A free GarageBand alternative for Windows

GarageBand is great, but it only runs on Apple devices. Fretnook gives Windows guitarists a free recording studio that opens in a browser tab: a 24-track recorder, a mixer with mastering, drums, a looper, vocal tuning, and a music video maker, with no install and no uploads.

● Open the studio Install on your PC

Free. The tuner and ear trainer open instantly; a quick email sign-up unlocks the studio.

Compared

Fretnook, GarageBand, BandLab and Soundtrap side by side

	Fretnook	GarageBand	BandLab	Soundtrap
Runs on a Windows PC	Yes, in the browser	No (Mac, iPhone and iPad only)	Yes	Yes, in the browser
Install needed	No (optional app install)	Yes, App Store	No for the web studio; apps also available	No
Price	Free, no paid tier	Free	Free, with an optional paid membership	Free plan with limited features; paid plans for more
Account needed	Tuner and ear trainer: none. Studio: free email sign-up	Uses your Apple device	Yes	Yes
Where projects are kept	On your own device; nothing uploaded	On your device or iCloud	Online, in your account	Online, in your account
Built for guitar practice	Tuner, live scale finder, song slow-downer, alternate tunings	General music making	General music making and sharing	General music making, education and podcasts
Music video export	Built in: film, auto-sync, cut, export MP4	Not their focus; check each product for current video options

Compared September 2026 from each product’s public information. Plans and features change, so check GarageBand, BandLab and Soundtrap’s own sites for the latest. GarageBand is a trademark of Apple Inc. BandLab and Soundtrap are trademarks of their respective owners. Fretnook is not affiliated with any of them.

On Windows

What you can do in Fretnook on a PC

Record up to 24 tracks

Overdub, punch in and out, edit clips, and undo anything.

Mix and master

EQ, compression, reverb, delay, amp models, a master limiter and loudness targets, then WAV or stem export.

Make a music video

Film yourself playing, auto-sync to the audio, cut between takes and export MP4.

Program drums

A 16-step drum machine that bounces straight onto a track.

Loop live

Four loop pedals with overdub, playable from a footswitch.

Learn songs

Slow a song down without changing pitch, loop the hard part, and see the chords.

Honest advice

When another tool is the better pick

You are on a Mac or iPad and want a huge instrument library: GarageBand is free there and comes with a large collection of software instruments and loops.You want to collaborate online and share to a community: BandLab is built around cloud projects, collaboration and a social feed.You are teaching a class: Soundtrap has education plans designed for classrooms.You play guitar, use Windows, and want everything on your own machine: that is what Fretnook is for. It is also the one to pick if you want to film your playing and export a music video in the same app.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is there a GarageBand for Windows?

No. Apple makes GarageBand only for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Websites offering a “GarageBand for PC” download are not from Apple, so avoid them.

Is Fretnook really free?

Yes. The tuner and ear trainer are open to everyone. The recording studio, mixer, drums, looper and video maker unlock with a free email sign-up. There is no paid tier.

Do I need to install anything?

No. Fretnook runs in Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari. You can install it as an app from the browser if you want it to open offline, but that is optional.

Can I open GarageBand projects in Fretnook?

Not directly. Export each track from GarageBand as an audio file, then use Import Audio in Fretnook’s recorder to bring the stems in.

Can I use my USB audio interface on Windows?

Yes. Anything Windows lists as an audio input works, including USB interfaces and amp-modeling pedals. See USB interfaces and MIDI footswitches.

Try it on your PC now.

Nothing to download. Open the studio, press Listen, and record your first take.

● Open the studio