IndependentSound Forge 2026 Guide

Sound Forge Pro is now sold by Boris FX as Sound Forge 2026, following the March 30, 2026 acquisition from MAGIX. It remains a Windows audio editor built around one job: open a single audio file and get it perfect. That covers recording at up to 32 channels at high bit depths and sample rates, sample-level waveform editing, noise reduction and click repair, mastering with Wave Hammer and LUFS metering, plugin processing over VST2/VST3/ARA, and batch conversion across hundreds of files. Older searches for “Sound Forge Pro”, “MAGIX Sound Forge Pro” and “Sound Forge Pro 18” all point to the same product family — but downloads, pricing, licensing, support and upgrades now route through Boris FX / Vegas Creative Software.

Sound Forge Pro vs Sound Forge 2026 — what's in a name

Boris FX quietly dropped the “Pro” from the branding. The store now lists two editions — Sound Forge and Sound Forge Plus — under the 2026 branding. Under the hood, the Boris FX release appears to continue the same core Sound Forge workflow MAGIX shipped in Pro 18: the familiar waveform editor, plugin chain, restoration tools, recording workflow and batch-processing model. Our full review calls it what it is — new owner, familiar software, for now.

What happened to MAGIX Sound Forge Pro 18

Pro 18 was the last MAGIX-era release. It still runs, existing licenses still activate, but it is no longer sold — and Boris FX gives owners of any previous Pro version one simplified upgrade price until December 5, 2026. After that deadline you pay full price. If you are on Pro 18 and deciding, start with the pricing breakdown.

Still Windows-only?

Yes — and the floor moved. MAGIX supported Windows 10; Boris FX lists Windows 11 only for Sound Forge 2026. If you are on Windows 10 or a Mac, check the system requirements before buying: the Mac version was discontinued years ago and Boris FX has not announced a return.

Official Sound Forge Pro download

How pricing works

Two models, both per edition: subscription or perpetual. At the time of writing, Sound Forge starts at $24.95/month, $149.95/year, or $299.95 for a perpetual license; Sound Forge Plus runs $33.95 / $199.95 / $399.95. Prices move — check the official page before buying, and see our subscription-vs-perpetual math for which one actually saves money.

Sound Forge vs Sound Forge Plus

The core editor is identical in both. Plus adds four bundled plugins — Celemony Melodyne 5 Essential (pitch), Vandal (amp sim), VariVerb II and 3D Reverb. Melodyne is the only real differentiator: if you don't do pitch work, the base edition is the sane buy. Full breakdown: which tier do you actually need?

Who it's for — and who it isn't

Get it if you master singles, restore vinyl or tape, cut voice-over and podcasts, or batch-process delivery files — that is the work this editor has owned since the Sonic Foundry days. Skip it if you need multitrack arrangement (that's a DAW job — see our Reaper comparison), you're on a Mac, or you're a first-week beginner: Audacity covers the basics free and this editor earns its price only once you push past them.