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13 of The Best Synth VST Plugins in 2023


Our Pick

Xfer serum
$179 or $9.99/month. Most versatile & beginner-friendly

The Best Synth VST. Most affordable, most versatile synth to learn and create sounds on.


Serum is the most affordable, versatile wavetable synth you will find. It includes 2 oscillators and a sub-oscillator, 3 envelopes and 4 LFO’s for modulation, with a vast modulation matrix that you can modulate anything with. It comes with a suite of professional FX, the largest range of unique filters in any synth we’ve used (for the price), and an incredible sound engine that’s light on the CPU, but produces fantastic results. Although only 2 oscillators, you can create anything in Serum. From drum sound design to FX, to chords, dubstep growls and piercing leads – Serum is a beast. We’d recommend it for beginners to learn as there’s huge support for it in the community and a plethora of tutorials online. If you’re advanced and want something to create more cinematic sounds, go for a power synth, like Omnisphere or Falcon.


Pricing Options


The Runner Up

diva synth vst plugin
$179 best & most affordable analog-sounding synth

Best Sounding Analog Emulation. Incredibly accurate analog sound, beautifully warm and versatile.


Diva is a semi-modular analog synth that uses PSpice technology to model the original circuits of classic hardware synths. It is the best-sounding analog emulation we’ve tried and is the cheapest when compared to synths like V Collection. You get 5 oscillator modules that each have their own set of waveforms and unique quirks. You also get 5 filter modules based on the classic hardware and a tonne of modulation control, with 2 LFOs, a unique voice drift module (for analog detune) and 2 effects slots with a plethora of FX. You also get 2 envelope modules and a library of the most pristine sounding presets. One downside to Diva is it eats CPU like crazy and isn’t as versatile as a digital wavetable synth for sound design. That’s not what Diva is for though – it has been designed to produce an accurate analog sound – and it does that exceptionally well.


Pricing Options


Most Feature Rich

omnisphere
$499 most expensive and feature-rich synth. Endless possibilities.

Endless Sound Design Possibilities. Over 70GB of content & more included!


Omnisphere is a power-synth that has endless sound design possibilities. With 4 oscillators and the ability to open 8 different instances of each, alongside the channel mixing functionality – Omnisphere is practically a DAW inside a synth. Included are, over 14000 built-in sounds, 70GB+ of unique samples, 500 DSP waveforms (that emulate classic hardware), and over 58 professional FX that model old compressors, distortion units, and more. On top of all that, there is also support for 65 external hardware synths – meaning you can use Omnsiphere directly off your hardware! And, if you think it couldn’t get any better, Omnisphere supports granular synthesis (offering its own module), alongside including FM & ring modulation, wavetable shaping and so much more that we can’t fit in this short description. It’s incredible for finding unique sounds that not many producers have access to and is THE BEST for cinematic sounds. However, it eats CPU a lot and is extremely expensive.


Pricing Options



Synth Plugins by Type

Synth Plugins By Genre

Synth Plugins By DAW



There are so many synth VSTs on the market, so which is the best? In this article, we’re going to answer that question, with our comprehensive list of the twelve best software synths available now.

Synth VST plugins are a must have for music producers, and although you’ll get by with stock plugins, where your music will truly come alive is intricate, in-depth, unique sounds.

Just having one of these VST synths in your collection will help to level up your productions. Diva is an absolute gold mine for analog sounds, Serum is versatile and sounds phenomenal and Omnisphere has the world’s best library of weird & wonderful samples.

Whatever you pick, you’re getting a great piece of kit that will instantly improve the sound of your productions.

If you’re looking for a more comprehensive list of different VST plugins, then check our best VST plugins list.

Best Synth VST Plugins 2023

Here’s the essential list of best synth VST plugins, instruments and synths for 2023:

  1. uhe Diva
  2. Xfer Serum
  3. Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2.6
  4. Kilohearts Phase Plant
  5. TAL Bassline 101
  6. TAL -U-NO-LX
  7. Arturia Pigments 2
  8. Dexed
  9. Arturia V Collection
  10. Arturia Jup-8v
  11. Softube Modular
  12. Native Instruments Massive X
  13. Vital

WHAT’S A SYNTH VST PLUGIN?

A synth VST plugin is a digital synthesiser that you can use inside a digital audio workstation, on a MIDI channel. Synth VST plugins allow you to use presets to play in melodies, design sounds from scratch, and add effects to them.

