These appear to be remarkably similar in their standard features and included palette of plugins, except that Pro Tools is free, and Sonar Artist is $99. Could this turn-out to be an ingenious tactic from Avid? Is there potential for this to be detrimental to the sales of Sonar Artist or even Sonar Professional? I'm thinking it could actually be putting a cat among the pigeons. Very shrewd Avid! If someone were to be clever, they could take Pro Tools Free and then spend $199 on desired third-party plugins and easily end-up with a package on-par with Sonar Professional.
 
It appears that Avid is offering an attractive means for producers to get familiar with the Pro Tools methodology, as if Avid is saying "Come and see why Pro Tools is better, use it with the same editing features as the full version etc, you wont be disappointed, and it's free, so you've got nothing to lose."
It is limited to a total of 16 midi tracks and 16 instrument tracks and 16 audio tracks total, but that is basically a free 48 track studio. More than sufficient for many home producers.
 
The other amazing thing is that it doesn't require iLok protection to use it. 
 
 
The Free version of Presonus "Studio One" has no show next to this, because it won't allow use of any VST plugins.
 
 
 
 

D:
Don't worry there is no threat  We'll all survive.  The last time I checked you could install as many DAW products on your computer as you want and can afford.  Last inventory on my main workstation reveals there are at least six.  Garage Band didn't seem to smack the Windows DAW world too much and Pro Tools first is nothing compared to Reaper (By the way start ticking away as this thread's about to be moved - and rightly so).  
 
I use, teach and love Sonar.  I see a great niche for a free version of PT for collaborative purposes.  I use PT regularly and it integrates well in my Sonar workflow.  If you're interested I'll share the extensive compatibility they possess for the commercial audio and video projects I do.  
 
Partial Tools 'First'  - remember the First shall be last and the last shall be first .... Thread moved
 
-D

I think you might want to read the small print a bit closer. It's only "free" for a couple of projects then you have to start paying if you want to actually save anything further. FYI this has already been covered in a thread in the forum that this will no doubt be moved to very soon.

While you may see these products as "remarkably similar" I see don't even see them as remotely similar.
Pro Tools First has limited audio and MIDI track counts, no local storage of sessions, and no VST support. You can't open a session created with it in Pro Tools, and the only plugins you can use are the AAX ones designed for it.
Sonar Artist has unlimited track support, local storage of sessions, and VST support. I'd rather have those features any day. 

jimst57
While you may see these products as "remarkably similar" I see don't even see them as remotely similar.
Pro Tools First has limited audio and MIDI track counts, no local storage of sessions, and no VST support. You can't open a session created with it in Pro Tools, and the only plugins you can use are the AAX ones designed for it.
Sonar Artist has unlimited track support, local storage of sessions, and VST support. I'd rather have those features any day. 

 
Good point! I checked the fine-print and found these frightening limitations to it...
 
1: Only plug-ins purchased through the Avid Marketplace with your Avid Master Account will work with Pro Tools | First.
2: Unlike Pro Tools and Pro Tools | HD software where an unlimited number of sessions can be stored locally on your computer’s hard disk, projects for Pro Tools | First are stored in the cloud on Avid Servers, accessed through your Avid Master Account from anywhere. Avid provides up to three free projects (songs) with Pro Tools | First. We will offer additional Pro Tools | First projects to purchase from the Avid Marketplace in the near future. 
 
Looks like Avid have a sense of humour, either that or they're incredibly idiotic. This has got to be the lamest attempt at poaching other DAW users that i've ever seen.

FYI there was a Pro Tools Free in the past, but Avid stopped offering it. The difference is it really was free compared to what's being offered now although of course, it had major limitations.
 
At least with the Pro Tools subscription program you don't get to keep what you buy, so there's a differentiation from SONAR.

The smart thing about the way Avid is doing it is they offer it for free for those few projects, then people buy into it cause they now would likely be comfortable using it. Granted, it won't be a huge number that buys into it, but likely enough to make it worth their while to do it that way.

TerraSin
The smart thing about the way Avid is doing it is they offer it for free for those few projects, then people buy into it cause they now would likely be comfortable using it. Granted, it won't be a huge number that buys into it, but likely enough to make it worth their while to do it that way.

Then it's not much different from a trial version..you get to do some stuff for free, and if you like it, then you can buy it. The biggest problem I have is I'm not comfortable having all my projects stored in the cloud.

So Avid offers the standard version of Pro Tools for a ridiculous $899, and then tries to entice people into it with what amounts to an extremely restricted tease version. Very lame! This world never ceases to amaze me. I thought I had seen it all lol

Looks like the best value DAW title will be a battle between Studio One and Sonar.

Anderton
The biggest problem I have is I'm not comfortable having all my projects stored in the cloud.

+1 for that.