The Cheapest Way to buy Ableton Live

How to buy Ableton Live for up to 74% off

Ableton Live is the most popular DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), according to a poll. Since its release in 2001, Berlin-based Ableton has regularly refreshed the DAW, culminating in the 2021 release of Ableton Live 12 on 5 March 2024.

Ableton Live stands out from other DAWs for a few reasons. It is widely used by musicians, producers and DJs because it has unique features to play live clips, is easy to use, and well equipped with advanced audio time and pitch algorithms. All DAWs can handle any audio sample nowadays, but Ableton is generally seen as the easiest to manipulate audio samples, as opposed to just MIDI information.

But if you want to benefit from a wider range of built-in effects, sounds, and instruments, Ableton Live is not cheap, with Ableton Live 12 Suite currently priced at $749.

That's why we researched the cheapest way to buy Ableton Live 12. So if you don't want to download an illegal crack and want to buy Ableton Live instead, this musicmanta guide can help you get the best deal.

TOP TIP to get Ableton from $49: Get Ableton Live 12 Lite by subscribing to LANDR for $99 a year ($50 off normal $149 a year with our musicmanta discount)*, and you can keep the Ableton license even after you cancelled the subscription.

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Step by Step guide buying Ableton Live at the lowest price

We researched all options we could find, and listed them in order. Follow the decision tree step by step, and you will find the best choice for you.

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Step 1 Trial: How to get Ableton Live for free for 90 days

Do you want to know how to get Ableton for free for 90 days?‍

The great news is that the Ableton Live trial version has very few limitations. You can even save your brilliant musical meanderings. If you haven't tried Ableton Live yet, jump straight to our free Ableton Live trial section to find out what all the fuss is about.

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FREE Auto-Tune: Our Ultimate Guide to 8 Free Auto-Tune Plugins

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Step 2 Student: Students, teachers and parents save 60% buying from Ableton - and up to 74% from the cheapest Ableton retailer

Are you a student, teacher, or parent of a student?

‍Then use the Ableton educational offer to save 40% on Ableton Live. We explain the limitations and how to check if you are eligible - not just students, but also teachers, and students' parents.

TOP TIP: Did you know that at some retailers, you can buy Ableton Live Education for a bigger discount, saving up to 58% when you buy Ableton Live?

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Native Instruments Summer of Sound (28 May to 8 July): Save 50% on Komplete 14, individual plugins, and up to 26% off Maschine hardware and Komplete Kontrol keyboards*.

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Step 3 Used: Buy Ableton Live used & officially transfer the license to save 30 to 50%

Are you comfortable buying a license from someone else?‍

Then buy a used license and use the official Ableton process to transfer the Ableton Live license to your account. You could save between 30% and 50%.

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Step 4 Sale: Next Ableton sale is predicted 20% off during Black Friday

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DID YOU KNOW? You can buy Ableton Live Suite for $429 at Thomann Music - 41% lower than $749 full price, and beating the typical 20% off Ableton sale price of $599*.

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When is the next Ableton Live sale?

In 2023, Ableton ran a Black Friday sale offering 20% off for about 2 weeks (from 13 November 2023 to 30 November 2023). That's why we predict the next Ableton sale to be 20% off, from 18 November 2023 to 2 December 2024.

Sign up to our newsletter to not miss any Ableton sale.

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Is this the cheapest way to buy right now?

No. However, Thomann, one of the largest European music retailers*, offers Ableton at significantly lower prices than you can find on the Ableton website, even during any sale.

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Step 5 Cheapest Retailer: Choose the cheapest Ableton retailer to save up to 55%

Are you OK to shop around?‍

Then our extensive research showed that you can get up to a 55% discount on Ableton Live 12, compared to the full price charged directly by Ableton. This only included Ableton authorised retailers. Check out our section to find out how to buy Ableton cheaper.

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Step 6 Cheaper Version: Choose a cheaper Ableton Live version

Don't want to wait, or can't take any of the above steps?‍

Then I recommend you buy a cheaper edition first. You can upgrade later in a sale for a big discount.

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Do you want to find the cheapest ways to buy FabFilter plugins with up to 60% off? Then check out one of musicmanta's most popular articles.

