If you can get past the terrible logo, Audacity 4 looks pretty great

Audacity 4, scheduled for early 2026, introduces major UX improvements to address longstanding usability issues. Key updates include removing restrictive interaction modes, adding per-track meters, simplified clip trimming and time stretching via drag-and-drop, and a new split tool. The redesign eliminates many "Audacity says no" moments where the software blocked common operations without explanation. The Sync Lock feature is being replaced with a more intuitive approach to multi-track synchronization, alongside a modernized, customizable interface.