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 Plugins51 synth plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Synth Plugins for Mac51 synth plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Synth Plugins for Windows51 synth plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Synth Plugins for Linux21 synth plugins that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Synth Plugins for Mac18 free synth plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Synth Plugins for Windows18 free synth plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Synth Plugins for Linux12 free synth plugins that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Instruments
- Best Virtual Instruments22 virtual instruments, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Virtual Instruments for Mac22 virtual instruments that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Virtual Instruments for Windows22 virtual instruments that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Virtual Instruments for Linux3 virtual instruments that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Virtual Instruments10 free virtual instruments, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Virtual Instruments for Mac10 free virtual instruments that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Virtual Instruments for Windows10 free virtual instruments that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Virtual Instruments for Linux3 free virtual instruments that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Reverb
- Best Reverb Plugins for Mac18 reverb plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Reverb Plugins for Windows18 reverb plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Reverb Plugins for Linux3 reverb plugins that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Reverb Plugins7 free reverb plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Reverb Plugins for Mac7 free reverb plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Reverb Plugins for Windows7 free reverb plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Reverb Plugins for Linux3 free reverb plugins that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Delay
- Best Delay Plugins15 delay plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Delay Plugins for Mac15 delay plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Delay Plugins for Windows15 delay plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Delay Plugins5 free delay plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Delay Plugins for Mac5 free delay plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Delay Plugins for Windows5 free delay plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Modulation
- Best Modulation Plugins9 modulation plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Modulation Plugins for Mac9 modulation plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Modulation Plugins for Windows9 modulation plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Modulation Plugins4 free modulation plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Modulation Plugins for Mac4 free modulation plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Modulation Plugins for Windows4 free modulation plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
EQ
- Best EQ Plugins22 EQ plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best EQ Plugins for Mac22 EQ plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best EQ Plugins for Windows22 EQ plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free EQ Plugins13 free EQ plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free EQ Plugins for Mac13 free EQ plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free EQ Plugins for Windows13 free EQ plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Compression
- Best Compressor Plugins33 compressor plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Compressor Plugins for Mac33 compressor plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Compressor Plugins for Windows33 compressor plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Compressor Plugins11 free compressor plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Compressor Plugins for Mac11 free compressor plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Compressor Plugins for Windows11 free compressor plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Saturation
- Best Saturation Plugins21 saturation plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Saturation Plugins for Mac21 saturation plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Saturation Plugins for Windows21 saturation plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Saturation Plugins for Linux5 saturation plugins that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Saturation Plugins11 free saturation plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Saturation Plugins for Mac11 free saturation plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Saturation Plugins for Windows11 free saturation plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Saturation Plugins for Linux4 free saturation plugins that run on Linux, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Vocals
- Best Vocal Plugins27 vocal plugins, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Vocal Plugins for Mac27 vocal plugins that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Vocal Plugins for Windows26 vocal plugins that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Mastering
- Best Mastering Tools27 mastering tools, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Mastering Tools for Mac22 mastering tools that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Mastering Tools for Windows22 mastering tools that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Mastering Tools13 free mastering tools, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Mastering Tools for Mac11 free mastering tools that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Mastering Tools for Windows11 free mastering tools that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
MIDI controllers
- Best MIDI Controllers43 MIDI controllers, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best MIDI Controllers for Mac43 MIDI controllers that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best MIDI Controllers for Windows43 MIDI controllers that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Audio interfaces
- Best Audio Interfaces32 audio interfaces, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Audio Interfaces for Mac32 audio interfaces that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Audio Interfaces for Windows32 audio interfaces that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Guitar & amp sims
- Best Guitar Amp Sims28 guitar amp sims, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Guitar Amp Sims for Mac28 guitar amp sims that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Guitar Amp Sims for Windows28 guitar amp sims that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Guitar Amp Sims6 free guitar amp sims, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Guitar Amp Sims for Mac6 free guitar amp sims that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Guitar Amp Sims for Windows6 free guitar amp sims that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Drums
- Best Drum VSTs21 drum VSTs, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Drum VSTs for Mac21 drum VSTs that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Drum VSTs for Windows21 drum VSTs that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Drum VSTs3 free drum VSTs, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Drum VSTs for Mac3 free drum VSTs that run on Mac, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
- Best Free Drum VSTs for Windows3 free drum VSTs that run on Windows, compared by price, plugin formats and OS support.
Piano