31 Best VST Plugins - ExpansionBroadcast

VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology. The introduction of VST plugins has changed the game for music producers. You can play any instrument virtually just by using a plugin.

There are many VST plugins available today. It can be quite overwhelming to choose the best plugins to use. In this article, we have selected the best VST plugins for you.

With no further ado, let’s get started!

Types of audio plug-in

Synth VST plug-ins

Synth VSTs are nothing but virtual instruments. They create sounds that are not natural (synth-like).

Reverb plug-ins

If you want to give a space and depth to your mix, a reverb plug-in is what you need. You can choose to place your mix in a ‘studio’ space, in a cathedral, church, arena – in fact, the list is endless.

Compressor plug-ins

If you want to decrease the dynamic range of your mix, a compressor plug-in is what you need. If your music has quiet parts, this plug-in will make them loud, and vice-versa. This, in turn, adds a volume ‘normality’ to the music.

EQ plug-ins

EQ plug-ins are nothing but equalizers. If you want to change various sound frequencies, you need an EQ plug-in. They have a great role in the music industry and bring the best out of every mix.

Plug-ins on a budget

If you’re looking for plugins and have a low budget, you can’t really go wrong with these three. We have cherry picked them as we feel they are special:

(create product boxes for them)

FabFilter Micro – £26.00
Cherry Audio DCO 106 – £19.96
Klevgrand Luxe – £18.99

How many plug-ins do you need?

If you are a beginner and have just started to mix music, you just need to get your hands on an EQ, Compressor, and Reverb plug-in. And if you’re wanting to create synth sounds, grab a synth plugin too. Those are great starting points.

Our list of the best VST plugins on the market

U-he Diva

Subtitle – Best virtual analog synth

TedScore – 10/10

Best Feature – Has 5 different oscillators

Best For – Someone looking for analog emulation

Price Level – £136.99

Highlights

Has 5 filter modules
Has 3 ADSR envelopes
Has many effects and modulation options

Pros

Has over 1,200 mouth-watering presets
Best UI for analog users
Supports 4k
Has won many awards

Cons

Quite CPU-intensive

This synthesizer is one of the best VST instruments and secrets of music producers. The sound on Diva is the best we’ve heard from a soft synth that imitates analog sound. This is one of the best synth VST plug-ins out there.

The analog sound is so real and close to the real thing that it’s hard to recognise it. One thing that sets Diva apart from everything else on the market is that its filters and envelopes sound better.

u-he Repro

Subtitle – Best digital synthesizer

TedScore – 10/10

Best Feature – Has an integrated sequencer

Best For – Music producers who want to recreate the lush and magical sound

Price Level – £123.00

Highlights

Huge range of sound
Amazing studio effects

Pros

Its emulation is amazing
The effects are fabulous
It has 2 extra slots for modulation

Cons

Few parameters are shown in percentage

This excellent, highly-detailed plugin reeks of vintage quality and flavour. The sound quality of the Repro plugin is immediately stunning and very similar to the originals.

In terms of appearance, reproduction produces a powerful impression. The Repro’s engine has a lovely oak finish. The “tweaks” part of both plugins, which reveals the hardware’s inner circuit board, has a highly distinctive and intriguing design.

Repro by u-he is an absolute winner. It is one of the rare plugin emulations that nearly resembles the analog charm and full, authentic sound of its vintage predecessor.

Spectrasonics Omnisphere

Subtitle – Best wavetable synthesizer

TedScore – 10/10

Best feature – Has over 14.000 sounds

Best for – Complex sound design

Price Level – £399.00

Highlights

Has 15 FX units per patch
Matric modulation of every FX slot

Pros

Can load own samples
Super oscillator shapes
Great redesigner browser

Cons

Loud presets

Omnisphere is the best virtual instrument ever made, and it’s perfect for people who want to make interesting new sounds. The best thing about Omnisphere is its bigger collection of oscillator wavetables.

Omnisphere is a great sequel that takes the synth to a new level. If you want to get the best version of sound design, you have to have this instrument.