1. Ableton Live Trial - 100% free for 90 days

Before any potential purchase of expensive software, such as Ableton Live 12 Suite, we always recommend you try the DAW first. Ableton offers a generous free 90 day trial. There are few limitations during the trial period. You can even save and open your projects, export them, and try the full Ableton Live Suite version, with all its plugins and sounds. Thank you, Ableton. That is truly musician-friendly.

Furthermore, with any new major update, Ableton resets trials. I was able to obtain another trial by installing Ableton 12, after I used the Ableton 11 trial version. So if you have only ever tried Ableton Live 12 or below, you should be able to start another trial now.

Tell me how to get Ableton for free

Just head to the Ableton download page and install it. You won't need the latest computer or operating system. The system requirements are:

• macOS: macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or higher, supports Apple Silicon (under Rosetta), Intel Core i5 and 8GB RAM minimum
• Windows: Windows 10, Intel Core i5 or AMD multi-core, 8GB RAM

2. Ableton Live Student/Education Version - up to 72% off

You can buy Ableton Live in Education versions directly from Ableton. Or you can save even more by buying from an authorised retailer.

We compared the biggest music retailer's websites based on Google Search, who are authorised Ableton retailers, and offer the Education versions. The list included:

• ‍Sweetwater
• ‍Andertons
• ‍Thomann*
• ‍PMT Online
• ‍BAX Shop*

The cheapest Ableton Live prices I found were Thomann* and BAX Shop*. Both sold Ableton Live Education at the same lower prices than Ableton and all other retailers I checked. However, Ableton was not in stock at BAX Shop, so my clear recommendation from the research is Thomann.

Thomann - save up to 72% (depending on where you live)

(Prices last checked on 7 July 2024)

🇺🇸 USA - save up to 72% when you buy Ableton Live Education at Thomann

• Ableton Live 12 Standard EDU*: $125 (72% off $439)
• Ableton Live 12 Suite EDU*: $269 (64% off $749)

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🇬🇧 UK - save up to 62% when you buy Ableton Live Education at Thomann

• Ableton Live 12 Standard EDU*: £119 (62% off £319)
• Ableton Live 12 Suite EDU*: £255 (52% off £539)

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🇪🇺 Europe - save up to 60% when you buy Ableton Live Education at Thomann

• Ableton Live 12 Standard EDU*: €139 (60% off €349)
• Ableton Live 12 Suite EDU*: €299 (50% off €599)

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Do you fancy owning high class Output plugins for up to 69% off? How about trying Output Arcade for free for 100 days? Then read our brand new guide on cheapest ways to buy Output.

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Ableton - save 60% directly buying from Ableton

If you want to spend more money than necessary, I can't stop you 😁.

In all seriousness, Ableton prices can change, of course. So it's always worth checking before you spend your hard earned money.

• Ableton Live 12 Intro: $39 (60% off $99)
• Ableton Live 12 Standard: $175 (60% off $449)
• Ableton Live 12 Suite: $299 (60% off $749)

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That's a sound saving, but who can buy the Education version?

We pulled out all the details for you, to explain who can buy Ableton Live in the Education version. The small print is boring, but it matters. Did you know that teachers and parents of students can also buy Ableton Live Education?

Eligibility

• Students: Currently enrolled in educational studies with at least 20 hours per week, in any area of study.
• Parents: They are eligible to buy licenses for their child.
• Teachers: Currently employed at a school or university in any field, working at least 20 hours per week.

Limitations

• There are no limitations on features.
• Educational licenses for Ableton Live can be upgraded at regular discounted pricing offered to users - no further educational discounts on upgrades.
• You can only sell an educational license to others who qualify for the educational discount.

Application Process

1. Check your eligibility
2. Buy the Ableton product at a discounted price from the Ableton Shop or other music stores, like our recommendation Thomann* who offer the lowest Ableton price.
3. Upload your student/teacher ID, enrolment or employment letter to your user account.
4. Install and authorise the program.

Further Details

Ableton has a dedicated Educational License FAQ, or you can contact Ableton.

Our Ultimate Guide to Student Discounts lists top brands offering up to 66% discounts, including AVID Protools, Ableton Live, Native Instruments Reaktor, Output, Antares Auto-Tune and many more

3. Buy Ableton Live "used", and transfer the license, to save 30 to 50%

‍Ableton permits license transfers, thereby enabling the selling and buying of "used" or second-hand Ableton Live DAW software or Push hardware. How do you transfer Ableton Live licenses?