There are a number of different kinds of synth VST plugin you can get, and we’ll list them below:

  • Subtractive synth
  • Additive synth
  • Wavetable synth
  • Modular synth
  • Virtual Analogue synth
  • Frequency Modulation (FM) synth
  • Power synth (wavetables with sound libraries & FM capability + suite of FX)

Different synth VST plugins will have different approaches to how they help you design sounds. Some will use wavetables, or sound libraries, & samples alongside digital wavetables. Some will model old analog hardware, and others will use frequency modulation.

Each synth type has its own benefits and drawbacks.

The most common, and easy to use synth, is the digital wavetable synth. These include synths like Serum, Phase Plant, Rapid Synth, Omnisphere etc.

Some synths have more features than others, and better presets, but eat up more CPU. These will generally cost you more money than those that are more drawn back and CPU efficient. Whatever synth you have, you can create incredible music with it, you just need to learn it inside and out.

WHAT’S THE BEST SYNTH VST FOR BEGINNERS?

The best digital synth VST plugin for beginners is Serum. It’s the most versatile, easy-to-learn synth on the market, and sounds absolutely phenomenal without being too taxing on the CPU. For the best analog sound, go for Diva.

We would recommend Serum as the best synth VST for beginners, and most of the time that will be true. However, it entirely depends on what you want to learn, and how you function.

You might not be a fan of Serum, but it’s generally considered as one of the best synths among the music production community.

I’ve personally used Serum to make sample packs entirely from scratch. The complex, in-depth sounds that can be made using Serum and some other sound design techniques are incredible.

All patches made in Serum – Purple Slush Lofi Pack

All songs made with sounds from (created with Serum) – Purple Slush Lofi Pack

All synths made in Serum – Redd Velvet Hyperpop Pack

All songs made with Serum patches from – Redd Velvet Hyperpop Pack

It’s incredibly versatile, offers a huge range of built-in effects, an easy-to-use interface, hundreds of presets, and on top of all that, it’s the most YouTube tutorial friendly synth out there, because of its popularity among producers.

Check out the 3 day free trial of Serum to see if you like it. If you don’t get on with, you can always try out a couple of others.

Here’s a quick list of the best synth VSTs for beginners:

  1. Serum (easiest to learn & best digital synth)
  2. Diva (best sounding analog synth)
  3. Omnisphere (most powerful VST synth)

WHAT IS THE BEST FREE SYNTH VST PLUGIN?

Here’s our list of the best free synth VST plugins:

  1. Dexed (best free FM synth)
  2. Vital (best free digital wavetable synth)
  3. TyrellN6 (best free analog synth)
  4. Spitfire Labs (best free sampler synth)

Getting a synth VST plugin can cost a lot, and sometimes it’s not in your budget to shell out on a paid plugin. Here’s where free synth VSTs can come in handy.

With technology at the point it’s at in 2023, you can find some pretty incredible free synth VST plugins online.

DO I REALLY NEED TO BUY A SYNTH VST?

No, you don’t need to buy a synth VST. It won’t magically make you better at music, but it will give you access to better sounds, and improve your workflow. The best advice is to pick a synth (free or paid), and learn it inside and out.

Once you have learned a synth inside and out, and you can make great sounding stuff, but feel like you want something a bit more powerful, then consider purchasing a VST synth.

It can get expensive if you’re consistently buying plugins with the hope they’ll make your music better. They can only make the music creation process easier. So make sure you’re improving at your craft.

That money you spend, might be better off paying for courses to learn sound design, mixing or mastering etc.

1. uhe Diva – The Best Sounding Synth Available

Price: $179

diva analog synth vst plugin

Pros

✅ Award winning analog sound quality that puts the digital vs analog discussion to bed.

✅ Over 1200 phenomenal presets that will have your mouth open in shock each time you play one.

✅ A nice range of effects units and modulation options that allow for in-depth sound design

✅ Beautiful voice detune mode that allows you to edit each tone of each voice,

✅ Amazing modular capability. You can choose from over 5 different hardware synth units and mix and match them as you please

✅ Simple UI that’s an analog users dream.

✅ 4k support

Cons

❌ Very CPU hungry… that’s it.