FabFilter Timeless 3

Subtitle – Best delay plugin

TedScore – 10/10

Best Feature – Has the best-redesigned interface

Best For – Mixing pop vocals

Price Level – £108.00

Highlights

Has a very interactive interface
Graphic acceleration is GPU powered
Has a 6 dB filter slope option

Pros

Excellent UI
Has multiple delay taps
Comes with fifth-effect
Has brand new filter types

Cons

CPU intensive

This is one of the best synth VST plugins out there. The way it works is great, the interface is simple and beautiful, and the new controls for effects add warmth, saturation, and more.

The customization options, like the LFO, envelopes, MIDI, filters, additional taps, ping-pong, and numerous presets, make this a surprise.

Timeless 3 has two delay lines, a feedback loop with various filters, a delay mechanism (tape-like or constant-pitch), and a modulatable freeze option.

Overall, Timeless 3 is an amazing delay plugin all the way through, and we recommend it as our favourite for delay modes.

XLN Addictive Drums 2

Subtitle – Best drum VST plugin

TedScore – 10/10

Best Feature – Has very powerful drum kits

Best For – Producing some amazing drum tracks

Price Level – £439.00

Highlights

Has great studio-grade effects
You can create your custom kits

Pros

Very powerful and easy to use
Also has a tone designer
Includes brand new Fairfax kit

Cons

It’s expensive

Addictive Drums 2 is one of the best drum VST plugins out there and is a must-have drum plugin. The most recent version of the software has various new features and enhancements that make it more effective and user-friendly.

The Drag and Drop MIDI function is one of Addictive Drums 2’s most noticeable features. It also comes with various sound libraries of superior quality.

This software is so simple that even novices can create fantastic drum tracks. The user interface is quite basic and intuitive. This software does not require technical expertise to operate.

D16 Group LuSH-101

Subtitle – Most influential analog synth

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – Comes with 3 interface modes

Best For – Catch designs and sketching ideas

Price Level – £125.00

Highlights

Moves swiftly from 0.1 Hz to 40 Hz
It’s 8 layers multitimbral synth
It comes with almost 8 voice unison with Tune, Cutoff and Panorama spread

Pros

Has 32 polyphony voices
Has a fantastic keyboard zone
Its 2 envelopes have re-triggering modes

Cons

You cannot browse for your favourites

The hardware upon which LuSH-101 is built is one of the simplest and most basic synthesizers ever created, but it sounds incredible. It has the most user-friendly presets we’ve ever seen in a synth.

The Lush-101 excels at producing larger-than-life sounds. While it is not as adaptable as other software synthesizers, it sounds excellent, and at least one example would likely fit into practically any song. Please take a moment to appreciate its amazing sounds!

FabFilter Saturn 2

Subtitle – Best distortion VST plugin

TedScore – 10/10

Best Feature – Has the best curve control

Best For – Modulated saturation fx

Price Level – £108.00

Highlights

Has improved oversampling modes
MIDI Learn is interactive
A 50-slot modulation matrix

Pros

Improved UI
Has amazing and classic sound in both subtle and obvious roles
Very flexible to use

Cons

Little complex

Saturn 2 can make everything from low-key saturation that sounds like a tube to crushing distortion. This second version has a new user interface and a long list of important changes that are all explained in the user manual, which is easy to find on FabFilter’s website.

Saturn is a powerhouse. It is one of the complete tools for saturation because it is made that way. Saturn 2 comes with 77 presets that use the plugin’s 25 different saturation models to make a wide range of sounds, from subtle warmth to total sound destruction.

iZotope Ozone 10 Standard

Subtitle – Best mastering plugin

TedScore – 10/10

Best Feature – Has a unique mastering AI-based assistant

Best For – Someone wanting to clear low-end sound

Price Level – £249.00

Highlights

Has 12 mastering modules
Comes with modern and vintage modules

Pros

The visual interface has been redesigned
Variety of modules
The onboard assistant is amazing
Vintage modules are a big plus

Cons

The advanced version is pricey

Izotope’s Ozone 10 is a huge improvement over the versions that came before it. It is one of the best mastering plugins out there. It comes with two new modules: impact and stabilizer. Impact controls the micro-dynamics of your track to improve its rhythm and feel.

Ozone 10 from Izotope is very easy to use. The interface is well-made and simple to use. The modules are set up in a way that makes them easy to use. Izotope Ozone 10 has great sound quality. The imaging features make your tracks sound crisp and give them more depth.

