basehead. Free.
Powered by the same revolutionary basehead 2026 engine the Premium editions run on. No subscriptions. No record limits.
The full engine. Zero subscription.
basehead FREE is the same multi-threaded audio engine, search engine, and DAW integration as the Premium editions. Stripped of the advanced features, but never crippled.
No record limits
Your database can grow as big as you want. Build a 5-million-file library — basehead FREE handles it.
Same Ultra engine
The same revolutionary 2026 engine the Premium editions run on. Cross-platform, multi-thread, blazing fast.
DAW integration
Pro Tools, Nuendo, Cubase, REAPER, Logic Pro and more. Spot to Track, drag-and-drop, the works.
No subscriptions
Use it as long as you want. No monthly fee, no expiration date. Upgrade only if you decide you want more.
How to get it?
Start the trial, and when it ends, basehead toggles to the FREE Edition. That’s it.
Download the latest version
Grab the basehead installer for Windows or macOS from your account.
Activate the trial
Launch basehead, click “Start Trial Period,” walk through the steps. You’re in Ultra trial mode for 15 days.
Trial ends → FREE Edition
When the trial hits zero days, basehead automatically toggles to the FREE Edition. No re-installation, no extra steps.
Note: included CloudPack SFX libraries are Premium-only — bandwidth costs us money. FREE works on your local libraries.
Frequently asked.
How long can I use the FREE Edition once the trial expires?
No time limit. We’re confident you’ll upgrade to a Premium version eventually — but until then, use it as long as you want.
Can a full facility or school use the FREE Edition?
Sorry, no. Schools need EDU licenses (which are insanely cheap). Facilities have money. Plus, your students should be using the top-level version while learning anyway. EDU info →
Having issues launching all of a sudden?
We don’t offer support for FREE versions, but here are a few things to try:
- Make sure you have the latest version
- Delete all license files in ~Documents/basehead/Licenses
- Search “How to do a Prefs Wipe” using the AI chatbot in the lower-right of this page
- Delete all .settings files, relaunch basehead, restart the trial
What’s the catch?
No catch. We make money from the Premium editions. The FREE Edition is bait — once you’ve used the basehead engine, going back to a worse SFX manager feels gross. Most people upgrade eventually. Some never do, and that’s fine too.
Featured SFX partners.
Some of the libraries that work great with basehead.
