with optional AI tools.
- TechRadar 2026-06-28
A different reviewer's favourite GarageBand alternative; feature-rich and easy, 'albeit ad-heavy', with AutoMix the paid feature worth having.
- Scored Apps 2026-10-10
Capable free studio marked down for ads, a 16-track cap and a monthly plan that gates the best AI tools (date is the check date; page undated).
Privacy
- Trains on your data
- does not mention AI or model training; it lists using data 'to test, improve and monitor the Services'. BandLab separately runs an opt-in scheme letting rightsholders mark songs 'Open to AI Licensing' for AI companies
- Opt-out
- no AI-training opt-out described; cookie and ad preferences via the cookie banner
- Retention
- no fixed periods; data removed 'as soon as it is reasonable to assume that its retention is no longer necessary'
- Age limit
- 13+ (privacy policy; UK App Store 13+); user posts show parents of younger children using it
Official videos
- Introducing BandLab Pro and Max: What you actually get when you upgrade 2026-09-16
- 50+ Music Production Tools to Finish Tracks Faster in 2026 (From 2025’s Biggest Updates) 2026-01-16
FAQ
Is BandLab really free?
Yes, the studio is free with ads, up to 16 tracks per project and a four-stem splitter. Pro costs £14.99 a month in the UK App Store and removes ads and unlocks tools like AutoMix and Voice Cleaner.
Does BandLab use AI to make songs?
Only partly. SongStarter generates short royalty-free ideas, and the other AI tools split, tune, mix or master music the user records. It does not write finished songs with vocals like Suno.
Is BandLab safe for kids?
Its privacy policy sets a minimum age of 13 and it has a social feed where users share and comment. Parents in user reviews report children using it and running into subscription prompts.
BandLab vs GarageBand?
GarageBand is Apple-only, ad-free and allows 32 tracks on iPhone. BandLab works on Android and the web too and adds AI tools, but shows ads and caps free projects at 16 tracks.
Scores are based on published evidence, not lab tests. How we score.
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