Ableton Live for Free: How the Trial and Live Lite Work

Can you use Ableton Live for free? Yes, in two official ways. Ableton offers a free 30-day trial that gives you everything in Live Suite. And there's Live Lite, a smaller version that comes free with certain hardware and apps and never expires. This guide covers exactly what each option includes, what happens after those 30 days and how to work smart so you don't lose anything.

Option 1: the free Ableton Live trial

According to Ableton's trial page, you can try Live Suite free for 30 days. Suite is the most complete edition, so you get every instrument and effect, plus Max for Live. No credit card needed.

How to install the trial

1. Download the trial at ableton.com and choose Windows or macOS.
2. Install Live. On a Mac, drag Live into your Applications folder. On Windows, unzip the file and run the installer.
3. Open Live and click Start your free trial. Log in with your Ableton account or create one for free. The trial then activates automatically.

Two things to know. You need an internet connection to activate the trial, since Ableton's help page says it can't be authorized offline. And you can only use the trial once. So only start it when you actually have time to dig in.

System requirements in short

• Mac: macOS 11 Big Sur or newer, an Intel Core i5 or Apple Silicon and 8 GB of RAM.
• Windows: Windows 10 (22H2) or Windows 11, a 5th-gen Intel Core i5 or an AMD Ryzen with AVX2, and 8 GB of RAM.

Plan for a few gigabytes of disk space for the basic install. Extra sounds from the library take up a lot more. Always check the current requirements on the trial page.

What happens after 30 days?

Once the trial ends, you can still open the Live Sets you made, but you can no longer save or export them. So your work isn't gone, but you can't get a new WAV or MP3 out of it either. To keep going, you buy a license for Intro, Standard or Suite. According to Ableton, students and teachers get a discount on a new license.

Option 2: Ableton Live Lite

Live Lite is a lighter version of Live. You can't buy it on its own: it comes with certain hardware and apps, like some MIDI keyboards, controllers and audio interfaces. You get a serial number in the box or after registering your product with the manufacturer. You register that serial on ableton.com and then download Lite.

The best part: according to Ableton's Live Lite page, your license never expires. Got a serial for an older Lite version? You get a free upgrade to Live 12 Lite.

What can Lite do, and what can't it?

• You can make beats, record, save and export. Lite also includes newer features like comping and Keys and Scales.
• Plugins work. According to the Live Lite FAQ, Lite supports VST plugins on Windows and Mac and Audio Unit plugins on Mac.
• You get fewer tracks, scenes and instruments than in the paid editions. The exact limits are in Ableton's comparison chart. For a simple beat with drums, a melody, an 808 and a vocal, it often gets you pretty far.

Live Lite through Ableton Note

Got an iPhone? Ableton Note is a paid app for sketching ideas. According to Ableton, Note users get a free Live Lite license. You request it in the app's settings with Get Live Lite.

Trial, Lite or Intro: which one?

• You just want to try Ableton: go with the trial. You'll see everything Live can do.
• You have a keyboard or interface with a Lite serial: register it. It's free and it doesn't expire.
• You're hitting the limits of Lite: look at Intro. According to Ableton's comparison chart, Intro has 16 audio and MIDI tracks, 16 scenes, 2 send and return tracks and 8 instruments. Standard and Suite have unlimited tracks and scenes.

Still not sure Ableton is right for you? Read which DAW to pick as a beginner, or see how FL Studio for free and Logic Pro for free work.

How to get the most out of your 30 days

1. Prep before you start the trial. Pick your samples and check the tempo and key of your samples or a reference track with the free Beat Lab.
2. Start with chords. With the free chord progression generator you pick a mood and key and download a MIDI file with chords and a bass line. How to get it into Live: how to import a MIDI file.
3. Finish something every week. Four simple beats beat one half-finished project. For a step-by-step, see how to make a trap beat in Ableton Live.
4. Export everything before day 30. Export your beats as WAV and, if you want to keep working on them later, as separate tracks too. That gives you audio you can use in any other program. Here's how: how to export a beat in Ableton Live.
5. Record your voice too. The trial has everything you need to rap or sing. Check how to record vocals in Ableton Live and rap vocal chain in Ableton Live.

Not ready for the trial yet?

Ableton also has Learning Music, an interactive site where you experiment with beats, melody, harmony, bass lines and song structure in your browser. You can download what you make there as a Live Set and open it in Live. A nice way to learn the basics before your 30 days start ticking.

Watch out for "Ableton free download" sites

Search for Ableton free and you'll also find sites promising a "full version" or a crack. Skip them. You'd be running unlicensed software and you don't know exactly what you're installing. The real trial and Live Lite come straight from Ableton.

FAQ

Is Ableton Live free?

Not completely. You can try Live Suite free for 30 days. Live Lite is free with certain hardware and apps and never expires. The full editions, Intro, Standard and Suite, are paid.

How long is the free Ableton trial?

30 days. You can use the trial once.

Can I still open my projects after the trial?

Yes, you can still open your Live Sets, but you can't save or export them anymore. So export your beats before the trial runs out.

Can you buy Ableton Live Lite on its own?

No. Live Lite only comes with certain hardware and apps. Without one of those purchases, you won't get a serial number.

Do plugins work in Ableton Live Lite?

Yes. Lite supports VST plugins on Windows and Mac, and Audio Unit plugins on Mac.

Sources: Ableton trial page, Live Lite page, Ableton Help Center and Ableton's edition comparison chart.