Fabfilter Pro Q3

Subtitle – Best EQ plugin

TedScore – 10/10

Best Feature – Has the best dynamic control

Best For – Attenuating aspects of the low-frequency range

Price Level – £130.75

Highlights

Can easily superimpose frequency spectrum over input spectrum
Comes with surround sound support
Creates dynamically responding frequency nodes

Pros

Has external spectrum visualisation
Its filter types are new
Also has brickwall modes

Cons

Improvement required in dynamic EQ implementation

Pro-Q has always been the most important product offered by FabFilter. Dynamic control is Pro-Q 3’s most significant new feature. Any band can add dynamics, allowing them to alter their sound even further.

In addition, there are new filter kinds. The Tilt filter permits the creation of linear slopes between two frequency extremes. With the “full” volume reduction option for the high-pass and low-pass filters, the Brickwall filter offers more extreme filtering than ever before.

The per-band mid/side or left/right processing is an additional innovative element. You will immediately discover that the tone of each band’s mid, side, left, and right signals can be altered independently.

Eventide Blackhole

Subtitle – Best transformative power

TedScore – 10/10

Best Feature – Comes with best-in-class reverb effects

Best For – Someone who wants to simulate spaces out of this world

Price Level – £178.00

Highlights

Has modulation parameters
Small size panel with all the features

Pros

Has easy-to-use interface
Great design
A very streamlined feature set
Has a dedicated function switch

Cons

Slightly expensive

The Blackhole employs an algorithm that has existed for a minimum of ten years. We were surprised by the variety of emotions contained in one box. The machine is well-made, with sturdy metal housing and pots that move smoothly and allow precise control.

In terms of operation, the Blackhole is simpler than the Space and H9 processors, which also have Blackhole-mode sounds. Blackhole is not significantly more difficult than other games due to its well-designed controls.

FabFilter Pro R

Subtitle – Best easy-to-use reverb plugin

TedScore – 10/10

Best Feature – Comes with a unique decay rare EQ

Best For – Someone looking to create a very accurate space

Price Level – £149.00

Highlights

A non-technical label intuitive interface
Comes with 6-band post-EQ
Has manual pre-delay control

Pros

Has great unified space controls
Awesome decay rate EQ
Comes with 150 presets
Control knobs are easy to use

Cons

Does not have the same recreations of vintage plates

This company simplifies intricate controls and one-of-a-kind features into a brand-specific, user-friendly interface. It is one of the best plugins in the market. As with the rest of the FabFilter plugins, Pro-R is an ergonomic delight.

FabFilter Pro R’s interface is vintage, with fingernailed knobs and a colourful edge-to-edge dynamic EQ occupying most of the space. The UI will be familiar to any FabFilter user.

Each control employs a combination of numbers and descriptions instead of relying solely on a numerical system. Because there is so little latency, all changes are instantaneous, without pops, clicks, or significant CPU drains.

Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Bundle

Subtitle – Best digital reverberation

TedScore – 8/10

Best Feature – Comes with 220 amazing presets

Best For – Percussions and vocals

Price Level – £169.00

Highlights

Has 4 classic reverb plugin
Has full parameter control
Has multi-platform compatibility

Pros

It has great sound quality
It is versatile
Has various awesome reverb presets

Cons

Comes with no surround support

Lexicon reverb is a very important part of how modern recorded electronic music sounds. The algorithms and presets of the Lexicon PCM96 hardware reverb are used in PCM Bundle. Its best plug-ins are easy to use, and the controls are simple and well thought out.

It’s important to note that it doesn’t have all of the effects that the PCM96 does, but reverbs are pretty clear. The PCM Bundle comes in VST, AU, and RTAS formats, and it is protected by an iLok dongle that is easy to install.

Eventide Omnipressor Compressor Plugin

Subtitle – Best dynamic range

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – Comes with three pre-threshold attenuation settings

Best For – Someone looking for a noise gate

Price Level – £109.99

Highlights

You can add vibe, punch, and character
Has expanded continuous range
Many presets

Pros

Give sharp compression
Very flexible limiting controls
Gain metering is amazing
Has bass music cut option
Also comes with a reverse setting

Cons

All the processes are mutually exclusive

The Omnipressor will not let you down if you need an easy compressor to pump and breathe with. Most software compressors and limiters are either transparent or have their unique sound.

