Are you looking for free VST plugins (or AU, AAX…) to mix your tracks?
There are excellent paid software options for mixing and mastering.
However, for a home studio, if you need to buy compressors, EQs, reverbs, etc., the necessary budget can quickly become substantial. Too substantial, even!
Fortunately, there are free options — and you will find a selection of the best ones below, along with a video about my favorite plugins! 🙂
The Best Free VSTs
All that’s left is for you to choose: happy downloading! 🙂
- Bitcrushers
- Chorus
- Clippers
- Compressors
- Multiband Compressors
- De-Essers
- Delays
- Distortions
- Stereo Effects — coming soon
- Equalizers (EQ)
- Flangers — coming soon
- Noise Gates / Expanders
- Limiters
- Phaser — coming soon
- Reverbs
- Saturation
- Guitar Amp Simulations (and the corresponding cabinet impulses)
- Transient Shaper
- Utilities
And although it’s not really a plugin, don’t forget to try our dear ProfesseurEQ, a completely free tool designed by Projet Home Studio to help you recognize frequencies:
Are Free Plugins Inferior?
The question is legitimate and logical: if these plugins are free, does it mean they are less effective, less “pro” than their paid counterparts?
The answer is clear: not at all.
Sure, I won’t say they are all perfect. In fact, even some paid effects are of poor quality.
However, there are a number of plugins that stand out because they are truly of professional quality. That is to say, you can mix your music with them just as well as with other paid software.
How is this possible?
I see at least three explanations/possible situations:
- some plugins are free because they are stripped-down versions of paid VSTs;
- others are free simply because a brand uses them to gain recognition;
- finally, some are developed by hobbyists who have solid knowledge in signal processing and want to share their creations with others.
All these situations can lead to the production of excellent quality plugins.
So, happy downloading! And don’t forget to organize your plugins well…