1. The owner can transfer a license for Live or Push by logging in to their account and clicking Transfer ownership of your license to another person with an Ableton.com account.
   
2. Fill out the recipient's registered email address with ableton.com, choose the license to transfer.
3. An email confirmation will then be sent to the owner's email address to approve the transfer on the Ableton website.
4. A final email will then be sent to both parties to confirm once the license has been transferred.
   

What are the limitations of Ableton license transfers?

• The request must be submitted via the seller's registered email address, and cannot be completed via our Telephone Support.
• Any license included in the second-hand Push sale should be privately agreed between the two parties. If a Live license is transferred, in addition to the Push serial number, it needs to be explicitly requested when the seller contacts Support.
• The warranty time frame for Push is determined by the original proof of purchase only. To transfer the warranty along with Push, the seller must also give the buyer the original receipt that shows the purchase date.
• Only entire Live licenses can be transferred: all corresponding serial numbers in a license will be acquired by the buyer (including any upgraded serials).
• Educational licenses can only be transferred to eligible students/teachers. The buyer will be asked for verification to activate the license in their account once the transfer is completed.
• NFR (Not for Resale) licenses cannot be transferred.
• In rare cases, sellers purchased their copy of Live with a fraudulent credit card. If Ableton becomes aware of a fraudulently purchased license, they must disable it - even if it has already been resold to an unsuspecting secondhand buyer.
• There are occasions when Support verifies a license as legitimate, and afterwards is discovered to be fraudulently purchased. In these scenarios, Ableton will disable fraudulently purchased licenses, even if they have already been transferred.

‍Where do I find used licenses offered for sale?

First of all, check the seller's credentials before you part with your money, and ensure the buyer pays for the license transfer fee, which is essential for the legitimate transfer via their Ableton account, as described above.

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Forums

You can find offers to sell and transfer Ableton licenses on forums such as KVR, VI Control, or Sound on Sound. Asking prices by sellers typically offers at around 50% discount.

Examples of offers for I found at the time of writing (December 2021) included:

• Ableton Live 10 Suite offered for $200 on KVR.
• Ableton Live 10 Standard offered for $250 on VI Control.

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eBay

eBay obviously is a vast market place to buy pretty much anything. This includes used music software. You should find Ableton Live licenses on auction, including license transfers from the existing owner.

Here are some recent completed sale of Ableton Live licenses we have discovered:

• Ableton Live 11 Suite: sold between $255 and $350.

You need to take some precautions, such as checking out the listing detailed description, the buyer's feedback, confirming with the seller they own the full version (not an update version or not-for-resale version), and that the seller follows the official Ableton license transfer to your account.

Bear in mind, the eBay Money Back Guarantee could provide some redress if the deal turns sour.

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knobcloud

You could also try out knobcloud, a website that facilitates the buying and selling of plugin and DAW licenses. It is a marketplace where sellers can list their licenses for sale, and buyers can purchase them using PayPal. knobcloud does not charge a fee for the service, but the seller is still accountable for the accurate description and smooth transfer of licenses. That means the vigilance I advised above still applies.

I have not used knobcloud myself but it looks like an interesting concept, saving some effort to trawl through forums. Reviews on KVR generally report a positive experience from both buyers and sellers, but prices seem a bit more expensive than less what sellers ask for on forums‍.

I found the following offers for Ableton Live at the time of writing (December 2021):

• Ableton Live 11 Suite: offered between $450 and $500.
• Ableton Live 11 Standard: offered between $250 and $300.
• Ableton Live 11 Intro: offered for $29.
• Ableton Live 11 Lite: offered for $12.

4. Ableton Live Sale: 20% off Ableton during Black Friday 2024 predicted

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DID YOU KNOW? You can buy Ableton Live Suite for $545 at Thomann Music - 27% lower than $749 full price, and beating the typical 20% off Ableton sale price of $599*

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Ableton Black Friday 2023 - 20% off predicted from 14 November 2023 to 10 January 2024

From 2019 to 2021, Ableton has consistently offered 25% off for 5 days, from the day before Black Friday to Cyber Monday.

