Is Ableton the best!?
Does Logic Pro sound better than FL Studio?
Are any of them free?
There are so many questions to consider when choosing a DAW and frankly, none of them matter. why...
Definition: DAW is a Digital Audio Workstation. A digital audio workstation is a program interface that caters to music creation and sound manipulation. It allows users to export as MP3, WAV and other audio formats.
When I first started producing I bought Logic Pro for $250. At the time, Logic Pro was only available in the Apple Store in a physical software box and costed $500. My best friend worked at the store and got me 50% off. Shout out Mike. That was my whole reasoning behind buying Logic Pro.
No producer wants to get caught going down the wrong road. Since there are so many DAWs it feels like an incredibly important decision to choose the "perfect one". This is also due to the fact that new producers may be unsure and aren't aware of the capabilities of each program.
I own Ableton 10, FL Studio 20, Logic Pro X and have used Pro Tools many times. Let me tell you, they're all the same. Choose the one that either looks the prettiest to you or that your friends use so that it's easier to collaborate and learn from them. What I mean by this is when you watch them use their software you will immediately know how to perform the same function in your software.
Music producers love to fluff their feathers and puff their chests in an effort to show they're most knowledgeable and have the best ear. If you listen to any major producer they will tell you the DAW you choose doesn't matter. What matters is how you use the tools, not which tools you're using. Mike Dean and Murda Beatz can make a dope song in any DAW. The DAW is just a tool.
Hit songs have been made in FL, Ableton, Logic, Pro Tools, Studio One etc. What's important is that when you ultimately choose a DAW you commit to that program and learn everything there is to know about it.
Oh yea, and they all sound the same...
Anybody who says differently is puffing their chest. Major DAWs have been around for more than 10 years. These companies have listened to users frustrations. They want your business! Companies like Apple and Avid have spent years iterating their product and copying the improvements of their competitors. They used to cater to different facets of the music making process. For example, Pro Tools was great for recording vocals. No more.
Major DAWs have been iterated so many times throughout the years that they now literally all do the same thing. And all sound the same. The only difference is what they call certain functions within their program. Because of that, there is a slight learning curve when learning a new DAW.
With that being said, choose a DAW that has been around for a little while. This will ensure you are always able to get professional product support and will be able to find instructional YouTube videos on how to use the DAW when you're ready to learn.
Ryan