Trackers & Module Software

Trackers are the row-and-pattern alternative to timeline DAWs. The Amiga / DOS demoscene heritage is alive and well — modern trackers like Renoise are full DAWs with VST support, while retro-faithful editors like MilkyTracker and Furnace target chiptune and module fidelity. For timeline DAWs, see daws-overview.

Modern trackers (full DAW capability)

• ★ Renoise — paid (~$75 one-time, free demo with save / render restrictions); Win / Mac / Linux. The reference modern tracker; VST / AU / LV2 support, sample slicing, internal Lua scripting (Renoise Tool API). The choice for tracker workflows that need plugins.
• ★ SunVox — donationware (free fully featured) on desktop; paid mobile. Cross-platform incl. Linux, Android, iOS. Modular synth + tracker hybrid; built-in synths and effects, no VST. Beloved for portable production.

Retro / chiptune trackers

• ★ OpenMPT — free OSS (BSD), Windows-native (runs in Wine on Linux / Mac). The most-used tracker in 2026 for .mod / .xm / .it / .s3m editing. VST support, modern UI on classic IT-style workflow.
• ★ MilkyTracker — GPL, cross-platform. Faithful Fasttracker II clone for .xm editing. Tiny, fast, beloved for chiptune. Paired with Schism Tracker (GPL Impulse Tracker clone) for .it.
• Schism Tracker — GPL, Impulse Tracker reimplementation. Cross-platform.
• ★ Furnace — GPL, cross-platform. Targets dozens of retro chips (NES 2A03, Game Boy, SNES SPC700, YM2612 / Mega Drive, AY / SAA, OPN / OPL, SID, PC speaker, even Atari TIA). The default chiptune tracker in 2024-26.
• DefleMask — paid; predecessor / cousin to Furnace, less actively developed since Furnace took off.
• GoatTracker / SID-Wizard — Commodore 64 SID composition.
• Famitracker / 0CC-FamiTracker / Dn-FamiTracker — NES-specific trackers; community forks live on.

DAW-embedded / plugin trackers

• Buzz (Jeezy3 / etc.) — Windows, free; modular tracker / DAW hybrid; cult classic.
• Aodix — paid Win tracker.
• Cheesetracker — old GPL Impulse-style editor.

Module formats (interchange)

• ★ .it (Impulse Tracker) — most flexible classic format; OpenMPT / Schism native.
• ★ .xm (Fasttracker II Extended Module) — MilkyTracker / OpenMPT.
• .mod (Amiga ProTracker) — the original; everything imports it.
• .s3m (Scream Tracker 3) — DOS-era; OpenMPT / Schism.
• .mptm — OpenMPT extended; not portable to other trackers.

Module players (playback only)

• libopenmpt — LGPL playback library used by foobar2000, VLC, Audacious, browser plugins.
• chiptune2.js — JS wrapper around libopenmpt for browser playback.
• MikMod — old C playback library.

Pick this if…

• Modern tracker with VST: Renoise.
• Free tracker for .it / .xm / .mod: OpenMPT.
• Chiptune for retro hardware: Furnace.
• Faithful Fasttracker II workflow: MilkyTracker.
• Modular synth-tracker hybrid, free: SunVox.
• Embed module playback on web: chiptune2.js + libopenmpt.