In 2022, however, Ableton changed tack. The company increased the duration to about 8 weeks ((from 15 November 2022 to 11 January 2023) but disappointingly reduced the discount from 25% to 20%. In 2023, Ableton continued the lower 20% discount, as we predicted.

We predict the next Ableton sale will be 20% off, from 14th November 2023 to 10th January 2024.

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Historic Black Friday Sale: 2019 to 2023

• Ableton Black Friday 2023: 20% discount off Ableton Live, from 14 November 2023 to 10 November 2024.
• Ableton Black Friday 2022: 20% discount off Ableton Live, from 15 November 2022 to 11 January 2023.
• Ableton Black Friday 2021: 25% discount off Ableton Live, from 25th November 2021 to 29th November 2021.
• ‍Ableton Black Friday 2020: 25% discount off Ableton Live, from 26th November 2020 to 30th November 2020.‍
• Ableton Black Friday 2019: 25% discount off Ableton Live, from 28th November 2019 to 1st December 2019.

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Ableton Spring Sale 2024 - 20% off predicted from 20 to 26 March 2024

In recent years, Ableton ran three annual sale events. A Summer sale, a Spring sale, and a Black Friday sale. We think Ableton will continue with that tradition, and are likely to offer 20% off Ableton Live again.

We predict the Spring sale to be a week long, like in 2023 when it ran from 22 March to 28 March 2023. Our best guess is 20 to 26 March 2024.

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Don't want to miss the next Ableton Live sale? Then subscribe to the musicmanta newsletter, and we will send you an email when the next Ableton sale starts.

5. Buy at the cheapest Ableton retailer: save up to 43%

We compared the biggest music retailer's websites, based on Google Search, who are authorised Ableton retailers. The list included

• ‍Sweetwater
• ‍Andertons
• ‍Thomann*
• ‍PMT Online
• ‍BAX Shop*

The cheapest Ableton Live prices and the biggest discount we found were offered by Thomann*.

Thomann - save up to 43% (depending on where you live)

USA - save up to 43% when you buy Ableton Live at Thomann*

• Ableton Live 12 Intro*: $72 (27% off $99 full price)
• Ableton Live 12 Standard*: $255 (43% off $449 full price)
• Ableton Live 12 Standard (Upgrade from Lite)*: $189
• Ableton Live 12 Suite*: $545 (27% off $749 full price)
• Ableton Live 12 Suite (Upgrade from Lite)*: $479

UK - save up to 25% when you buy Ableton Live at Thomann*

• Ableton Live 12 Intro*: £55 (20% off £69 full price)
• Ableton Live 12 Standard*: £239 (25% off £319 full price)
• Ableton Live 12 Standard (Upgrade from Lite)*: £179
• Ableton Live 12 Suite*: £515 (4% off £539 full price)
• Ableton Live 12 Suite (Upgrade from Lite)*: £455

Europe - no discount when you buy Ableton Live at Thomann*

• Ableton Live 12 Intro*: €79 (same as €79 full price)
• Ableton Live 12 Standard*: €279 (same as €279 full price)
• Ableton Live 12 Standard (Upgrade from Lite)*: €209
• Ableton Live 12 Suite*: €599 (same as €599 full price)
• Ableton Live 12 Suite (Upgrade from Lite)*: €529

(Prices last checked: 11 January 2024)

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Here are the latest live prices from Thomann for Ableton products.

6. Ableton Live Lite or Intro or Standard or Suite? Buy the cheapest version for you

Ableton offers a range of versions, starting from $79 for Ableton Live 12 Intro, and up to $599 for the fully-fledged Ableton Live 12 Suite.

Most people interested in Abelton Live 12 start with the mid-range Standard edition. You can always upgrade later to Suite. We recommend you compare the features carefully during a free trial, and first buy the cheapest edition you can live with. When upgrading, you save even more when you upgrade in a sale for 25% off.

Just make sure you compare all versions and choose which option provides the best value for the Ableton cost.

What is the difference of Ableton 12 Standard vs Suite vs Intro vs Lite?

