effectAntares
Auto-Tune Pro
The original and industry-standard vocal pitch correction. Auto Mode for real-time tuning and the signature hard-tune effect, Graph Mode for detailed note editing, plus Flex-Tune and Humanize for natural results.
Best EDM VST Plugins
From festival-ready supersaws to punchy drops, these are the synths, effects and mixing tools behind modern EDM and main-stage records.
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effect
effectSoundtoys
Decapitator
Five analog saturation models, from subtle tube warmth to all-out distortion, with a one-knob drive and the famous Punish button. The go-to for adding analog character to anything.
effectSoundtoys
Devil-Loc Deluxe
An extreme compressor and limiter modelled on the Shure Level-Loc, built for aggressive drum crush and parallel smash. Slam transients and add grit that cuts through a dense mix.
synthSynapse Audio
DUNE 3
A powerful synth combining virtual analog, wavetable and FM with a huge unison engine. A trance and EDM workhorse known for fat supersaws, evolving pads and a clean, modern sound.
effectSoundtoys
EchoBoy
The studio-standard delay: four delay modes, 30 vintage echo styles (EchoPlex, Space Echo, Memory Man) and Groove/Feel controls that make repeats sit musically with the track.
effectFabFilter
FabFilter Pro-C 3
The studio-standard compressor with program-dependent styles and refined metering, from transparent bus glue to hard, punchy limiting.
effectFabFilter
FabFilter Pro-L 2
The mastering limiter of choice for commercial releases. True peak limiting, eight limiting algorithms, and loudness metering to LUFS standards.
effectFabFilter
FabFilter Pro-Q 4
The reference EQ, now with spectral dynamics, an instance list, EQ Sketch and vintage saturation. Linear phase, dynamic bands and a gorgeous spectrum display.
effectFabFilter
FabFilter Saturn 2
A multiband saturation and distortion powerhouse: up to six bands, 28 styles from subtle tube to bit-crush, plus a deep modulation system. The flexible counterpart to a one-knob saturator.
effectMcDSP
FilterBank HD v7
Three professional EQ and filter plug-ins in one, parametric, shelving and steep filter models with deep control for mixing and mastering.
effectAuburn Sounds
Graillon 3
A free live voice changer and pitch corrector with the instant hard-tune sound built in. The standard free entry into Auto-Tune-style vocals, with pitch-tracking modulation for creative voice design; a paid full edition unlocks the extras.
effectSoundtheory
Gullfoss
An intelligent EQ that listens to your audio and rebalances the spectrum in real time, bringing out clarity and detail while preserving natural dynamics. Two controls, instant results, a mix-bus and mastering favourite.
synthSonic Academy
Kick 2
A dedicated kick drum synthesizer with pitch envelope, click layer, noise layer, and built-in distortion. Sculpts the perfect 4-on-the-floor kick in minutes.
effectKilohearts
Kilohearts Essentials
Kilohearts' free bundle: the Snap Heap modular effects host plus 30+ snap-in effects, filters, delays, choruses and more, patchable in any order with flexible modulation. A free construction kit for movement and multi-effect chains.
samplerNative Instruments
Kontakt 8
The industry-standard sampler platform that hosts thousands of factory and third-party instrument libraries. The universal engine behind most orchestral, drum and texture libraries.
synthNative Instruments
Massive X
NI's next-generation wavetable synth. Phase modulation, a dual-filter path, and a modulation system built for complex, evolving textures and hard-hitting bass.
effectMeldaProduction
MAutoPitch
MeldaProduction's free automatic pitch corrector: speed, depth and formant-shift controls for natural-sounding vocal tuning. The go-to free pick when the goal is transparent correction rather than an audible effect.
effectCelemony
Melodyne 5 Studio
The deepest pitch and timing editor, with note-by-note control and DNA polyphonic editing of chords. The studio standard for transparent, natural tuning and detailed audio manipulation.
synthSpectrasonics
Omnisphere
A flagship hybrid synth and sound library spanning synthesis, granular, and thousands of sampled sources. The go-to for cinematic textures, evolving pads and inspiring patches across every genre.
effectXfer Records
OTT
The free multiband upward/downward compressor that defined the Skrillex-era EDM sound. A single knob for depth, from subtle glue to aggressive smash.
effectSonnox
Oxford Dynamic EQ
A 5-band dynamic equaliser with Type-3 EQ curves and threshold or transient-based processing, surgical control on sources, groups or the master bus.
effectSonnox
Oxford EQ
A 5-band parametric equaliser descended from the EQ section of the Sony OXF-R3 console, with four selectable EQ types for transparent corrective and tonal shaping in mixing and mastering.
effectiZotope
Ozone 12 Elements
AI-powered mastering made simple. Master Assistant builds a starting chain with the IRC 5 maximiser, EQ, dynamics and imaging, streaming-loud masters in minutes.
