Producer Rack

Checked September 2026 · 33 picks · 33 compared

Best Compressor Plugins for Mac (2026)

The best compressor plugins for Mac are TDR Nova, OTT and Arturia Comp FET-76. TDR Nova is best for frequency-selective compression and dynamic EQ (Free). OTT is best for aggressive multiband upward/downward compression (Free). Arturia Comp FET-76 is best for punchy 1176-style compression on vocals and drums (€79 one-time).

  1. #1Tokyo Dawn Records

    TDR Nova

    FREE

    A free parallel dynamic equalizer combining parametric EQ with full dynamics processing.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  2. #2Xfer Records

    OTT

    FREE

    Free three-band upward/downward multiband compressor originally from Ableton's Multiband Dynamics preset.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  3. #3Arturia

    Arturia Comp FET-76

    €79once

    Emulation of the 1176 FET compressor using TAE modeling.

    VST3not supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  4. #4Baby Audio

    Baby Audio I Heart NY 2

    PAID

    A parallel compressor with XY pad control, smiley EQ curve and autogain.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  5. #5Waves

    CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter

    $14.99/mo

    FET compressor/limiter modeling Chris Lord-Alge's hand-picked 1176-style hardware.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  6. #6Cytomic

    Cytomic The Glue

    $99once

    Analog-modeled bus compressor inspired by 1980s British console bus compressors.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  7. #7Klanghelm

    DC1A

    FREE

    Free two-knob character compressor for effortless gentle-to-heavy leveling.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  8. #8FabFilter

    FabFilter Pro-C 3

    $199once

    Professional compressor plug-in with 14 compression styles and full Dolby Atmos support.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPsupportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  9. #9FabFilter

    FabFilter Pro-DS

    PAID

    De-esser that detects and reduces sibilance transparently.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPsupportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  10. #10FabFilter

    FabFilter Pro-L 2

    $199once

    Loudness limiter with eight limiting algorithms and true peak limiting for mastering.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPsupportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  11. #11FabFilter

    FabFilter Pro-MB

    $199once

    Multiband compressor and expander with freely positioned processing bands.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPsupportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  12. #12HoRNet

    HoRNet Magnus Lite

    FREE

    A free limiter and clipper.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  13. #13HoRNet

    HoRNet MixComp

    FREE

    A free analog-inspired channel compressor.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  14. #14Kilohearts

    Kilohearts Essentials

    FREE

    Free collection of over 30 effects usable as DAW plugins or Snapins.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  15. #15Klanghelm

    Klanghelm MJUC

    €24once

    Variable-tube compressor with three models spanning eras of tube compression.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  16. #16MeldaProduction

    MFreeFXBundle

    FREE

    Free bundle of 38 effects covering EQ, dynamics, reverb, and distortion.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  17. #17iZotope

    Neutron 5

    $299once

    AI-driven mixing channel strip with dynamics, EQ, and a Visual Mixer.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  18. #18oeksound

    oeksound soothe3

    PAID

    Dynamic resonance suppressor that automatically detects and reduces harshness and resonances.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  19. #19Cableguys

    ShaperBox 3

    PAID

    Modulation and effects bundle with 11 drawable-LFO shaper modules including Drive and Crush.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  20. #20Softube

    Softube Weiss DS1-MK3

    £489once

    Software port of the Weiss DS1-MK3 hardware mastering processor.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  21. #21Softube

    Softube Weiss MM-1 Mastering Maximizer

    $199once

    A mastering limiter based on the Weiss DS1-MK3 algorithms with style selector.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  22. #22sonible

    sonible smart:deess

    €129once

    AI de-esser that detects sibilant phonemes and shapes them spectrally.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  23. #23sonible

    sonible smart:limit

    €129once

    An intelligent limiter that parametrizes itself and predicts the impact of changes.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  24. #24Native Instruments

    Supercharger

    FREE

    A free one-knob tube compressor emulation with harmonic saturation.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  25. #25Tokyo Dawn Records

