BEST FREEWARE PLUGINS 2023 (THE ULTIMATE GUIDE)
I always used to believe that freeware plugins just can’t be as good as the paid options. But oh boy, how wrong I was! Sure, there are a lot of freeware plugins that just don’t have a great sound but there are now also plenty of freeware plugins available that can easily compete with paid products. I regularly use many of these and hence I wanted to recommend those that I use to you. Those freeware plugins are sometimes offered by independent programmers but often times big plugin companies offer a high quality freeware plugin to attract customers. Anyway, enough words, here’s my list of the best freeware plugins in 2023.
Synths
Vital
Vital is an awesome synthesiser that can compete with its paid competitor: Serum! It offers a waveform morphing feature that's both powerful and unique. The GUI is neat and reminds me a lot of Serum while keeping a unique twist to the concept. There are great sound banks for this synth out there too. Highly recommended!
Dynamics
Xfer OTT
A true classic from Xfer Records in the freeware world! Serving many best-selling artists in the EDM genre and sub-genres since years! OTT has a very distinctive sound with its upward and downward compression and the phasing modulation it introduces. Brings your sound to the forefront! But be careful, you can easily overdo it. I always dial it back quite a bit.
Rough Rider 3
Rough Rider 3 has a very distinctive sound. It is a vintage-style compressor that adds colour to whichever track you apply it to. I often use it on kicks, to give them more dominance and punch in the mid frequency area. Works wonders and one of my secret weapons when it comes to kick processing!
Saturation
Fire Multiband Saturation
This plugin is a hidden gem that lets you saturate different frequency bands independently, just like Saturn 2 by Fabfilter but FOR FREE! I actually couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw and heard this plugin. It’s so good that I wouldn’t buy Saturn 2 anymore if I didn’t have already.
Softube Saturation Knob
An oldie but goldie. Softube's Saturation Knob has a great sound and I often used it on my basslines.
EQ
Luftikus
To be honest, EQ’s are the only exception where I think that in 99.9% of the cases, paid versions are better than freeware. However, there is one exception and that’s the Luftikus VST! This digital adaptation of an analog EQ offers transparent sound-shaping capabilities and is very similar to the Mäag EQ 2 / 4 by Plugin Alliance. With the analog setting on, the sound is almost 1:1. It even adds certain functionalities that I miss with Mäag EQ like “Keep Gain” or 0.1 steps in dB (instead of 0.5 steps like with Mäaag EQ).
Chorus/Flanger
Xfer Dimension Expander
Known as an effect within Serum, Dimension Expander has gained popularity as a great mixing tool as it increases the stereo width and creates depth and space in the mix.
Izotope Vocal Doubler
Instantly double up your vocals with this intuitive plugin. I honestly use this in every vocal production I do these days. It’s awesome to thicken up your chorus, especially on the harmonies and double takes.
OZSoft Xpander
The freeware plugin from Ummet Ozcan! Unfortunately, it doesn’t work on M1 MacBooks hence I wasn’T able to test this one yet. But I heard many great things! Worth a try.
Valhalla Space Modulator
This offers a myriad of modulation possibilities. Space Modulator is Valhalla’s flanger plugin and coming from Valhalla, you already that it’s going to be good!
Stereo Width / Panning
Transpanner
Shape and move sounds in the stereo field using Transpanner.
DMG TrackControl
This versatile tool offers panning, stereo width control, negative and positive delay (which can be very useful for clap tracks and other tracks that you want slightly off). So even if you have Ableton and think, that Utility offers all of that: No, it’s doesn't.
Ozone Imager 2
Enrich your stereo image with Ozone's Imager 2. Also great to put on the master and checking your stereo width.
Polyverse Wider 2
Expand your stereo image without phase issues with Wider 2. Polyverse also introduced a mono button and a low bypass know now which is pretty awesome and definitely two of the things that were missing. I use this plugin in every single of my productions, without exceptions.
Delay
Deelay
A straightforward, easy-to-use delay plugin with an awesome effect section and the most amazing thing that lots of paid deli’s don’t offer: ducking (if you want it). Even just playing around with it gives you so many creative ideas. This is an absolute monster and a must-have!
Valhalla Freq Echo
A frequency shifting, analog echo emulation from ValhallaDSP. I absolutely love this delay plugin. I often use it very creatively in my DR. DRTY tracks. It helps making long, weird echos that keeps things interesting. Can also work amazingly on vocals, to make them sound a bit more dirty or devil’ish even!
Reverb
Valhalla Supermassive
Get massive reverbs and expansive washes with Supermassive. Some paid plugins don’t even reach this quality! Definitely worth checking out.
Measuring Tools
s(M)exoscope
s(M)exoscope is an oscilloscope plugin. Very useful when you check for phase issues between kick and bassline for example.
Youlean Loudness Meter 2
Measure your track's loudness precisely with this tool.
Volume Shaping
Flux Mini 2
Looking for a volume shaper that does the exact same thing as LFOTool or ShaperBox? Especially if you want to simulate a side chain compression from the kick? Then look no further. Flux Mini 2 offers almost identical functionalities. Really, an awesome tool!
Various
A1 TriggerGate
A sequencer-based gate effect, A1 TriggerGate can add rhythm and movement. I have been using this one for years and it can make very interesting gated effects.
KSHMR Essentials Kick
Shape your kicks to perfection with this plugin. It’s honestly my go-to plugin when the kick isn’t sounding just right yet. However, one annoying part is that it increases the loudness by a lot, so you always have to dial down afterwards.
Slate Digital Fresh Air
Add brilliance and shine to any track with Fresh Air, a brilliant exciter plugin. It can especially work on vocals, guitars and violins. The installation is honestly a little bit annoying. They require you to sign up for a user account, you need to have an iLok and issue an authorisation to Slate Digital, then install their chunky Slate Digital Connect software. A little much for a freeware plugin.
Wavesfactory Flash
Wavesfactory is one of my favourite plugin companies. Flash is an amazing transient shaper. The sound is brilliant and what I really like about this one is the mid/side functionality. You can make some interesting alterations to your sounds this way.
Polyverse Filtron
The sound of this filter plugin is really great. You can also gradually switch from low pass to bandpass to high pass. This is pretty new and I have never seen this before. I only discovered Filtron recently, but it may replace my Fabfilter Simplon plugin, that I usually use.
Having trouble adding those VST’s to your DAW because of Apple’s security mechanisms?
I was having lots of trouble adding certain freeware VSTs because of security issues. Even approving them via my security settings didn’t make it work. But I found the following YouTube video that explains the - rather complicated - process of getting the plugins to work:
Conclusion
Some of these freeware plugins are too good to be true! Honestly, what some of these companies offer as freeware plugins (to get potential customers to visit their website or register) is really awesome.