Independent · sourced · Updated June 2026
Best Audio Interfaces (2026)
The cheapest audio interfaces is U-Phoria UMC22 at $52.9. Best by the numbers — U-Phoria UMC22 (lowest price), Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2 (Thunderbolt) (newest). This page compares 12 audio interfaces across 8 brands on price and key specs — every figure sourced, updated June 2026.
12 audio interfaces compared on the specs that matter and US price — ranked cheapest-first. Every spec and price links to its source and the date we captured it.
Key takeaways
- Lowest price: U-Phoria UMC22 at $52.9 (US street price, Sweetwater (Thomann lists lower, ~$35)).
- Typical price: from $52.90, median $194, up to $999 — across 12 priced.
- Tracked: 12 products across 8 brands, current through 2026-06-19.
- Compared on: inputs analog, outputs analog, max resolution bit khz, mic preamps, connection, midi io.
Best by the numbers
Objective winners — each is the leader on one measured spec, with the figure. No subjective ranking.
- Lowest price: U-Phoria UMC22 ($52.9)
- Newest: Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2 (Thunderbolt) (2024-10)
Comparison
| # | Audio Interface | Price | inputs analog | outputs analog | max resolution bit khz | mic preamps | connection | midi io | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | U-Phoria UMC22 | $52.9 | 2 | 2 | 16-bit / 48 kHz | 1 | usb_b | false | thomannmusic.com |
| 2 | Komplete Audio 2 | $99 | 2 | 2 | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 2 | usb_b | false | native-instruments.com |
| 3 | EVO 4 | $129 | 2 | 2 | 24-bit / 96 kHz | 2 | usb_c | false | audient.com |
| 4 | Studio 24c | $157.99 | 2 | 2 | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 2 | usb_c | true | presonus.com |
| 5 | Scarlett Solo 4th Generation | $159.99 | 2 | 2 | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 1 | usb_c | false | sweetwater.com |
| 6 | Volt 2 USB Audio Interface | $189 | 2 | 2 | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 2 | usb_c | true | uaudio.com |
| 7 | iD4 MkII | $199 | 2 | 2 | 24-bit / 96 kHz | 1 | usb_c | false | audient.com |
| 8 | M2 | $199.95 | 2 | 4 | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 2 | usb_c | true | motu.com |
| 9 | Scarlett 2i2 4th Generation | $224.99 | 2 | 2 | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 2 | usb_c | false | sweetwater.com |
| 10 | Scarlett 4i4 4th Generation | $299.99 | 4 | 4 | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 2 | usb_c | true | sweetwater.com |
| 11 | SSL 2+ MKII | $299.99 | 2 | 4 | 32-bit / 192 kHz | 2 | usb_c | true | solidstatelogic.com |
| 12 | Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2 (Thunderbolt) | $999 | 2 | 4 | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 2 | thunderbolt | false | uaudio.com |
Specs are as published by the manufacturer (or a reputable spec source where the official page was unavailable); prices are US launch MSRP. Full per-product records and all spec columns are in our open dataset.
Popular comparisons
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest audio interfaces?
U-Phoria UMC22 is the cheapest at $52.9 (US street price, Sweetwater (Thomann lists lower, ~$35)), as of 2026-06-19.
How much does audio interfaces cost?
Across the 12 audio interfaces with a published price, the median is $194, ranging from $52.90 to $999, as of 2026-06-19.
Which audio interfaces is best by the numbers?
Lowest price: U-Phoria UMC22 ($52.9). Newest: Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2 (Thunderbolt) (2024-10).
How many audio interfaces are compared here?
12 audio interfaces across 8 brands, with US price and key specs, current through 2026-06-19.
More hardware comparisons
How we compiled this
Roster of 13 high-search USB/Thunderbolt audio interfaces for home recording (2014–2024 release years), independently re-verified against manufacturer product/spec pages (focusrite.com, uaudio.com, solidstatelogic.com, presonus.com, audient.com, motu.com, native-instruments.com, behringer.com), major retailers (Sweetwater, Thomann, B&H), and press coverage (Sound on Sound, MusicRadar, AudioXpress, ProSoundWeb). All 13 draft products are real and were retained; no fabrications found. Prices are published US MSRP/MAP where available, else lowest confirmed US street price (noted). Spec-inflation corrected: SSL 2+ MkII inputs corrected from 4 to 2 (manufacturer markets it as 2-in/4-out; the front DI jacks are alternate inputs to the same 2 channels). Behringer UMC22 release year corrected 2013->2014. max_resolution_bit_khz formatted as 'bit-depth / max sample rate kHz'. booleans reflect manufacturer claims (true=yes/included). NOTE on MOTU M2 outputs_analog=4: MOTU markets it as 2x4 counting 2 balanced TRS + 2 RCA jacks, but the RCA pair mirrors the TRS pair (2 unique output channels). Retained 4 to match the manufacturer's physical-jack count. Accessed 2026-06-19.
Last verified 2026-06-19. We re-check published specs and prices on a recurring cadence and update this page when they change.
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