Which version of Ableton Live (Lite, Intro, Standard, Suite) should I get in 2022?

Are you wondering which version of Ableton Live (Lite, Intro, Standard, Suite) you should get in 2022? This article compares them and gives some suggestions.

Paid and free versions


Paid Versions Free Version
Versions
  • Intro
  • Standard
  • Suite
  • Lite

Where to get
  • Comes free with some MIDI controllers, Launchpads etc.
  • Also comes free with Computer Music Magazine February 2022 issue
Features Compare features of Live Intro, Standard, and Suite Feature of list of Live Lite

Buy Ableton Live Suite now or upgrade later?

To quote Kevaz L Jones on Quora, "Upgrading is actually more expensive than buying a Suite license from the beginning. Though of course, buying the Intro license allows you see if Ableton is right for you. The actual price for an upgrade might be different for each user, that’s why Ableton encourages you to check on your account to see your special price"

He also says "Is upgrading to Suite necessary? It depends. If throughout the years you have collected lots of VST instruments and effects, and lots of sound packs already, then upgrading to Suite might be an overkill. But if you don’t have a collection of instrument/effects yet, then Suite may be the only thing you need to produce good records. Because it has virtually everything and their Devices (Ableton’s term for their built-in of instruments and effects) is very well-integrated both in function/design and resource management."

Ben's personal view of Ableton Live Lite vs Intro vs Suite

Buy Live Suite if you can afford it, because it has a whole lot of powerful features /  instruments / sounds / effects AND access to the Max for Live platform which has even more powerful features / instruments / effects

OR Buy Live Intro if you are on a tight budget, and then search for free instruments / sounds / effects that you can download - but you won't have functions like Audio Slicing and Audio-to-MIDI, and you won't be able to use all the Max for Live devices.

OR If you are already buying an instrument (keyboard controller? Launchpad?) look for one which has Live Lite bundled, and also search for free instruments / sounds / effects to download. You can even get Live Lite free through your National Library account. But keep in mind that with only 8 tracks, you may run out of tracks pretty fast.

No point buying Live Standard because it lacks the most powerful features of Suite but is twice the price of Intro.

Additional note: Whatever version you buy at EDU discount (for students), the discount applies to your first purchase, not to subsequent upgrades - see Ableton's FAQ. Keep this in mind when evaluating e.g. different versions of Ableton Live at City Music Singapore.  

Comparison Table 

Here is my attempt and building a comparison table of Lite, Intro, Standard and Suite. My preliminary advice is: If the free Live Lite meets your needs, you don't need Intro. But consider buying Live Suite, especially if you qualify for discounts or have help from your Ableton instructor or local distributor, because of all the additional features.

Lite

Intro

Standard

Suite

  1. 8 Audio & MIDI tracks

8 Scenes

  1. 2 Send and return tracks

  2. 8 Mono audio input channels 

  3. 8 Mono audio output channels 

  4. Complex warp modes 



  1. 16 audio and MIDI tracks and Scenes

  2. 2 send and return tracks

  3. 8 mono audio input channels

  4. 8 mono audio output channels

  5. Capture MIDI

  6. Complex warp modes


  1. Unlimited Audio and MIDI tracks and Scenes

  2. 12 Send and Return tracks

  3. 256 mono audio input channels

  4. 256 mono audio output channels

  5. Capture MIDI

  6. Complex warp modes

  7. Audio-slicing

  8. Audio to MIDI


  1. Unlimited Audio and MIDI tracks and Scenes

  2. 12 Send and Return tracks

  3. 256 mono audio input channels

  4. 256 mono audio output channels

  5. Capture MIDI

  6. Complex warp modes

  7. Audio-slicing

  8. Audio to MIDI

  9. Max for Live



Comping

MIDI Polyphonic Expression

Note and Velocity Chance

Tempo Following

Comping

Linked-track editing

MIDI Polyphonic Expression

Note and Velocity Chance

Tempo Following


Coming in Live 11:

Comping

Linked-track editing

MIDI Polyphonic Expression

Note and Velocity Chance

Tempo Following


Software instruments

Drum Rack

Impulse

Simpler


Software instruments

Same as Lite

Software instruments

Same as Lite and Intro

Software instruments

Drum Rack

Impulse

Simpler

DrumSynths

Analog

Bass

CV Instrument

CV Triggers

Operator

Poli

Sampler

Wavetable

Audio Effects

  1. Audio Effect Rack

  2. Auto Filter

  3. Beat Repeat

  4. Chorus

  5. Compressor

  6. EQ Three

  7. Erosion

  8. Redux

  9. Reverb

  10. Simple Delay

  11. Tuner

  12. Utility 


Audio Effects

  1. Audio Effect Rack

  2. Auto Filter

  3. Auto Pan

  4. Beat Repeat

  5. Channel EQ

  6. Compressor

  7. Delay

  8. EQ Three

  9. Erosion

  10. Gate

  11. Grain Delay

  12. Limiter

  13. Looper

  14. Reverb

  15. Saturator

  16. Tuner

  17. Utility


Audio Effects

  1. Audio Effect Rack

  2. Auto Filter

  3. Auto Pan

  4. Beat Repeat

  5. Channel EQ

  6. Compressor

  7. Delay

  8. EQ Three

  9. Erosion

  10. Gate

  11. Grain Delay

  12. Limiter

  13. Looper

  14. Reverb

  15. Saturator

  16. Tuner

  17. Utility

  18. External Audio Effect

  19. Drum Buss

  20. Dynamic Tube

  21. EQ Eight

  22. Filter Delay

  23. Frequency Shifter

  24. Glue Compressor

  25. Multi-band Dynamics

  26. Overdrive

  27. Resonators

  28. Spectrum

  29. Vinyl Distortion

  30. Vocoder


Audio Effects

  1. Audio Effect Rack

  2. Auto Filter

  3. Auto Pan

  4. Beat Repeat

  5. Channel EQ

  6. Compressor

  7. Delay

  8. EQ Three

  9. Erosion

  10. Gate

  11. Grain Delay

  12. Limiter

  13. Looper

  14. Reverb

  15. Saturator

  16. Tuner

  17. Utility

  18. External Audio Effect

  19. Drum Buss

  20. Dynamic Tube

  21. EQ Eight

  22. Filter Delay

  23. Frequency Shifter

  24. Glue Compressor

  25. Multi-band Dynamics

  26. Overdrive

  27. Resonators

  28. Spectrum

  29. Vinyl Distortion

  30. Vocoder

  31. LFO

  32. Envelope Follower

  33. Shaper

  34. Amp

  35. Cabinet

  36. Color Limiter

  37. Convolution Reverb

  38. CV Clock In

  39. CV Clock Out

  40. CV Envelope Follower

  41. CV In

  42. CV LFO

  43. CV Shaper

  44. CV Utility

  45. Echo

  46. Gated Delay

  47. Pedal

  48. Pitch Hack

  49. Re-Enveloper

  50. Spectral Blur

  51. Surround Panner












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