The Omnipressor is almost certainly the second one and is the best. It has many creative options when used with solo or mixed drum tracks. With Dynamic Reversal, music producers can use a steering wheel to change the sound’s level and length.

The Function control is the first thing you’ll notice when you open an Omnipressor for the first time. It works as a control that moves from gating (fully counterclockwise) to expansion and then to unity at 12 o’clock.

Omnipressor may not be the first choice for clear processing, but it has great effects. It’s great that this classic design is now available as a native plug-in.

Fabfilter Pro C2

Subtitle – Best user interface

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – Has 8 compression styles

Best For – Compressing and amplifying different parts of your music

Price Level – £134.00

Highlights

Has customizable HP/LP filters
Very amazing side chain EQ
Has a very smooth lookahead

Pros

Hold up to 500 ms
Comes with a custom knee
Has a very amazing auto-gain
Has the latest compression styles

Cons

Not a good sonic character

The new version of their Pro-C is called FabFilter Pro-C 2. The crazy-flexible side-chain section is the only new thing about this plug-in that made us choose it.

The addition of four more compression styles is also a great addition. With Pro-C 2, FabFilter added Vocal, Mastering, Bus, Punch, and Pumping programs to the original Clean, Classic, and Opto styles.

The completely redesigned GUI has big, easy-to-use controls on top of a helpful background that shows the frequency spectrum and an animated level/knee display. On the far right side, big LED metres make it easy to see what’s going on with your levels and give you a lot of information.

Lindell Audio 7X500VIN 500 Series Compressor

Subtitle – Best parallel compressor

TedScore – 8/10

Best Feature – Has amazing variable mix control

Best For – Someone looking for a reactive plugin

Price Level – £449.00

Highlights

Comes with 3 selectable compressor ratio
Technology is FET-based

Pros

Amazing mix control
Easily blocks out lows
Reclaims the dynamic control

Cons

Quite expensive

The 7X-500VIN “Vintage Edition” compressor incorporates the sound of one of the most widely used compressors of all time into a compact and surprisingly affordable API 500 Series rack module. This FET compressor/limiter from the late 1960s may be modest, but it possesses all the desirable qualities.

Its mix function always returns you to the golden state. The 7X-500VIN contains a high-pass side-chain filter for focusing its response and a mix knob for customising the combination of its dry and wet signals. The 7X-500VIN is a cost-effective compressor.

Klevgrand Kleverb – Algorithmic Reverb

Subtitle – Cheapest reverb plugin

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – Has wet signal modulation

Best For – Someone looking for subtle and emphasised reverb sound

Price Level – £55.99

Highlights

Type-selectable filters for both early and late reflections
0 to 25 seconds decay time
Has a damping filter

Pros

Come with 64 factory presets
Has separate rate and depth parameters
Has built-in ducker for extra clarity

Cons

Sometimes sound metallic

Klevgrand has made a new algorithmic reverb-designed plugin that is both easy to use and powerful. It also works with iOS and PC platforms, which is a bonus.

It has three different room sizes: small, medium, and large. It also has a filter that can be changed to show early or late reflections. In theory, the plugin can do modulation, damping, diffusion, and much more, making any kind of room sound like a real one.

Compression is sometimes used in the studio to get rid of reverb in heavily processed sources so that they sound clearer. Engineers like how Kleverb has built a ducker right into the plug-in.

Reveal Sound Spire

Subtitle – Most versatile soft synth

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – Comes with a unison engine

Best For – Someone into electronic music production

Price Level – £79.00

Highlights

It has a polyphonic soft synths plugin
Has 2 multimode filters
Modulation functions are very flexible

Pros

Has 800+ factory presets
The filters are self resonating
LFOs are amazingly outfitted

Cons

Touchy menus

Without a doubt, this is one of the best VSTs that has ever been made. The reverb is better than what comes with many DAWs, just like the other FX. It has a good range of filters, and the oscillators can make FM, AM, voice tones, and other waveforms, which can be combined in any way.

The sound of each oscillator is set by two drop-down menus: one for choosing the Synthesis Mode and the other for choosing the sample-based waveform to blend with it. Some menus are hard to open and need multiple clicks in specific places. Also, the envelope displays, as they are now, are a waste of space.