❌ Only two effects slots

❌ Can be very overwhelming for a new user attempting to learn synthesis

U HE Diva just had to make top of this list because, it is hands down the best sounding virtual analogue synth available, and is our go-to choice every time we need a unique, interesting sound.

From clean leads, to warm fuzzy basses, and thick, beautiful chord beds – Diva has everything you’d ever need.

(If you want a bit more of an in-depth overview check our uhe Diva review)

U HE Diva has been designed to capture a whopping 5 decades of analog hardware technology, and bring that to you in digital format, for a fraction of the price you’d spend on hardware units. It’s basically a semi-modular hardware synth that sits inside your DAW.

It impersonates classic hardware like:

  • Roland Juno 60
  • Roland Jupiter 6 & 8
  • MiniMoog
  • Oberheim OB8
  • Roland JP-8000

And the best part? Like we mentioned above, Diva has a somewhat modular capability.

So, imagine taking the knobs & sounds from the Mini Moog & the filters from Korg MS-20. This is what Diva let’s you do – you can mix and match between classic hardware synths to create a ground-breaking hybrid mix.

U HE Diva offers 5 oscillator models based on classic hardware synths, 5 filter models with a range of filter types, 2 host-sync LFOs with multiple waveforms to control & 2 stereo effects slots including:

  • Chorus
  • Reverbs
  • Phasers
  • Rotary Speakers
  • Delays

One of the coolest parts about the U HE Diva is the technology it uses. Diva uses PSpice to model old analog circuitry down to a component level. Not only does that make it sound incredible, but also gives you zero-delay feedback on filter response – making resonances sound crisp and clear.

And yes, we know… most virtual analog synths use this technology, but none of them seem to get it as real-sounding as Diva does.

This does make Diva very CPU heavy, but there’s also a multicore option inside which (when turned on) will use more than 1 of your processor’s cores to deal with the heavy load. Using this helps tackle the CPU hit slightly, but for the sound you get out of this thing you’re going to need to save some CPU space.

It comes shipped with over 1200 presets, that are honestly the best presets we have ever heard inside a softsynth & are extremely different to the usual stale, trap/dubstep presets that are shipped with other VSTs.

You’ll never be short of ideas with Diva and it’s one of the cheapest plugins on this list! The value for money on this thing is f*cking insane & it beats any other synth on sound quality.

Sacrifice your CPU to the Diva gods & get this divine beast.

How Does Diva Sound?

Diva is one of the best sounding synth plugins out there, and comes with a range of phenomenal presets. And, the sound quality is beyond this world.

The leads are extremely bright, and clean, the percussion sounds are weirdly realistic for digitally made sounds, the basses are warm and vibey, and the chords are analog, warm, detuned + everything you’d want from an analog replication.

I’ve personally used Diva to create many of my productions, with one of my more recent productions (that was released on a small label), using many of the preset synths built into Diva, and some added sound desgin technique to make them sound crispier, clearer and better.

Here is the track that used Diva sounds, you can hear sounds from Diva being used in the 2nd chorus/drop, with the main lead melody, arp, chords and bass made using Diva:

Here’s some sound examples of Diva for you to check out:

chords
arp
bass

2. Xfer Serum – The Best Value for Money Synth Plugin

Price: $189

serum synth vst plugin

Pros

✅ Xfer Serum is highly regarded by music producers and sound designers due to its exceptional sound quality output, making it a preferred option.

✅ The interface has been designed with ease of use in mind, striking a balance between simplicity and advanced functionality, ensuring that anyone from a novice to an expert can use it without difficulty.

✅ Serum offers a vast collection of presets in its library, which serves as an excellent foundation for those who are into sound design and seeking new possibilities.

✅ With its impressive wavetable synthesis feature, Serum provides users with a multifaceted synthesizer that makes it effortless to produce and modify intricate waveforms.

✅ Serum’s modulation capabilities are very advanced, offering a plethora of options that permit the effortless creation of sounds as they dynamically evolve over time.

✅ Splice’s RTO option, provides an economical $9.99 per month, with the ability to freeze at any time

✅ With a significant level of popularity, Serum has an abundance of educational materials and guides available for new producers to learn it

Cons

❌ High price when bought outright

❌ Resource-intensive: Serum requires a lot of processing power, which may be problematic for users with older or less powerful computers.

❌ No built-in arpeggiator: Unlike some other synthesizers, Serum does not have a built-in arpeggiator, which may require users to use additional plugins or tools to achieve this effect.

