The list below features the best free virtual instruments and effects for your studio.
1. Vital
Vital is a spectral warping wavetable synthesizer by Matt Tytel. It is the best free synthesizer and one of the most popular free VST plugins ever released.
With a feature set that matches the world’s most popular virtual instruments, such as Xfer Serum and NI Massive, Vital is a welcome addition to any music producer’s plugin arsenal.
One of Vital’s best features is its user interface. Despite its complex synthesis engine, the instrument is intuitive and easy to use.
Thanks to its freeware status, you can download dozens of free soundbanks for Vital.
There are also hundreds of synthesis tutorials on YouTube starring Vital, making it the best free synth for beginners and experienced music producers.
2. Surge XT by Surge Synth Team
Surge XT is an open-source synthesizer for experienced sound designers. The plugin is versatile and complex, offering a wide selection of synthesis modes, a robust modulation engine, and numerous filter types.
At its core, Surge XT is a subtractive hybrid synthesizer. However, it features complex oscillators that utilize various synthesis techniques to generate sound. There are twelve different algorithms, including frequency modulation, wavetables, S&H, and audio input.
The instrument comes with 2,285 presets, so there are plenty of sounds to get you started if you’re not interested in designing patches from scratch.
Surge XT was recently ported to JUCE, delivering improved performance and other optimizations. It is a stable, complex, and versatile virtual synthesizer that covers all the basics.
If you’re producing any genre of electronic music, Surge is a free VST plugin you should definitely have in your arsenal.
3. Just a Sample by Binyamin Friedman
Just a Sample is the best freeware sampler for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It features a straightforward interface and all the necessary features for creative sampling in a DAW.
At the same time, Just a Sample won’t scare away beginners with dozens of unnecessary and complicated options. It is easy to pick up and learn in a matter of minutes.
It strikes the perfect balance between functionality and ease of use. You can use it for simple sample playback or diving into the nitty-gritty with sample mangling and sound design.
Most importantly, Just a Sample is a fully cross-platform VST plugin. You can use it in any plugin host, regardless of your operating system.
4. Komplete Start by Native Instruments
Komplete Start is a free VST plugin bundle by Native Instruments. It contains several virtual instruments and effects, including the industry-standard Kontakt Player plugin.
Kontakt Player is one of the most widely used sample players. It is the free version of Kontakt, Native Instruments’ flagship sampler. To help you get started, we created a list of free Kontakt libraries for Kontakt Player.
The free Komplete Start collection also includes a set of NI Reaktor instruments (LazerBass, Carbon 2, and TRK-01) and the Supercharger compressor effect. It’s one of the best free plugin bundles you can download to start making music immediately.
The most recent Komplete Start update added the iZotope Ozone 11 Mastering EQ and several other essential plugins to the bundle.
5. TDR Nova by Tokyo Dawn Labs
TDR Nova is a free parallel dynamic equalizer plugin developed by Tokyo Dawn Labs. It is the ultimate EQ and one of the best free VSTs for mixing.
You can use TDR Nova as a basic parametric EQ or a super surgical dynamic EQ to handle complex audio signals. It works equally well for mixing and mastering.
Thanks to its robust feature set, TDR Nova can handle parametric equalization, dynamic equalization, and even multiband compression.
TDR Nova is the first pick if you’re looking for a go-to equalizer for your VST plugin collection. It’s user-friendly, versatile, and freeware.
6. Limiter №6 by Vladislav Goncharov
Limiter №6 is the best free limiter plugin. It offers five stages (compressor, peak limiter, HF limiter, clipper, and protection), each designed to reduce the signal’s dynamic range as transparently as possible.
If you’re looking for a powerful mastering limiter, Limiter №6 is the freeware VST plugin worth downloading. It can handle the most complex of signals with ease.
One of its best qualities is its transparent sound. Limiter №6 slightly compresses the signal in each stage, resulting in a natural-sounding signal on the output.
Other excellent alternatives are LoudMax by Thomas Mundt and Unlimited by Sonic Anomaly.
More info: Limiter №6
7. Decent Sampler
Decent Sampler is a sample-based free VST plugin. It is an easy-to-use sample player with many freely downloadable sound libraries.
The instrument includes an acoustic piano patch by default, but you can expand it with hundreds of free sounds, including violins, brass, drums, and much more.
For example, you can download over 100 free Pianobook sample libraries formatted for Decent Sampler. More sound banks are released every month.
Decent Sampler is one of the best free VST plugins for musicians who need a wide selection of sampled acoustic instruments. It’s a terrific starting point if you’re not ready to invest in a paid version of Native Instruments Kontakt.
LABS is another decent option for sample-based instruments, but a recent update made it less convenient than it used to be.
8. Valhalla SuperMassive by Valhalla DSP
Valhalla SuperMassive is a free delay and reverb effect designed by Valhalla DSP. This is the best free VST to download if you’re looking for huge reverbs, massive delays, and endless echoes.
Sound designers will appreciate Valhalla SuperMassive’s unique delay algorithms. Each mode offers a different reverb character, ranging from abstract chambers to sci-fi atmospheres.
Visit the product page on the developer’s website for more information about each delay mode. However, this is one of those plugins you’ll probably enjoy using even without reading the manual.
SuperMassive’s latest update adds two more reverb algorithms, making it one of the most versatile free VST plugins.
Valhalla SuperMassive is one of the best-sounding reverb effects currently available. Be sure to check out Valhalla DSP’s free Valhalla Space Modulator plugin.
9. FerricTDS mkII by Variety Of Sound
FerricTDS mkII is the best free tape saturation effect. It simulates the saturation and dynamic range reduction properties of analog tape.
FerricTDS compresses the signal, adds analog-style saturation, and smooths out the transients. It is an essential free VST plugin for music producers who want a “more analog” sound in their DAW.
FerricTDS mkII sports a well-designed user interface with a simple control layout. Adjust the Dynamics and Saturation knobs while monitoring the gain reduction meter. Once you’re happy with the result, fine-tune the Trim knob to add some volume.
There are two saturation modes (Modern and Classic), and the limiter
module on the output prevents clipping.
FerricTDS mkII is now compatible with all 64-bit plugin hosts on Windows.
10. Kilohearts Essentials
Kilohearts Essentials is a collection of free VST plugins that cover most mixing and sound design tasks. The bundle includes 32 plugins with streamlined interfaces and basic but carefully selected features.
The collection is a great starting point if you’re building your plugin arsenal from scratch. It includes delays, reverbs, compressors, limiters, and some less common tools like pitch shifters and modulators.
Kilohearts Essentials were designed for use in Kilohearts’ modular plugin hosts, but they work just as well in any DAW capable of hosting VST plugins. Despite their simple looks, Kilohearts plugins use high-quality DSP algorithms that provide great-sounding results.
So, if you want to cover all effects with a single download, Kilohearts Essentials is an excellent choice.