Free VST plugins: 10 free VST plugin sites you need to know about
Today, music producers and independant artists of all stripes need VST plugins to write music with software instruments, design sounds, mix, and master their music.
It would be safe to say there are tonnes of free VST plugins out there if you could measure the weight of software. The key, of course, is knowing the best sites to download these free plugins.
Today, we’re exploring what we think are the ten best free VST plugin sites where you can download software instruments, synthesizers, FX, and any plugin sub-category you can imagine. Some are more known than others, but each site on this list offers professional quality VST plugins… and some offer a little more.
Here is the list of the best websites to download free VST plugins:
- KVR
- Plugins 4 Free
- Plugin Boutique
- Audio Plugins for Free
- Bedroom Producers Blog
- Rekkerd
- Spitfire Audio LABS
- DSK Music
- Hip Hop Makers
- GTG Synths
1. KVR
KVR is one of the more notorious VST sites on our list. You’ll find a plethora of VST plugins, sounds, and a multitude of plugin-related content.
KVR is a go-to website where developers promote their plugins. Therefore, it should go without saying that you should check them out in your search for VST plugins!
Moreover, KVR also has an online forum. Here, the focus is on music and audio software and you’ll find musicians, producers, recording engineers, and audio creators of all sorts discussing what software they use and the techniques they employ.
In short, KVR is definitely a website you should check out when you’re looking for VST plugins and advice on music production.
2. Plugins 4 Free
Plugins 4 Free offers a huge range of effect plugins and software instruments. The site has five primary categories (with sub-categories) including drums, instruments, samplers, synths, and vintage.
Additionally, effects have five main categories too: time, signal, frequency, character, and miscellaneous. Like instruments, these effect categories also have sub-categories that you can browse through and find the right plugin.
You’ll find a complete description of each plugin and what plugin formats are supported. You can also search for plugins based on ratings, how new they are, the operating systems they support, and even recommendations from the site.
3. Plugin Boutique
Plugin Boutique has one of the largest libraries of VST plugins you will find. Plugin Boutique has both free and paid plugins, but you can navigate to the free plugins by selecting “Free” on the home page.
Like KVR, the site offers developers a platform to display their software products. Plugin Boutique plays host to countless plugins for effects, instruments, and other audio studio tools as a result. In practice, simply choose the type of effect or instrument software you’re looking for, or you can browse the plugin types in the main menu.
You’ll find VST effect plugins like amp simulators, reverbs, distortions, and many more that are all available to download for free. The same is to be said for the vast library of instrument VSTs too!
4. Audio Plugins for Free
Audio Plugins for Free utilize an interface that’s easy to navigate and find the right plugin. You’ll find multiple search filters that allow you to refine your search and find your plugin quickly. In fact, you can search for a plugin based on popularity, date of release, and more.
It’s an understatement to say that Audio Plugins for Free has a vast library of content. And they even have a section called “Best of the Best” that recommends the best plugins within each category!
Furthermore, you can download various plugins like utility & imaging plugins, dynamic plugins, and a multitude of instruments including keys, drums, bass, and everything else – and it’s all free!
5. Bedroom Producers Blog
Bedroom Producers Blog is a site that makes it ridiculously easy to find awesome free VST plugins. The BPB site has a dedicated section for free plugins in its main menu, and you’ll find a multitude of effects, instruments, utilities, and even DAWs.
BPB blogs have covered every plugin and audio software category you can think of. As a result, you can easily navigate different categories with effects including distortion, EQ, compressor, filter, and so on.
Furthermore, BPB provides software instruments like drums, samplers, pianos, orchestral, and many others. Every bit of software on the site provides you with a complete description of each plugin too.
6. Rekkerd
Next, we have Rekkerd – a renowned music production blog that also provides access to software instruments, samples, and more like BPB.
The Rekkerd blog is constantly updated with a range of content where you can discover software releases that you need to know about. Further, the site even provides free presets, plugin deals, and still more.
Instruments you can access through the Rekkerd site include brass, drum machines, keys, strings, and more.
7. Spitfire Audio LABS
Spitfire Audio is a renowned plugin developer, and they have an entire selection of fantastic VST instruments that you can download for free – please welcome LABS.
Spitfire Audio LABS is much like Kontakt by Native Instruments. It’s a free sample player where you can access every LABS sound library including stringed instruments, keys, bass, brass, and more orchestral instruments… and more.
There really is a countless number of software instruments available from LABS. Head to the site and find out for yourself!
8. DSK Music
The DSK Music website provides professional-quality VST instruments completely free. In fact, DSK Music is a site with a mission to deliver the tools that musicians need to create music for free.
You’ll find a broad range of software instruments on their site too. For example, you’ll find a multitude of software strings, keys, drums, synths, brass instruments, and more!
DSK music plays hosts numerous types of software instruments all by the DSK team. Multi-sampled instruments, synthesizers, choir instruments, and everything else are all available for free.
9. Hip Hop Makers
Akin to BPB & Rekkerd, Hip Hop Makers is a blog where you can find the best VST plugins for your music easily. Predominantly a blog focused on education and inspiration, Hip Hop Makers also creates music tutorial content around producing & selling beats.
Like BPB & Rekkerd, Hip Hop Makers creates content around the best free VST plugins. As a result, you can read over 90 of their articles and find the right plugins for you.
10. GTG Synths
Finally, the GTG Synths website offers a number of synth VST plugins and sounds for music production.
As the name suggests, GTG Synths is all about software synthesizers. Right now there are ten synthesizer VSTS that you can download for free, including polyphonic & monophonic synths.
Each synth has a different layout and workflow, so any fellow synth-head is sure to find the right soft synth for them.