Seurm is an advanced, wavetable synth that has an incredible range of wavetables to choose from (150 to be exact), & has one of the most phenomenal sound engines ever seen in a virtual instrument for its price!

It’s a little more stripped back than something like Diva, Omnisphere or PhasePlant, but can produce incredible sounds from not a lot of processing.

We personally love Serum because it’s versatile, quick, and sounds fantastic. The FX and filter section is what really sets it apart from the other synths on this list, having a huge array of miscellaneous filters, and the standard, low, high and band pass stuff you’d expect.

It doesn’t sound analog like Diva does, but with a few tricks, you can make it sound similar to analog style sounds.

What we love about Serum the most is the ability to modulate anything, and easily.

The Mod Matrix is great and should also be learned inside and out, but the drag and drop modulation of things, and the layout are really what make Serum the most user-friendly, workflow driven synth, that still somehow sounds amazing and has phenomenal capability.

It runs on 4 separate oscillators that are as follows:

  • Two oscillators (wavetable).
  • A flexible noise generator.
  • And a dirty sub-oscillator.

Serum also comes with over 400 expertly crafted patches and sounds you can use to make your music truly unique.

And the sound design possibilities that come with Serum are virtually endless. Including a modulation matrix with 4 macro controls, 3 envelopes and 4 LFO modules, your sounds will always have movement.

Alongside that, you also get access to over 75 different filter types and 10 unique effect rack units.

Which brings us on to just how cheap this powerhouse is. Serum offers rent to own payment plans through Splice (with 0% interest). Which means that every month you pay, you pay towards owning the vst synth completely. The plans offer incredible flexibility & let you freeze payments when you can’t afford a month, letting you pick up where you left off when you do get some money through again.

It’s impossible to cover everything that Serum has to offer in this short overview, but if you want to learn more about its capabilities be sure to check out our xfer serum vst review.

How Does Serum Sound?

All patches made in Serum – Purple Slush Lofi Pack

All songs made with sounds from (created with Serum) – Purple Slush Lofi Pack

All synths made in Serum – Redd Velvet Hyperpop Pack

All songs made with Serum patches from – Redd Velvet Hyperpop Pack

Serum is capable of creating any sound, and the sound engine it uses allows for pristine, clean and loud wavetables that don’t destroy your CPU, like the Diva or Omnisphere. It’s a little more stripped back than Diva or Omnisphere, but don’t let it fool you – you can create virtually anything.

It won’t be able to match the huge cinematic sounds of Omnisphere, but then again, it’s not $400+ and is a fraction of the price.

You can make anything from Drums, to Pads, to realistic sounding Keys patches. It all comes down to your imagination and capability when using the synth. We personally would recommend new producers to learn on Serum before picking up any other synth.

I have personally used Serum as my sole synth for designing multiple sample packs. It’s low on the CPU and you’d be surprised what you can achieve with the few oscillators it offers. In my opinion it has some of the best, most intruiging filter types, which will heavily improve your sound design game, as a lot of sound design is about filtering, modulation and shaping.

3. Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 – The most powerful VST Synth

Price: $499

Pros

✅ Omnisphere has a massive library of over 14,000 sounds, and 70GB of samples, wavetables, analog synth wavetables etc.

✅ Omnisphere’s sound engine is top tier, offering the most pristine, clear waveforms you’ve heard and even accurately modelling some analog synths and real life instruments with a combination of synthesis and sampling work.

✅ The sound design capabilities are endless, including granular synthesis, wavetable synthesis, and sample manipulation.

✅ And to add to that, incredible built-in effects, including analog emulations of old hardware units, reverb, delay, and distortion.

✅ Modulation possibilities are amazing

Cons

❌ Very expensive, making it inaccessible for some users (but it’s worth it)

❌ Very CPU and RAM heavy, do not try to use on less than 16GB RAM and Quad Core CPU

❌ Overwhelming for a new user and difficult to learn, but very worth the effort.

❌ 70GB of space is a lot for a plugin to take on your HDD. You can use an External HDD, but make sure it’s 7200RPM or an SSD or it will be slow

❌ Once you buy Omnisphere you’ll want the entire Spectrasonics collection, which will set you back a large amount of cash

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 is named the power synth, and for good reason…

It is the king of software synthesizers and is by far the best synth VST plugin on the market for sound design. It’s a lot more expensive than something like Diva, or Serum, but there’s good reason for that.

