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Best Audio Plugins in 2026

Updated

In short: LUNA is ranked #1 of 39 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Airwindows Consolidated and Buddi. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Airwindows Consolidated. The lowest first paid tier on this page is LUNA at $12.42/mo.

Audio plugins offer tools for effects and processing, with options varying in scope and technical compatibility. Compare effect types and product scope, then check plugin formats, oversampling, and surround support against your setup. External sidechain support may be relevant to particular signal chains, while license model, free-plan availability, and paid-from pricing help clarify access and cost. LUNA, Airwindows Consolidated, and Buddi are among the entries, alongside Guitar Rig and x42-plugins. Consider the audio work you need to do and which processing capabilities matter to it, then weigh those needs against the listed formats and licensing details. This can help you compare broad collections with more focused plugin options.

39 audio plugins ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.

39ranked
4free plans on this page
$12.42/molowest paid tier
4 Oct 2026last checked

Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score

  1. 1 LUNA No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4$12.42/mo Plugin formats: VST3, AU, AAXEffect types: preamps, EQ, channel strips, compressors, limiters, reverb, delay, modulation, tape, saturation, vocal processing, guitar ampsLicense model: both
  2. 2 Airwindows Consolidated No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free Plugin formats: CLAP, VST3, AU, LV2Effect types: ambience, amp simulation, bass, brightness, clipping, console processing, distortion, dithering, dynamics, filtering, lo-fi, noise, reverb, saturation, stereo, tape, tone color, utilityLicense model: free
  3. 3 Buddi No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free Effect types: wah-wah, sustain, distortion, reverberation, echo, delay, tremolo, vibrato, chorus/flangerLicense model: free
  4. 4 Guitar Rig No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.1Free Plugin formats: VST3, Audio Units (AU), AAXEffect types: amplifier and cabinet simulation, distortion, delay, reverb, modulation, filtering, dynamics and EQLicense model: both
  5. 5 x42-plugins No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.8 Plugin formats: LV2Effect types: equalization; metering; limiting; pitch correction; compression; convolution; phase rotation; speaker rotation; routing; signal generationLicense model: both
  6. 6 Acoustica No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5$149/mo Plugin formats: VST, VST3, AAX, AUEffect types: Noise reduction, hum and buzz removal, click/crackle/thump/plosive removal, declippingLicense model: perpetual
  7. 7 FabFilter Total Bundle No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Plugin formats: VST, VST3, Audio Units, CLAP, AAX Native, AudioSuiteEffect types: EQ, reverb, compression, multiband dynamics, limiting, de-essing, gate/expander, distortion/saturation, delay, filtering, synthesizerLicense model: perpetual
  8. 8 iZotope RX No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5$99/mo Plugin formats: AU, AAX, AAX Audiosuite, VST3, AU ARA, VST3 ARAEffect types: Noise reduction, de-clicking, de-clipping, de-hum, de-reverb, de-ess, de-plosive, de-rustle, dialogue isolation, spectral repair, EQ, loudness control, music rebalance, breath control, ambience matchingLicense model: perpetual
  9. 9 Kilohearts Ultimate No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Plugin formats: VST2, VST3, AAX, Audio UnitEffect types: modular synthesis, multiband effects, convolution, wavetable filtering, wavetable distortion, all-pass filtering, distortion, graphic EQ, parametric EQ, dynamicsLicense model: both
  10. 10 sonible smart:bundle No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Plugin formats: VST, VST3, AU, AAXEffect types: equalizer, compressor, limiter, reverb, gate, de-esserLicense model: perpetual
  11. 11 Soundtoys 5 No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Plugin formats: AAX Native, AAX AudioSuite, VST 2, VST 3, Audio Units (AU)Effect types: saturation, compression, distortion, echo, delay, reverb, pitch shifting, formant shifting, chorus, widening, modulation, filtering, phasing, tremolo, auto-panning, EQLicense model: perpetual
  12. 12 TDR Production Bundle No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Plugin formats: VST, VST3, AU, AAXEffect types: compression, limiting, equalization, dynamic EQ, saturation, clipping, meteringLicense model: perpetual
  13. 13 Waves Ultimate No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5$20.83/mo Plugin formats: AAX Native, Audiosuite, Audio Units, VST3Effect types: vocal production, analog modeling, mastering, compression, EQ, effects, instruments, saturation, channel strips, noise reduction, surround processingLicense model: subscription
  14. 14 Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Plugin formats: VST, VST3, AAX, Audio UnitEffect types: delay, reverb, distortion, dynamics, EQ, filters, guitar, modulation, multi-effects, analysis, routing, mixing
  15. 15 ToneBytes Pedals No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Plugin formats: VST 2Effect types: delay, chorus, phaser, flanger, reverb, tremolo, vibrato, filter, equalizer, distortion, fuzz, noise gateLicense model: free
  16. 16 Valhalla DSP Plugin Collection No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.3 Plugin formats: VST, VST3, Audio Units (AU), AAXEffect types: reverb, delay, echo, modulation, chorus, flanger, pitch shifting, frequency shiftingLicense model: perpetual
  17. 17 Eventide Anthology XII No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Plugin formats: AAX, AU, VST2, VST3Effect types: EQ, dynamics, reverb, delay, modulation, chorus, phaser, flanger, distortion, pitch shifting, channel strip, multi-effects
  18. 18 GNUitar No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Effect types: wah-wah, sustain, distortion, reverberation, echo, delay, tremolo, vibrato, chorus/flangerLicense model: free
  19. 19 ixiQuarks No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Effect types: delay, reverb, distortion, chorus, octave, tremolo, equalizer, vocoder, panning, filters, spectral effectsLicense model: free
  20. 20 Magenta Studio No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Effect types: MIDI generation, continuation, interpolation, drum humanization, drum groove generationLicense model: free
  21. 21 McDSP Everything Pack No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2$12.50/mo Plugin formats: AAX, AU, VST3Effect types: equalizers, compressors, channel strips, limiters, multi-band dynamics, noise reduction, reverb, delay, lo-fi, distortion, dialog processing, spectral processing
  22. 22 MeldaProduction MCompleteBundle No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Plugin formats: VST, VST3, AU, AAXEffect types: analysis, creative effects, saturation and distortion, dynamics, equalization, filtering, limiting, pitch, reverb, stereo, time-based effectsLicense model: both
  23. 23 ShaperBox 3 No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Plugin formats: VST2, VST3, AU, AAXEffect types: pitch shifting, formant shifting, reverb, time manipulation, distortion, noise layering, filtering, bitcrushing, volume shaping, panning, stereo-width processingLicense model: perpetual
  24. 24 Softube Volume 6 No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Plugin formats: AU, VST, VST3, AAXEffect types: compression, equalization, reverb, delay, modulation, flanger, saturation, distortion, transient shaping, mastering maximizationLicense model: perpetual
  25. 25 Soundtheory Gullfoss No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.2 Plugin formats: AU, VST, VST3, AAX NativeEffect types: equalizationLicense model: perpetual

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Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.

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Questions about this list

Which audio plugin is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?

LUNA is ranked #1 of 39 with a score of 6.4. Airwindows Consolidated is second and Buddi third.

How many of these have a free plan?

4 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.

Which is the cheapest paid option?

On this page, LUNA has the lowest first paid tier we found: $12.42/mo.

How is this list ranked?

Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.

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