Here is the SYNTH ANATOMY list of the best free Synthesizer plugins for PC & Mac ranging from virtual analog, FM, percussive to modular synthesis concepts!
Free Synthesizer Plugin Highlight 2021: Vital
Vital Synthesizer is like Serum but for everyone. It is one of the best free synthesizer plugins for PC / Mac available today. Wavetable synthesis merged with innovative features and top-notch sound quality equivalent to the big commercial plugins, but affordable for everyone. Better than cracking VST plugins. Furthermore, Vital does not spy on you, nor does it install unsafe software on your system in the background. It’s safe and complex enough to occupy you for months or years.
If you want more ready-to-use sounds, you can do this by buying a bundle and support at the same the developers work.
Vital is a wavetable powerhorse: 3 oscillators, sample slot, two filters with 32 types, 3 envelopes, 4 audio-rate LFOs, and more. A plug-in with which every hobby and professional musician can design varied sounds without spending a lot of money. Thus, it’s a must-have for every musician. The full article about Vital is available here.
Virtual Analog Synthesizers
| Developer | Plugin | Sound Demo | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| discoDSP | OB-Xd 2.0 | VST, VST3, AU (AAX with license) |
|
| Full Bucket Music | Fury-800 | SD | VST, AU |
| Togu Audio Line (TAL) | TAL-Noisemaker v4 | SD | VST, VST3, AU, AAX |
| U-he | Tyrell N6 | SD | VST, AU, AAX |
| U-he | Podolski | VST, VST3, AU, AAX |
|
| Ichiro Toda | Synth1 | VST, AU | |
| Futucraft | Kairatune | VST, AU | |
| Greenoak | Crystal | VST, AU | |
| Matt Tytel | Helm Synthesizer | VST, VST & AU LV2 (Linux) |
|
| Archetype Instruments | Lokomotiv | SD | VST, AU |
| Steinberg | Model E | VST | |
| KV331 Audio | Synthmaster Player Free | VST, AU, AAX | |
| Martin Lüders | PG-8X | SD | VST |
| Yooz Music | Yooz BL-303 | VST, AU | |
| Full Bucket Music | FB-3300 | SD | VST, AU |
| Full Bucket Music | FB-3100 | SD | VST, AU |
| Full Bucket Music | Stigma | SD | VST, AU |
| Full Bucket Music | Mono/Fury | SD | VST, AU |
| Full Bucket Music | Kern | VST, AU | |
| Full Bucket Music | The Blooo | SD | VST, AU |
| Full Bucket Music | FB-3200 | VST, AU | |
| Full Bucket Music | Ragnarök | VST, AU | |
| Full Bucket Music | SequencAir | VST, AU | |
| Tunefish-Synth | Tunefish v4 | VST, VST3, AU | |
| Blamsoft | VK-1 | SD | VST |
| Mae Audio | MonoChord | VST | |
| HY-Plugins | HY-Mono | SD | VST, VST3, AU |
| HY-Plugins | HY-Poly Free Version | VST, VST3, AU | |
| KX77FREE | SE PolyMod KX | VST, VST3, AU | |
| Soundemote | Rhythm & Pitch | VST, AU | |
| Soda Devices | Lith | VST, VST3, AU | |
| D10Labo | MSyn1mini | VST, AU | |
| D10 Labo | ModSynthMono | VST, AU | |
| Uhhyou | SyncSawSynth | VST (mac alpha version!) | |
| Uhhyou | TrapezoidSynth | VST (mac alpha version!) | |
| Sampleson | Push | VST(mac alpha version!) | |
| Phuturetone | GR-8 | VST3, AU | |
| 2Rule | 2RuleSynth | SD | VST3, AU |
FM Synthesizers
| Developer | Plugin | SD | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dexed | Dexed Synthesizer | VST3, AU | |
| Digital Systemic Emulations | Syncla-X | VST, VST3, AU | |
| Sonicbits | EXAKT Lite | VST, VST3, AU | |
| Joakim Frostegård | OctaSine | VST | |
| Beatassist.eu | Kuma 508 | VST, VST3, AU |
Phase Modulation Synthesizers
| Developer | Plugin | SD | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extent of the Jam | Digits | VST, AU |
Wavetable Synthesizers
| Developer | Plugin | Sound Demo | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vital Audio | Vital Synthesizer | VST, VST3, AU LV2 (Linux) |
|
| U-he | Zebralette | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX | |
| Full Bucket Music | WhispAir | VST, AU | |
| Full Bucket Music | FB-7999 | SD | VST, AU |
Morphing Synthesizers
| Developer | Plugin | SD | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klevgränd | SyndtSphere | VST, AU | |
| Full Bucket Music | The Qyooo | SD | VST, AU |
| Digital Systemic Emulations | K3-V Extended | VST, VST3, AU |
Support the free plugin list & the Synth Anatomy website with a plugin purchase from Plugin Boutique or my other partners. Thanks for the support.