There’s a lot more sound design possibilities with Omnisphere vs Serum for instance, because Omnisphere 2 offers over 14000 built in sounds, 70GB of samples, 500 unique DSP waveforms (which emulate classic analog hardware synthesizers) & the option to have 8 instances open in one patch.

(that’s 32 oscillators per patch)!

And that’s not all!

With Omnisphere, your sounds will never lack depth or movement. The incredible selection of sounds to choose from, including the vast modulation matrix & deep number of built in effects, Omnisphere 2 allows you to craft sounds that are otherworldly and give you a unique edge in music production.

It includes an insane amount of modulation options including: 8 LFO’s per instance, 12 envelopes per instance, 34 different filter types & 58 modern & vintage built in effects units.

(our favourite is retroplex – a vintage delay unit that sounds amazing)

On top of all that Omnisphere also includes options to import your own audio, to use as a sample, alongside a range of wavetable/sample editing options including:

  • An incredible granular synthesis engine
  • Detune & unison
  • FM modulation,
  • Ring modulation
  • Wavetable shaping + bitcrush & distortion.

It’s also currently the only synth plugin that offers support for external hardware synthesizers, with a list of support for 65 different classics. If you own any of the following, then you’re in for a real treat!

omnisphere synth plugin hardware synthesizer compatibility

One of our favourite parts about Omnisphere is the arpeggiator. It has everything you’d expect on a normal arpeggiator, but with a whole lot more to choose from.

It’s what they call the “greatly enhanced arpeggiator” and it couldn’t be a truer statement.

You can add individual & unique steps to each step divider, in the form of a chord, a multiple note run & even pitch slides. The arpeggiator also allows you to import MIDI grooves to lock the playing to and even capture MIDI output, so you can apply the notes to a separate synth vst in your music project.

Omnisphere can also be used in conjunction with the biggest selection of collector keyboards in the world: Keyscape. This gives you access to a huge library of keyboard & instrument sounds which can be loaded into the Omnisphere synthesis engine.

You can imagine just how complex and deep this sound design goes…

There’s a whole lot more we could cover on Omnisphere, but there’s not enough space in this article. The sound quality & vast creative possibilities are enough alone to make this the best synth vst out there, let alone the included updates that continually make it better & better.

It’s a big investment, but it’s the best investment you’ll ever make as a music producer. If you’re looking for unique sound design, that makes peoples hairs stand on end, then this is the right virtual instrument for you.

How Does Omnisphere Sound?

Here is a composition I made using Omnisphere (no mix or master):

I have left a composition I made here. It hasn’t been mixed or mastered and I have only used instruments from Keyscape and Omnisphere, utilising the clever arpeggios built-in, the incredible granular engine and more.

Omnisphere’s sound quality is out of this world. The cinematic sounds are beyond anything we’ve heard from the likes of Serum or Phase Plant, and it’s best suited for people who are looking to compose music for film or TV.

That doesn’t mean it’s exclusive to that though, as many Trap producers have Omnisphere in their setup.

It will break the bank, but it’s 100% worth it. For someone looking for a VST synth for sound design, to create weird & unique patches that never get boring, Omnisphere is for you. The arp alone is worth it in our opinion and the patterns you can create are simply insane.

I have personally used Omnisphere for almost all my productions. Alongisde Keyscape and Trilian (Spectrasonics’ Bass and Keyboard expansions), you can make some of the most realistic, hair tingling sounds possible.

4. Kilohearts Phase Plant

Price: $169

Pros

✅ Offers a wide range of synthesis methods, including wavetable, FM, subtractive, and sample-based synthesis, giving you endless sound design capabilities

✅ Clean and easy to navigate UI, for beginners and professionals

✅ Modular architecture, giving you the possibility to create extremely complex patches easily. Also gives you a blank canvas to create as you please

✅ Very good sound engine offering high-quality sound and a small impact on the CPU + RAM

✅ Unique features, like being able to create custom wavetables, add samples and more

Cons

❌ No built-in effects directly in the plugin, you have to install “Snap-Ins” from KiloHearts. Many are free, but some are paid.

❌ No built-in arpeggiator or sequencer, these come as “Snap-Ins” again, which can be annoying to some.

