Csound
7.7#3 in sound design softwareFree planFree planAndroidiOSWebAPI
VisitCsound vs Max
What both publish
| Fact | Csound | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1985 | 1997 |
| Integrations | The maker links Csound frontends Cabbage, CsoundQt, and Blue, and provides wrappers or interfaces for JavaScript, Python, Unity, Android, and iOS. | Max's Package Manager offers over 50 add-ons, including support for Novation, Monome, and ROLI hardware controllers. |
| Platforms | The maker says Csound works on desktop, mobile, embedded, server, and web platforms. | The download page lists macOS 11.0 or later on Intel and Apple Silicon, and Windows 10 version 22H2 or Windows 11 version 22H2 or later. |
| Support | The maker lists user and developer mailing lists, a forum, Discord, Slack, and Stack Overflow as places to get help. | Cycling '74's support team is listed as online Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm Eastern Time. |
Csound plans
- CsoundFree
Max plans
- Max Subscription$12.99 a month
- Max Subscription$120 a year
- Max 9 Permanent License$399, paid once
Pick Csound if…
Csound suits musicians and developers who want a programming-based system for sound and music, including app or game audio work. Browser use and linked language interfaces may suit people exploring it without a conventional standalone workflow.
Pick Max if…
Max suits musicians and artists building audio or audiovisual work, as well as people prototyping software or hardware interactions. It also suits users who want to extend a patching environment with code.