Multi-Engine Synthesizers
| Developer | Plugin | SD | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TheWaveWarden | Odin 2 | VST3, AU VST3, LV2 (Linux) |
|
| Vember Audio | Surge | SD | VST3, AU |
8-bit & Retro Synthesizers
| Developer | Plugin | SD | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soca Labs | SN76489 | VST, AU | |
| Soca Labs | RP2A03 | VST, AU | |
| Soca Labs | Commodore 64 | VST, AU | |
| D10Labo | LowBitMonoSyn | VST, AU | |
| Onsen Audio | OS-251 | VST3, AU, LV2 (Linux) |
Modular Synthesizers
| Developer | Plugin | SD | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Bucket Music | ModularAir | VST, AU | |
| Native Instruments | Reaktor Player / Block Base | VST, AU, AAX | |
| Soonth | Blocks | VST, AU |
String Machine Synthesizers
| Developer | Plugin | SD | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Bucket Music | The Deputy Mark II | SD | VST, AU |
| Full Bucket Music | Nabla | SD | VST, AU |
| 2getheraudio | Cheeze Machine 2 | SD | VST, AU, AAX |
Sound Effect Synths
| Developer | Plugin | SD | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soca Labs | SFX8 | VST, AU | |
| Noisemakers | Siren | VST, AU, AAX | |
| Synthiv Ivysirena | Antifreeze 2.0 | VST3, AU |
Ok ok, you don’t want to spend money on commercial plugins, all these synthesizers are enough for you. Well, if you buy your next hardware from Thomann, you can support the Synth Anatomy website also! Big thanks in advance
Experimental Synthesizers (West-Coast, Drone…)
| Developer | Plugin | Synthesis | SD | Plugin Format (PC/Mac) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eventide | Pendulate | west-coast | SD | VST, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Mike Moreno DSP | Lira-8 Organismic Synthesizer | Lyra-8 emulation | VST | |
| U-he | Triple Cheese | comb filter | VST, AU, AAX | |
| Nusofting | Sinnah | complex waveshaper | SD | VST, AU |
| Audiospillage | MiniSpillage | drum synthesis | VST, AU | |
| Plogue | Alter/Ego | vocal synthesis | VST, VST3, AU, AAX | |
| Nusofting | Noisestar | noise synthesis | VST, AU | |
| Madrona Labs | AALTO Solo | west-coast | VST, AU | |
| Soca Labs | Voc | vocal synthesis | VST, AU | |
| Full Bucket Music | The Scrooo | spectral formant synthesis | VST, AU | |
| Full Bucket Music | MPS | musical parameter synthesis | SD | VST, AU |
| Wavosaur | RaveGenerator 2 | sample-based synthesis | VST, AU VST (Linux) |
|
| SoundDemote | Little Spiral Generator | fractal synthesis | VST, AU | |
| Native Instruments | Mikro Prism | modal synthesis | VST, AU, AAX | |
| Uhhyou | WaveCymbal | drum synthesis | VST (macOS alpha version!) | |
| Uhhyou | FDNCymbal | drum synthesis | VST (macOS alpha version!) | |
| Uhhyou | IterativeSinCluster | additive synthesis | VST (macOS alpha version!) | |
| Uhhyou | EnvelopedSine | additive synthesis | VST (macOS alpha version!) | |
| Noise Engineering | Sinc Vereor | shaping synthesis | VST3, AU, AAX | |
| Noise Engineering | Virt Vereor | shaping synthesis | VST3, AU, AAX | |
| ChowDSP | Chow Kick | drum synthesis | VST, AU | |
| Fellusive | Nettle | scanned synthesis | VST, AU |
You have to try ArtPyrite,Beatzille (hope I spelled them right)on vstplanet.
Hello Paul
ArtPyrite is only a Windows Synth and doesn’t fit to this list. I consider for this only cross-platform freeware synths. There are hundreds of Windows Synths available but only few for PC & Mac. Beatzille is a unfortunately no longer available for free only via a physical magazine purchase (BEAT Magazine Workzone). Cheers Tom
Good article and some excellent choices. Part of the challenge when starting out is limiting yourself to just a few tools so you don’t get paralyzed by the number of choices. I like that you stuck with synthesizers (not ‘players’ or samplers.)
That said, Synth1 and OBXD would have made my list.
Maybe do a similar article for major effects (best delay, best free reverb etc.) and limit it to two or three good choices….
A similar article on reverbs and delay exist already 😉
https://synthanatomy.com/2017/09/dont-miss-these-free-delay-plug-ins-for-pc-mac.html
https://synthanatomy.com/2017/07/12-free-reverb-plugins-for-pc-and-mac-you-should-not-miss.html
it would be great to have a update log at the beginning or end of the list to see which VSTs were added in the update.
Right but check always the last ones, these are new added 😉
Needs more cowbell…
Will definitely check these out!
How about VCV Rack ?
not a “plugin” but more a modular standalone software and environment. VCV Rack 2 will arrive as plugin not for free.
Yes, you’re right. It’s not a plug-in. I just remembered it’s free 😀
great stuff!
Where’s the Audiospillage MiniSpillage for PC you’re talking about?
it’s only VST & AU for macOS
Olá. Infelizmente o site vstplanet.com não está funcionando mais. Aqueles plug-ins perfeitos foram perdidos…
Why is “cross platform” relevant for a list like this ? I am on Mac and are not interested in PC plugins and probably this is vice versa for the PC owners.
because I took the decision for it. There many other synths out there for Windows, many are made in the Synth Edit or other platforms. They often sound the same and gives me nothing extra. Also often people complain why this plugin or this is not available for macOS or Windows. So I decide just to highlight the synths that are available for both platforms. Thus both user groups are happy.
OK, no offense. The lists as is are useful to me. Thanks.
i would also add beatmachines as it is also samplers basically
AKAI MPC, Sitala, RitMix maybe
and for instr synths i would also add KeeBass and such samplers as SampleTank\Syntronik\Kontakt player, it has some good instruments for example melda also has released MonasteryGrand piano this year.
there is a list for free drum machines etc 🙂 just look in the free section of the website 🙂
in fact i would also add free DAWs, kinda as a basic multi instrument
because they also had some synths sometimes and can be used as samplers and everything
Cakewalk, Tracktion, LMMS, SoundBridge, Ardour, Studio One Prime, Pro Tools First
while it’s better to have no limitations for DAW like qTracktor, but sometimes best means it has better features and stable working.
this list is exclusive to synths!
Check the other lists here
https://synthanatomy.com/category/music-tech-news/software/best-free-plugins-pc-mac-64-bit-ios-apps