❌ Very hard to learn. Because of the semi-modular nature, it can be overwhelming, especially with a blank canvas. We recommend starting with presets to learn how they are made

❌ Quite expensive when purchasing extra Snap-Ins and packs

❌ The preset library is unfortunately small compared to other synthesizers in the same price range, which offer the same capabilities

Phase Plant is Kilohearts’ flagship synthesizer, and is an unbelievable sound design beast.

This soft synth is an extremely powerful, great sounding modular instrument, which has an exceptionally clean & easy to use interface, on top of a tonne of features to help you craft any sound you’re looking for.

It’s modular design is slightly different to what you would expect from traditional modular synth plugins. Rather than having modules you can’t move, Phase Plant opens on a blank slate & allows for customisation, letting you choose the modules where they are needed.

Phase Plant comes shipped with 400 expertly crafted sounds, has access to 4 signal generators including differing types such as:

  • Wavetable Oscillators
  • Virtual Analog
  • Samples (you can choose your own)
  • Noise Oscillators

PhasePlant is a more advanced Serum that’s a little more difficult to get your head around and navigate, but has the potential of more in-depth sound design. The analog capability is great, but it’s not a patch on Diva, and the sound sources are nowhere near the level of Omnisphere.

It is however one of the most sought after synths for sound designers that are on a budget, and will take you further than Serum with a few more headaches.

This modular synth has been designed with freedom in mind. With Phase Plant, you can route the signal oscillators freely between each other. And, yes you guessed it, the modulation options using this synth plugin are limitless.

One of the coolest things that Phase Plant can do is with the effects. Kiloheart calls these Snapins & these easy to use effect units have a secret trick up their sleeve – the poly toggle.

The poly toggle allows you to apply all of the current effects in a lane to individual voices of the soft synth, which can give some interesting sounds. For instance, you could use the random modulator to even give each voice random features & values.

The incredible degree of flexibility and customisation that comes with Phase Plant is ear-gasmic. And, if we were to cover all the options in this short overview, it wouldn’t do it justice.

This is one of the best instruments available for your music & creative needs right now.

5. Paraware Rapid Synth

Price: $189

parawave rapid synth vst plugin

Pros

✅ 8 different layers with 3 oscillators to choose from

✅ Incredible library of factory samples, wavetables & presets

✅ 32 modulation routes

✅ Great sequencer which can be used to create constantly evolving and interesting sounds.

✅ Arp control is extremely precise

✅ Tonnes of MIDI & interesting arp presets

✅ Easy to use interface

Cons

❌ A little overwhelming at first

❌ Not widely used yet, so 3rd party sounds rarely available

Rapid Synth by Parawave is one of our favourite synth VST plugins, that has incredible sound quality, and an amazing library of sounds shipped with it. It’s a mix between a sampler instrument and a wavetable synthesizer.

Rapid combines a library of fantastic samples, with wavetable synthesis (much like Omnisphere does). This allows you to create incredibly unique, and in-depth patches, when combining with the vast modulation features you get in this plugin.

It’s a more EDM based synth, and we’d list it as a cheaper version of Omnisphere.

This is because with Rapid you can open 8 separate instances (like in Omnisphere), with 3 oscillators, or with samples from the expansive sound library included. This is very similar to how Omnisphere works, but Rapid doesn’t quite get the sound quality as good.

Rapid is better for loud, clear, pressed EDM sounds, and Omnisphere is better for cinematic, in-depth, texturised sounds.

With Rapid Synth you’ll get:

  • 250 Wavetables
  • 22 Effects
  • 3 Oscillators
  • 4 Envelopes
  • 4 LFOs
  • 4 Sequencers
  • A MIDI reading Arpeggiator

There’s so much included with the Rapid Synth VST plugin for the price. It’s one of the most in-depth soft synths on the market, and is not too known about in the music production community.

The preset library is expansive, and they sound fantastic, and there’s even a really cool “Melody” category that has built-in MIDI files, that have been pre-made for an instance to follow.

That means you can also input your own MIDI across multiple instances and have 1 playing the bass line, 1 playing the chord line, 1 playing an arp & so on.

The sequencer included makes it stand out from the other plugins on this list, but it’s hard to use, and a little bit fiddley if we’re totally honest.

Also the preset library can get a little bit same-y and there’s not as big of a selection as the synths listed above.

How Does Rapid Synth Sound?