synthKilohearts
Phase Plant
A modular hybrid synthesizer, stack oscillators, samplers, and wavetables in any configuration. The most flexible synth architecture available at this price.
synthArturia
Pigments 7
A flagship hybrid synth with six engines, wavetable, virtual analog, granular, sampling and more, and a colour-coded, drag-and-drop modulation workflow. The most-cited modern Serum alternative.
effectOutput
Portal
A granular FX plugin that chops, scrambles, and time-stretches any audio signal in real time. Extreme texture effects from subtle shimmer to full granular chaos.
midiScaler Music
Scaler 3
A music-theory workstation that detects your key and scale, suggests chords and progressions, and performs them back, from beginner chord help to advanced harmonic exploration.
synthXfer Records
Serum 2
The industry-standard wavetable synthesizer. Drag-and-drop wavetable editing, a world-class effects rack, and a modulation system that makes complex patches intuitive.
effectCableguys
ShaperBox 3
Eleven drawable multiband effects, Volume, Time, Drive, Filter, Crush, Pan, Width, Liquid, Reverb, Pitch and Noise, in one visual plugin. The go-to for rhythmic sidechain, stutters and movement.
effectBaby Audio
Smooth Operator Pro
Resonance suppression, dynamic EQ and spectral shaping in one fast, intuitive plugin. Its FFT engine analyses audio thousands of times a second to lift harshness from vocals, busses and full mixes.
effectoeksound
Soothe 2
The industry-standard dynamic resonance suppressor: it tames harsh, ringing frequencies only when and where they occur, surgical de-harshing for vocals, busses and masters without dulling the source.
effectoeksound
Soothe 3
The successor to the resonance-suppression standard: a sharper, more musical algorithm with multichannel support, offset controls and a new detail knob for even more surgical, transparent de-harshing.
effectSoundtoys
Soundtoys Effect Rack
A modular rack that chains any of the Soundtoys effects into one signal path, with a global mix and per-effect controls. Build distorted delays, vibey vocal chains and parallel processing in seconds.
synthReveal Sound
Spire
Four oscillators, four filters, and a sound that sits in a mix without fighting for space. A go-to for progressive house and trance leads that cut through.
synthSurge Synth Team
Surge XT
A free, open-source hybrid synthesizer, subtractive, wavetable, FM and additive across dual scenes, with 2800+ patches and 27 effect types. Astonishingly deep for nothing.
synthLennarDigital
Sylenth1
The classic virtual analogue synthesizer that defined the EDM and house sound of the 2010s. Smooth, warm oscillators and a famously easy workflow.
effectTokyo Dawn Records
TDR Nova
A free parallel dynamic equalizer, four fully dynamic bands that work as EQ and multiband compressor in one. The budget answer to surgical, transparent tonal control beside Soothe and Gullfoss.
effectOutput
Thermal
A multi-stage distortion effect with eight distortion engines in series. Goes from subtle harmonic saturation to total destruction, all with a single wet/dry knob.
synthVital Audio
Vital
A spectral-warping wavetable synthesizer with a fluid, modern modulation workflow, drag any control onto any parameter to modulate it. The free tier is the full engine; paid tiers only add wavetables and presets. The go-to free Serum alternative.
synthVengeance Sound
VPS Avenger 2
A flagship polyphonic synth with wavetable, FM, granular and spectral engines, deep modulation, a huge effects rack and built-in drum sequencing.
samplerXLN Audio
XO
A drum-sample organiser that maps your entire library onto a visual galaxy so similar sounds cluster together, plus a built-in sequencer for building beats. The modern way to wrangle thousands of one-shots.
synthu-he
Zebra3
u-he's flagship modular synthesizer rebuilt from the ground up, spline-wavetable, physical and analogue modelling on one patchable canvas. The lineage behind countless cinematic scores.
42 curated EDM plugins.
Popular comparisons
Serum 2 vs VitalSerum 2 vs DivaSerum 2 vs Sylenth1Decapitator vs FabFilter Saturn 2Soothe 2 vs GullfossAuto-Tune Pro vs Melodyne 5 StudioSerum 2 vs DUNE 3Vital vs DexedFabFilter Pro-Q 4 vs Oxford EQSerum 2 vs Pigments 7Serum 2 vs Massive XSylenth1 vs SpireXO vs Battery 4Serum 2 vs Phase PlantSoothe 2 vs Smooth Operator ProOmnisphere vs Serum 2EchoBoy vs Valhalla DelayOmnisphere vs Pigments 7Surge XT vs VitalPhase Plant vs Pigments 7Diva vs OmnisphereDiva vs Pigments 7Gullfoss vs Smooth Operator ProMassive X vs Pigments 7Phase Plant vs Vital