Ableton Live Lite‍

• Only sold as a bundle with hardware, not available for purchase on its own. Hardware includes keyboards from Akai (starting from $79*), Novation (starting from $82)*, and Arturia (starting from $95)*.
• You can however buy a used license.‍
• Features: 16 scenes and 8 audio/MIDI tracks. 2 send/return tracks. 4 Instruments. 17 Audio Effects. 11 MIDI Effects.

Ableton Live Intro‍

• $72 | €79 | £55 (from Thomann*, the cheapest retailer we found in our research).
• Features: 16 scenes and 16 audio/MIDI tracks. 2 send/return tracks. 4 Instruments. 21 Audio Effects. 8 MIDI Effects. 1,500 Sounds (5 GB).

Ableton Live Standard

• $255 | €279 | £239 (from Thomann*, the cheapest retailer we found in our research).
• Features: Unlimited scenes and unlimited audio/MIDI tracks. 12 send/return tracks. 6 Instruments. 37 Audio Effects. 14 MIDI Effects. 1,700 Sounds (10 GB).

Ableton Live Suite

• $545 | €599 | £515 (from Thomann*, the cheapest retailer we found in our research).
• Features: Unlimited scenes and unlimited audio/MIDI tracks. 12 send/return tracks. 17 Instruments. 60 Audio Effects. 16 MIDI Effects. 5,000 Sounds (70 GB).

Buying Ableton Live: Questions and Answers

When is the next Ableton sale? How can I get an Ableton discount? Do you have an Ableton coupon?

We predict the next Ableton sale will be 20% off, from 14th November 2023 to 10th January 2024.

Why? From 2019 to 2021, Ableton has always offered Live in their Black Friday sale at 25% off, for 5 days, and ran a Summer Sale. In 2022, Ableton reduced the discount to 20%. We have more detailed research in our Ableton Sales guide, or you might want to read our Black Friday 2024 sale predictions.

Don't want to miss the next Ableton Live sale? Then subscribe to the musicmanta newsletter, and we will send you an email when the next Ableton sale starts.

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Does Ableton offer a student discount or educational license for students and teachers?

Yes, you can get a 60% discount as a student or teacher, or a student's parent. You can save even more when you buy from an authorised retailer. We found Thomann* to be the cheapest Ableton retailer, selling the Education version of Ableton Live up to 72% cheaper than the full price.

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Can I sell or transfer my Ableton license? Can I buy a used Ableton license?

Yes, you can. Ableton facilitates license transfers. Follow our detailed license transfer guide to find out how much you can save.

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Is Ableton free? How do I get Ableton Live for free?

No, the unlimited version is not free. However, you can try Ableton Live for free for up to 90 days. There are few limitations. You can even save and export all your creations.

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Can I buy an Ableton subscription?

No, Ableton does not offer a subscription for Ableton Live. However, Ableton offers some options that allow you to spread the Ableton cost over time, including Klarna in Europe and Splitit in the USA.

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Is Ableton worth it? Why is Ableton so good?

Only you can decide this. We always recommend you try for yourself, with a free Ableton Live trial for 90 days. If you then like it, use this musicmanta guide to find the cheapest way to buy Ableton Live.

We also recommend you try other DAWs, such as:

• FL Studio: offers a time-unlimited trial*, but no saving.
• Apple Logic Pro: offers a 90 day trial. Apple Mac only.
• Steinberg Cubase: offers a 30 day trial.
• AVID Protools: offers a trial for Protools Ultimate.

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Which Ableton Live version is the best to buy?

It depends on your needs. We recommend you try the full edition with all plugins first for 90 days. You can find this in the Ableton store. After that, you can work out carefully which features you actually need and use most.

Check out our comparison of all versions, from Ableton Lite to Intro, Standard and Suite. Ableton also have a comprehensive comparison between all Ableton Live 12 between Intro vs Standard vs Suite. The features of the smallest Ableton Live Lite 12 features are explained separately.

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When will Ableton 13 come out? When is Ableton 13 coming out?

We don't know until Ableton officially confirms but our best guess is that Ableton Live 13 will be released in 2027 the earliest.

This is based on a release every 3 to 5 years of major Ableton versions before. With Ableton 11 released in 2021, and Ableton 12 released in 2024, we therefore expect Ableton 13 to be released 3 years later.

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Do you have a question not covered here, or found another way to buy FL Studio plugins at a discount? Help us help others by letting us know.