Best Audio Plugins in 2026
Updated
In short: LUNA is ranked #1 of 39 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Buddi and x42-plugins. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Buddi. The lowest first paid tier on this page is LUNA at $12.42/mo.
Audio plugins cover different kinds of processing, so compatibility and scope are useful starting points when choosing tools for a setup. Compare effect types and product scope, then check plugin formats, oversampling, and surround support. External sidechain support is another technical point to weigh for signal chains. Airwindows Consolidated, FabFilter Total Bundle, and iZotope RX are among the first entries, followed by Waves Ultimate and Kilohearts Ultimate. The remaining comparison fields address access and cost: review license models, free-plan availability, and paid-from pricing alongside the capabilities relevant to your audio work.
39 audio plugins ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Plugin formats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  LUNA | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $12.42/mo | Yes | 49 one-time | VST3, AU, AAX | View |
| 2 | Buddi | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 3 |  x42-plugins | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | 49 one-time | LV2 | View |
| 4 | Guitar Rig | 5.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | VST3, Audio Units (AU), AAX | View |
| 5 | Airwindows Consolidated | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | CLAP, VST3, AU, LV2 | View |
| 6 | Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | VST, VST3, AAX, Audio Unit | View |
| 7 |  ToneBytes Pedals | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | VST 2 | View |
| 8 |  Valhalla DSP Plugin Collection | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | VST, VST3, Audio Units (AU), AAX | View |
| 9 | GNUitar | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 10 | ixiQuarks | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 11 | Magenta Studio | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 12 |  sonible smart:bundle | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | 399 one-time | VST, VST3, AU, AAX | View |
| 13 | TDR Production Bundle | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | VST, VST3, AU, AAX | View |
| 14 | Acoustica | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $149/mo | No | 99 one-time | VST, VST3, AAX, AU | View |
| 15 | FabFilter Total Bundle | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | VST, VST3, Audio Units, CLAP, AAX Native, AudioSuite | View |
| 16 | iZotope RX | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $99/mo | No | 99 one-time | AU, AAX, AAX Audiosuite, VST3, AU ARA, VST3 ARA | View |
| 17 | Kilohearts Ultimate | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | 399 one-time | VST2, VST3, AAX, Audio Unit | View |
| 18 |  Soundtheory Gullfoss | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | AU, VST, VST3, AAX Native | View |
| 19 |  Soundtoys 5 | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | 599 one-time | AAX Native, AAX AudioSuite, VST 2, VST 3, Audio Units (AU) | View |
| 20 | SynthEdit | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | VST3, Audio Unit (AU); experimental JUCE export enables additional formats | View |
| 21 |  Zynaptiq ADAPTIVERB | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | 149 one-time | AU, AAX Native, VST 2.4, VST 3 | View |
| 22 | Accentize Restoration Bundle | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | VST3, AU, AAX | View |
| 23 | D16 Group Decimort 2 | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX | View |
| 24 | Devious Machines Infiltrator 2 | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | 134.99 one-time | VST 2, VST 3, AudioUnit, AAX | View |
| 25 | DMG Audio EQuilibrium | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | VST, VST3, AAX, AU, RTAS | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which audio plugin is ranked first on Inferse?
LUNA is ranked #1 of 39 with a score of 6.0. Buddi is second and x42-plugins third.
How many of these have a free plan?
3 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 on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.