Here’s are some sound examples of Rapid Synth’s sound quality:

trance chords
arp
lofi chords
brass

The sound quality of Rapid synth is fantastic, and the presets included are top notch. It’s more useful for EDM like Trance, Big Room and loud, dance-y genres. The bass presets are dirty, loud and big, the chords are pristine, clean and melodic, and the leads cut through a mix like butter.

If you’re looking for a synth that’s capable of these loud, clean EDM sounds, then Rapid is for you. It’s not all it can do, but it’s what it’s best at. You can make lofi, cinematic – whatever your heart desires.

I personally use Rapid in my Worfklow when I want a more electronic based sound. It’s very similar to Omnisphere and I’d describe it as the poor man’s version of Omnisphere, coming with a huge library of sampled instruments you can use to craft sounds on a similar level. However, in terms of sound quality of samples and possibilities for sound design Omnisphere takes the cake.

But with the huge price difference you may want to opt for Rapid instead as it is just as capable with a bit more leg work.

5. TAL-Bassline 101

Price: $60

tal bassline 101 synth vst plugin

Pros

✅ Clean, crisp GUI.

✅ Snappy envelope controls

✅ Great support from developer (communication and updates).

✅ One of the best SH-101 emulations out there

✅ 96 Step sequences and arpeggiator (sync-able to DAW)).

✅ Self resonating zero feedback delay filter

✅ De-Clicker mode for slower envelopes

Cons

❌ Could be lighter on the CPU

❌ Low-end could feel more defined

TAL-Bassline 101 a master at creating bass and is modelled from the legendary Roland SH-101 bass synth that became a staple of house music in the 1990s. So if you’re into making that old school vintage house music then this is the best synth plugin for that.

(If you want a deeper overview on TAL’s Bassline 101, then check out our TAL-Bassline 101 review)

We wanted to include this in our list because of the sheer value of this monster & the superb analog sound that it reproduces.

Created by TAL, this is the best emulation of the Roland SH-101 on the market and it’s infinitely cheaper than the competitors that try to replicate the sound.

It has a simple, easy to use interface that has modulation options, voltage controlled oscillators, envelopes and a load more.

The TAL-Bassline 101 is monophonic and also has an arpeggiator/sequencer built-in that you can use to create interesting patterns, which are especially fitting in house music production.

Bassline 101 is about simplicity & takes the less is more approach – something that is overlooked by today’s electronic producer. It has only 1 envelope, which produces its signature sound & gives the producer less to worry about.

It produces incredible analog sound without the need for effects. And, you can dial in an awesome bass sound in a matter of seconds that will propel a track forward & get people moving.

It comes with over 300 presets, a 96 step, step sequencer, up to 6 voice poly mode & a de-clicker for shorter envelopes.

How Does TAL Bassline 101 Sound?

Here’s our video review of the TAL Bassline 101 that includes some sound examples:

TAL’s Bassline 101 is supposed to emulate the classic SH-101, and it does it really well. This synth VST plugin gives off an awesome analog vibe, and sound. It’s one of the more accurate virtual analog soft synths and actually does a better job than those that are twice the price.

If you’re looking for the old school sound of classic synths like the SH-101, the TAL range is one you should definitely check out.

6. TAL-U-NO-LX

Price: $60

tal u no lx synth vst plugin

Pros

✅ Fantastic to the “T” Roland Juno-60 emulation, that uses PSpice circuit technology to model the original circuitry

✅ Great interface that has a similar layout to the original synth and keeps everything authetic

✅ High-quality, lush chorus effect, that the Juno-60 is known for, sounds amazing. The nostalgic reverb, adds depth and character to the sound as well

✅ Very cheap for an emulation plugin. Most other emulations you’ll pay north of $150, where the U-NO-LX is $40 ish

✅ All the utility stuff you’d need like, MIDI learn

Cons

❌ Only limited to the classic sounds of the Juno-60, can’t do anything else with it

❌ There is a lack of routing or modulation avialable for more intricate sound design

❌ Arpeggiator and sequencer is not built in, meaning you’ll have to use 3rd party plugins

❌ A small preset library compared to other plugins

Another TAL plugin?

TAL make some of the best value plugins on the market and the features that come with the U-No-LX prove their value in the software synth industry.

It’s a re-written emulation of one of the most celebrated synths of all time – the Juno 60, and it sounds almost like the real thing! The TAL-U-No-LX comes with so many incredible presets & sounds that are wildly similar to the presets found on the later Juno 60 hardware units that eventually shipped with on board sounds.