Rob Papen Blue 3.0

Subtitle – Best cross-fusion synthesis plugin

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – It has 6 independent oscillators

Best For – Urban music creation

Price Level – £199.00

Highlights

Has two independent routing filters
Comes with 32 step arpeggiator

Pros

X/Y pad is amazing
FM is too good
Comes with wave sequencing
Sample selection is very easy

Cons

Misses sample import

Rob Papen Blue III is amazingly built. It contains 6 oscillators that let you experiment with waveforms and sample handling in several ways to create unique patches. It includes a redesigned interface that makes it simpler to interact with sound design and eliminates menu diving and clutter.

Its on-screen waveform visualizer provides real-time feedback while synth patches are created. It also has rhythmic tools, such as an integrated sequencer and arpeggiator, which provide depth.

Rob Papen and other music experts have compiled over 5,000 presets for Blue III to create an intriguing sonic sandbox. It contains 2 multimode filters that may be configured to operate in parallel or in series, with each filter going to a different location.

Kilohearts Carve EQ

Subtitle – Best for perfect EQ curves

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – Has 31 band graphic input

Best For – Someone who is a music producer

Price Level – £99.00

Highlights

Comes with a match EQ function
Also has a Sculp tool

Pros

Allow you to find frequencies via movable peak
Let you draw detailed and accurate EQ curves
Can recreate the mastering curves of your music album

Cons

You can only use a WAV file

The dynamic graphical interface of Carve EQ makes it easy to make the perfect equalisation curve. Use the Sculpting tool to trim or expand peaking bands with a width that you can change. Use the Pencil tool to draw freehand and the Point Select tool to change curve breakpoints.

Carve EQ also has a responsive spectral analyzer that shows the exact effect of frequency changes on the signal and lets you use genre-specific onboard profiles, imported WAVs, or a live side-chain input as a monitoring reference.

iZotope Trash 2

Subtitle – Most comprehensive distortion plugin

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – Has 100 impulse responses

Best For – Someone who wants to create powerful mixes

Price Level – £78.00

Highlights

Has many distorted sounds
Comes with 300 presets

Pros

Has a customizable waveshaper
Can combine dual and multiband distortion
Very versatile plugin

Cons

Distortion may sound digital sometimes

Trash 2 gives you unprecedented control over distortion and features 6 processing steps. It includes 2 filter modules that provide 6 bands and over 20 filter options, ranging from clean and warm to saturated, screaming, and vowel varieties.

This plugin can alter the sound in subtle or significant ways. You have complete control over the waveshaper-style distortion envelopes, and each one may be applied independently to up to four distinct frequency regions. This allows you to be quite inventive.

u-he Bazille

Subtitle – Best modular synthesizer

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – Comes with 16 voice modular architecture

Best For – Creating your unique sounds

Price Level – £106.00

Highlights

It can run on Linux
Waveshaping abilities are amazing

Pros

Has very powerful oscillators
It is full of features
The price is very reasonable
Architecture is brilliant

Cons

Less presets in the mapping generator

The reason Bazille is so famous is primarily due to its smooth construction. Like its spiritual progenitor, ACE, it cannot distinguish between modulation and incoming audio signals, and any output can be connected to any input.

The four oscillators in Bazille are extremely versatile. The default waveform of each Mapping Generator is cosine. However, it can be changed to one of the two editable Mapping Generators.

These modes are important not only for general pitching but also when the oscillators are employed as FM modulators. It is a viable substitute for a semi-modular hardware system.

TAL U-No-LX

Subtitle – Best DCO-based synthesizer

TedScore – 8/10

Best Feature – Has the best DCO sounds

Best For – Juno synth lovers

Price Level: £60.60

Highlights

Gives you zero playback delay
Has a 24 dB low pass filter

Pros

Offers great sound filtering
Simple to use
Has many sync options

Cons

Lacks in advanced synthesis

The best thing we can say about U-NO-LX is that all the praise usually given to the Juno 60’s sound also applies here. The TAL simulation sounds the most like the real thing we’ve heard.

Its fans will definitely notice small differences, but the sound is so close to the original that most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

U-NO has a large sweet spot, just like the original Juno. Because it is easy to use, it is a good choice for people who are just starting out. This setup is almost perfect for someone who wants to learn how to program a subtractive synthesizer.

