What is the best free synth plugin for Mac?

Checked September 2026 · 12 picks

Best Free Synth Plugins for Mac (2026)

The best free synth plugins for Mac are Vital, Surge XT and Spitfire LABS. Vital is best for producers who want Serum-style sound design for free. Surge XT is best for budget-conscious producers wanting a fully free, open-source synth with pro-level features. Spitfire LABS is best for producers wanting free, high-quality Spitfire-recorded instruments (legacy plugin, being discontinued Oct 31 2026).

#1Matt Tytel
Vital
FREE
Free spectral warping wavetable synth, the best-known free Serum alternative.
VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXnot supportedCLAPsupportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported
#2Surge Synth Team
Surge XT
FREE
Free, open-source hybrid synthesizer with extensive filters and a flexible modulation engine.
VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXnot supportedCLAPsupportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported
#3Spitfire Audio
Spitfire LABS
FREE
Free Spitfire instrument plugin/library set, being sunset in favor of subscription-based Splice INSTRUMENT.
VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported
#4Digital Suburban
Dexed
FREE
Free, open-source FM synthesizer plugin modeled closely on the Yamaha DX7.
VST3not supportedAUsupportedAAXnot supportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported
#5Arturia
Analog Lab Pro
FREEpaid $199+
Keyboard anthology with 2,000+ curated presets from Arturia's V Collection synths and keys.
VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported
#6Matt Tytel
Helm
FREE
Free, open-source subtractive synth with polyphonic modulation; Matt Tytel's predecessor to Vital.
VST3not supportedAUsupportedAAXnot supportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported
#7Native Instruments
Komplete Start
FREE
Free production bundle with Kontakt Player, Massive X Player, effects, and sound libraries.
VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported
#8TheWaveWarden
Odin 2
FREE
Free open-source 24-voice polyphonic synth with custom waveform drawing and analog filter models.
VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXnot supportedCLAPsupportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported
#9Arturia
Pigments
FREEpaid $199+
Six-engine hybrid software synthesizer with modal, granular, wavetable, sample, harmonic and virtual analog synthesis.
VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported
#10Ichiro Toda (Daichi Laboratory)
Synth1
FREE
Free virtual analog softsynth modeled on the Clavia Nord Lead 2, widely used since the 2000s.
VST3not supportedAUsupportedAAXnot supportedCLAPnot supportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXnot supported
#11TAL Software GmbH
TAL-NoiseMaker
FREE
Free virtual analog synthesizer with a great sound and low CPU usage.
VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPsupportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported
#12u-he
TyrellN6
FREE
Free virtual analog synthesizer with classic dual-oscillator architecture and a Diva-derived filter.
VST3supportedAUsupportedAAXsupportedCLAPsupportedWINsupportedMACsupportedLNXsupported

Questions people ask

Vital by Matt Tytel. It is best for producers who want Serum-style sound design for free and is free to use.