    TDR Kotelnikov

    FREE

    Free wideband mastering compressor combining high fidelity control with musical flexibility.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  26. #26Tokyo Dawn Records

    TDR Kotelnikov GE

    €50once

    Dynamic range processor for transparent compression, suited to stereo bus work.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  27. #27Tokyo Dawn Labs

    TDR Limiter 6 GE

    €60once

    A six-module dynamics toolkit for compression, clipping and loudness control.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported

  28. #28Tokyo Dawn Records

    TDR Molotok

    FREE

    A simplified version of TDR Molot GE, a musically characterful dynamics processor.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  29. #29Universal Audio

    UAD 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

    PAID

    Collection of three 1176 revisions: Rev A, Rev E and 1176AE.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  30. #30Venn Audio

    Venn Audio Free Suite

    FREE

    A free bundle of 12 mixing plugins.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported

  31. #31Waves

    Waves Renaissance DeEsser

    $34.99once

    A phase-compensated de-esser with extensive visual feedback.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  32. #32Waves

    Waves Vocal Rider

    $29.99once

    Automatically rides vocal levels in real time and can write automation.

    VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

  33. #33Wavesfactory

    Wavesfactory Trackspacer

    €59once

    Sidechain-driven EQ that carves frequencies from one track to make room for another.

    VST3not supportedAUnot supportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported

Comparison table

NamePriceFormatsRuns on
TDR NovaTokyo Dawn RecordsFreeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
OTTXfer RecordsFreeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Arturia Comp FET-76Arturia€79 one-timeVST, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Baby Audio I Heart NY 2Baby AudioNot publishedVST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
CLA-76 Compressor / LimiterWaves$14.99/mo (Waves Essential)VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Cytomic The GlueCytomic$99 one-timeVST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
DC1AKlanghelmFreeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
FabFilter Pro-C 3FabFilter$199 one-timeVST3, AU, AAX, CLAPWindows, macOS
FabFilter Pro-DSFabFilterNot publishedVST, VST3, AU, CLAP, AAXWindows, macOS
FabFilter Pro-L 2FabFilter$199 one-timeVST3, AU, AAX, CLAPWindows, macOS
FabFilter Pro-MBFabFilter$199 one-timeVST, VST3, AU, CLAP, AAXWindows, macOS
HoRNet Magnus LiteHoRNetFreeAU, VST, VST3, AAXWindows, macOS
HoRNet MixCompHoRNetFreeVST3, AAX, AUWindows, macOS
Kilohearts EssentialsKiloheartsFreeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Klanghelm MJUCKlanghelm€24 one-timeVST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
MFreeFXBundleMeldaProductionFreeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Neutron 5iZotope$299.00 one-timeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
oeksound soothe3oeksoundNot publishedVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
ShaperBox 3CableguysNot publishedVST3, AAX, AUWindows, macOS
Softube Weiss DS1-MK3Softube£489 one-timeVST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Softube Weiss MM-1 Mastering MaximizerSoftube$199VST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
sonible smart:deesssonible€129 (MSRP)VST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
sonible smart:limitsonible€129 (MSRP)VST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
SuperchargerNative InstrumentsFreeVST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
TDR KotelnikovTokyo Dawn RecordsFreeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
TDR Kotelnikov GETokyo Dawn Records€50 one-timeVST, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
TDR Limiter 6 GETokyo Dawn Labs€60VST2, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS, Linux
TDR MolotokTokyo Dawn RecordsFreeVST2, VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
UAD 1176 Classic Limiter CollectionUniversal AudioNot publishedVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Venn Audio Free SuiteVenn AudioFreeVST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS, Linux
Waves Renaissance DeEsserWaves$34.99 (MSRP $99)VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Waves Vocal RiderWaves$29.99 (MSRP $199)VST3, AU, AAXWindows, macOS
Wavesfactory TrackspacerWavesfactory€59 one-timeVST, AAXWindows, macOS

Questions people ask

TDR Nova by Tokyo Dawn Records. It is best for frequency-selective compression and dynamic EQ and costs Free.

TDR Limiter 6 GE, Venn Audio Free Suite.