Antares Auto-Tune

Subtitle – Best auto-tune plugin

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – Has very low latency

Best For – Someone who wants real-time tracking and live performance

Price Level – £311.00

Highlights

Comes with various auto-tune settings
Has auto and grid mode

Pros

Has real-time auto-tune graph
Has live input low-latency monitoring

Cons

Only monophonic

Since the beginning, Antares Auto-Tune has been the best software for tuning. It was the first plug-in of its kind when it came out in 1997, and many pros still use it today.

Antares has many versions and bundles that grant you access to more tools you can add to your arsenal of vocal production tools. It gives you much control and flexibility, making it a great tool for making small pitch corrections or getting that classic vocal track.

Soundtoys EchoBoy 5.2

Subtitle – Best versatile delay plugin

TedScore – 9/10

Best Feature – Has 30 echo styles

Best For – Musicians and artists

Price Level – £175.50

Highlights

Comes with control saturation, tape flutter, and diffusion
Lets you adjust shuffle, swing, and accent

Pros

Amazing rhythm echo mode
It can create very rich echo delays
Many sounding effects

Cons

Some effects sound cheap

Soundtoys 5 is a great collection of VST plugins that make making music creative and fun. Every plugin works well and sounds great. Its AlterBoy works really well on vocal buses and is all over pop music right now.

They make the process of making music a lot of fun for a music producer. With the turn of a knob, you can do things you might not have thought of in pre-production. Give the Decapitator and Little AlterBoy a chance, even if you can’t justify the price.

Baby Audio Comeback Kid

Subtitle – Best cheap delay plugin

TedScore – 8/10

Best Feature – Has 61 presets

Best For – Someone who wants to convert dull sound or vocals

Price Level – £44.10

Highlights

Comes with 14 control parameters
Amazingly made analog-flavored plugin

Pros

It has no hidden menus
It sounds great
Prest’s range is amazing
The sound is good and varied

Cons

Improvement required in flavour options

Comeback Kid is a one-stop shop for delay and tools that work with delay. This saves you the trouble of setting up a chain of effects behind the repeats. Comeback Kid is ready to take one of your top spots for delays. It has all the old tricks and a few new ones.

The controls are carefully placed where you need them. This delay is at the top of the food chain because of how many different sounds and textures it can make. Comeback Kid differs from the usual delay VST plugins and is great for music production.

Steven Slate Drums 5

Subtitle – Most affordable drum plugin

TedScore – 8/10

Best Feature – Has 148 drum kits

Best For – Auditioning drum sounds

Price Level – £106.00

Highlights

Amazing MIDI integration
Very powerful drum tones

Pros

Has affordable price
Has many sounds

Cons

Lacks customization

Steven Slate Drums 5 has a brand-new user interface, a better algorithm for performance, and more than 50 new native instruments. The Deluxe 2 collection has the most detailed instruments. It has more velocities, alternate hits, and articulations than its predecessors.

SSD 5 is great for rock and metal music and has many great kits for other types of music. This is a must-have for producers of rock and metal who use sampled drums a lot.

Sonible Smart: EQ 3

Subtitle – Best AI plugin

TedScore – 8/10

Best Feature – Has intelligent cross-channel processing

Best For – Someone in love with AI plugins

Price Level – £69.99

Highlights

It is a 24-band EQ
Comes with an AI assistant
Has intelligent cross-channel processing
Gives tonal clarity

Pros

Has a smart filter
Helps in spectral mixing
Has great EQ settings

Cons

Has a problem with iLok

Smart EQ 3 is an intelligent equalizer plugin that is powered by AI. It can analyse your audio and make decisions about how to fix it for you. It can help calm down annoying resonances and improve the balance of your tracks as a whole.

It doesn’t influence an EQ curve on your music as other AI EQs do. Instead, it adapts to the profile of the genre you choose. It can be used for Rock, Pop, and even Classical music. Smart EQ can do anything, which makes it one of the best VST plugins out there.

XLN Audio RC-20 Retro Color

Subtitle – Best for old-school music

TedScore – 8/10

Best Feature – Amazing reverb controls

Best For – Best for someone into vintage music

Price Level – £85.60

Highlights

Comes with a focus filter
Has standard reverb controls

Pros

You can make anything sound old
Has amazing processors
Has best plugins

Cons

A superfluous space module

This is one of the best VST plugins out there. The RC-20 is, without a doubt, the best way to listen to old and retro music. Producers and sound designers will love how quickly and easily it can be changed.

