samplerNative Instruments
Battery 4
A kit-based drum sampler built for detailed, playable kits: up to 128 layered cells, round robins, layering and per-cell effects, plus a large library of curated, ready-to-go kits across every genre.
Best House VST Plugins
Warm basslines, swung drums and filtered chords, the plugins that define house, from deep and soulful to peak-time tech house.
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sampler
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.
effectD16 Group
Decimort 2
A bitcrusher and sample-rate reducer that emulates the colouration and aliasing of classic vintage hardware samplers, adding warmth, grit and lo-fi character to any sound.
synthu-he
Diva
A CPU-heavy but breathtaking analogue synthesizer emulation. Five oscillator models, four filter models, each borrowed from legendary hardware. The most realistic virtual analogue available.
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.
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.
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.
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.
synthu-he
Repro-5
A faithful emulation of the Sequential Prophet-5, the synthesizer behind countless classic pop and new wave records. Warm, organic, and never clinical.
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.
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.
samplerSpectrasonics
Trilian
Spectrasonics' total bass module, acoustic, electric and synth basses in a deeply playable 34GB instrument. A reference for realistic and powerful bass across genres.
effectValhalla DSP
Valhalla Delay
Sixteen delay modes, tape echo emulation, diffusion, and a feedback path that turns a simple repeat into a soundscape. Essential for ambient and electronic production.
effectValhalla DSP
Valhalla Room
Twelve reverb algorithms that cover everything from tight rooms to infinite pads. The best price-to-quality reverb on the market, a permanent fixture in every producer's chain.
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.
33 curated House plugins.
Popular comparisons
Serum 2 vs VitalSerum 2 vs DivaSerum 2 vs Sylenth1Decapitator vs FabFilter Saturn 2Serum 2 vs DUNE 3Vital vs DexedFabFilter Pro-Q 4 vs Oxford EQSerum 2 vs Pigments 7Serum 2 vs Massive XDiva vs Repro-5Sylenth1 vs SpireXO vs Battery 4Serum 2 vs Phase PlantSoothe 2 vs Smooth Operator ProValhalla Room vs Valhalla SupermassiveOmnisphere 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