Best music production software by category
Editors' picks
- Best DAW for Music ProductionDigital audio workstations compared by price, workflow and who they suit.
- Best Free DAWFree digital audio workstations with no time limits.
- Best Free VST PluginsFree synths and effects plugins worth installing, all legal downloads from the developers.
- Best Free Synth PluginsFree software synthesizers for Windows, Mac and Linux.
- Best Reverb PluginsReverb plugins for vocals, mixes and sound design, free and paid.
DAWs
- Best DAW for Mac21 DAWs that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best DAW for Windows21 DAWs that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best DAW for Linux8 DAWs that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free DAWs for Mac10 free DAWs that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free DAWs for Windows10 free DAWs that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free DAWs for Linux4 free DAWs that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Synths
- Best Synth Plugins21 synth plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Synth Plugins for Mac21 synth plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Synth Plugins for Windows21 synth plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Synth Plugins for Linux10 synth plugins that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Synth Plugins for Mac12 free synth plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Synth Plugins for Windows12 free synth plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Synth Plugins for Linux7 free synth plugins that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Instruments
- Best Virtual Instruments11 virtual instruments, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Virtual Instruments for Mac11 virtual instruments that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Virtual Instruments for Windows11 virtual instruments that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Virtual Instruments6 free virtual instruments, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Virtual Instruments for Mac6 free virtual instruments that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Virtual Instruments for Windows6 free virtual instruments that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Reverb & delay
- Best Reverb Plugins for Mac11 reverb plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Reverb Plugins for Windows11 reverb plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Reverb Plugins4 free reverb plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Reverb Plugins for Mac4 free reverb plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Reverb Plugins for Windows4 free reverb plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
EQ
- Best EQ Plugins10 EQ plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best EQ Plugins for Mac10 EQ plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best EQ Plugins for Windows10 EQ plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free EQ Plugins7 free EQ plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free EQ Plugins for Mac7 free EQ plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free EQ Plugins for Windows7 free EQ plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Compression
- Best Compressor Plugins12 compressor plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Compressor Plugins for Mac12 compressor plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Compressor Plugins for Windows12 compressor plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Compressor Plugins6 free compressor plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Compressor Plugins for Mac6 free compressor plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Compressor Plugins for Windows6 free compressor plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Saturation
- Best Saturation Plugins5 saturation plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Saturation Plugins for Mac5 saturation plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Saturation Plugins for Windows5 saturation plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Vocals
- Best Vocal Plugins9 vocal plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Vocal Plugins for Mac9 vocal plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Vocal Plugins for Windows9 vocal plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Mastering
- Best Mastering Tools11 mastering tools, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Mastering Tools for Mac7 mastering tools that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Mastering Tools for Windows7 mastering tools that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Mastering Tools4 free mastering tools, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Mastering Tools for Mac3 free mastering tools that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Mastering Tools for Windows3 free mastering tools that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
MIDI controllers
- Best MIDI Controllers10 MIDI controllers, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best MIDI Controllers for Mac10 MIDI controllers that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best MIDI Controllers for Windows10 MIDI controllers that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.