There are 6 effect modules for the RC-20. These modules do what you’d expect them to do, and each one gives you several style options and variable control over a few key parameters.

Sonnox Toolbox Claro

Subtitle – Most innovative EQ plug-in

TedScore – 8/10

Best Feature – Plano keyboard along each term

Best For – Beginners looking to create music

Price Level – £131.85

Highlights

User-friendly and powerful EQ
Has very accurate EQ processing

Pros

Great auto-gain feature
Amazing style EQ

Cons

You may overuse the tools

Claro achieves all of its objectives. It is a complete equalizer, and each of the three views provides something useful. High and low bands can be switched between peak and shelving modes. It has a place in every list of the best VST plugins.

Claro possesses a second EQ curve for the mid-side domain. When the plug-in is applied to a stereo recording, this curve is accessible. Claro’s processing is incredibly clean and precise, which is generally a good thing but may turn off those who prefer EQs with more colour and personality.

Eventide Tricerachorus

Subtitle – Best effect plugins

TedScore – 8/10

Best Feature – Has a BBD-style delay

Best For – Performing deep modulation

Price Level – £99.00

Highlights

Has bucket brigade delay style
Has 3 modes of operation

Pros

It sounds amazing
Has many effects
Modulation editing is very easy

Cons

Lacks some button labelling

The TriceraChorus accepts mono or stereo input and outputs stereo for a full spatial effect. It can function properly while having only a mono output.

There are so many different sounds that it’s easy to get lost, but experimenting with the EDM’s 65 factory presets is a great way to learn how the different parameters interact. It also has 5 presets that may be accessed instantly through footswitches.

Cherry Audio Synth Stack 3

Subtitle – Best stacked synthesizer

TedScore – 8/10

Best Feature – Come with over 6,000 presets

Best For – Someone looking for a complete virtual instrument collection

Price Level – £269.99

Highlights

Has 16 virtual native instruments
Has 13 vintage synthesizer emulations

Pros

Has 2 original synthesizer
Has a massive synthesizer platform

Cons

Quite pricey

Synth Stack 3 comes with 16 virtual instruments from Cherry Audio at a shockingly low price. It is no doubt one of the best VST plugins out there.

It brings back the GX-1’s extra features and adds them to its descendant’s functions. They also brought the synth into the 21st century by adding many new features that make using the DCO-106 a truly unique experience.

Best plug-in for a small budget

Fabfilter Pro-C2 is one of the best plugins you can get for a small budget. It costs only £/$120-140,in return for amazing compression features and amazing audio quality.

Best plug-in for mixing vocals

Antares Auto-Tune is the best VST plug-in for mixing vocals and vocal processing. Antares has many imposters, some of whom are strong competitors. But as of 2023, Antares is still the best.

Best plug-in for professional mixing

iZotope Ozone 10 Standard is the best plugin for professional mixing and mastering. Master recordings now sound more even and spacious in music production, thanks to the new modules, both in terms of dynamic range and width.

The benefits of plugin bundles

You can save money

Bundles might look like a huge investment for you in one go. But when you compare the cost of each plugin combined together, it is way more than the price of bundles. So in the long run, bundles can save money for audio engineers in music production.

Get hardware

While buying the bundle, you sometimes have the chance to get the hardware components along with the software components. This usually happens in the case of audio interfaces and keyboard controllers.

Extras to consider

As three little bonus plugins, we also love these – they’re fabulous, not too expensive, and do their job really well:

FabFilter Pro-L2 – Best plugins for mixing and mastering
Oxford Inflator – Best plugins for adding punch and volume
TDR Limiter 6 GE – Best plugins for dynamic compression and limiting

Summary – 31 Best VST Plugins

This is it! These were the 31 best VST plugins in the market for you. Producers, mixing and mastering engineers, and other music industry creatives will utilize most of these VST plugins. But don’t panic. you don’t have to buy them all at once!

Make a shortlist of the ones you need the most, and start from there.

Please do drop us a comment below and let us know which plugins you’ve chosen.

Good luck!