TAL have done an incredible job when it comes to emulating the girth and warmth of the original Juno 60. Warm sounds are something we’re always looking for, and the Juno 60 fills that gap in our hearts.

The U-No-LX also brings some new age technology updates with it. The Juno 60 was classically known to have a lot of underlying noise when being played or changing to certain effects such as the chorus.

With the advancement of technology we’ve been able to remove noise from synthesizers & effects to make a much more precise and clean sound, and TAL have made use of this with the U-No-LX.

Now there may be a debate as to whether this is a good thing, because a lot of those intricacies are what made classic synths sound so unique, but when mixing your tracks, the removal of noise is a welcome addition.

TAL-U-No-LX features more than 300, factory presets, with the original hardware unit’s “factory bank A” included, filter effects that range up to 40kHz, an arpeggiator and more!

If you’re looking for an exceptional emulation of some awesome hardware gear, then this is a perfect pick up.

Be sure to check out our full review of the TAL U NO LX.

How Does TAL U NO LX Sound?

Here’s some sound examples of the TAL U NO LX:

pad
sfx
brass

Another great sounding analog virtual instrument from TAL. For the price, it captures what most plugins twice the price, don’t. Beautiful, warm analog Juno sounds, thick pads, an amazing chorus I and chorus II button.

The TAL U NO LX sounds remarkably good.

7. Arturia Pigments 2

Price: $199 or $9.99/month

Pros

✅ Hybrid synthesis engine that includeds virtual analog, wavetable, and sample-based synthesis for incredibly sound design possibilities

✅ The UI is very easy to use, with an intuitive layout and great helpful explanations of each module

✅ Powerful modulation system with extensive routing options, loads of modulation sources and a great matrix to get in-depth with your sound

✅ Huge collection of presets, which are made by some of the top producers and sound designers in the industry

✅ Unique morphing mode, giving the option blend two presets or blend two wavetables together

Cons

❌ Very CPU intensive, so not worth it for producers with older computers that can’t handle the juice

Pros

Cons

You might already know who Arturia are from their huge range of hardware controllers, synths and keyboards.

And, in the soft synth world, Arturia are known as the very best for virtual analog emulations of analog hardware classics.

They offer some of the best plugins for music making, and with Pigments, this statement holds true. It’s one of the best synths that money can buy.

Pigments 2 is a two oscillator synth that has a twin audio engine. What that means, is that you can use both wavetables & virtual analog to create sounds beyond possibilities you can imagine.

With this, Pigments has an extensive list of modulation options to keep movement and detail within your sound. It includes, 3 envelopes, 3 LFOs and 3 function generators.

Also included in the package is the new sample engine which allows you to browse the already huge list of sounds or add your own to patches. This is taken even further when using the new synth mode & in-built granular effect to create interesting tones & movements in your sound.

Arturia Pigments 2 comes shipped with 2 filter sections and a wide range of filter types to choose from.

One of our favourite parts of the Arturia powerhouse synth, is the Intuitive, lightning-fast workflow & beautiful UI that can bring a splash of colour to your audio workstation. It’s slick, clean, easy to use and navigate & makes designing sound an absolute dream.

It’s also the best synth for value on this list, offering rent to own options at just $9.99/month for the full package with flexible plans that you can freeze and pick up later on.

8. Dexed

Price: $0

Pros

✅ Dexed is completely free and works on Windows, Mac and Linux

✅ Software-based FM synthesizer that is based on the original Yamaha DX7

✅ Sound quality of the emulation is fantastic and can even load the old presets from your DX7 if you still have it

✅ Huge library of presets that are great starting points for sound design

✅ Supports MIDI inputs and outputs, allowing you to control it with your MIDI keyboard, but also link it directly with your DX7 and have everything map perfectly

Cons

❌ FM synthesis is notoriously complex for people to learn, so if you’re a beginner it will be hard to understand, but worth learning

❌ Will require a lot of effort to learn for people who are new to FM

❌ Pretty limited compared to other FM synth options on the market, but after all, it is free

Dexed has to be the best free vst synth of all time. It’s a magnificent FM soft synth that has been modelled on the legendary & beloved classic – Yamaha DX7.

What’s one of the coolest features of Dexed, is that it acts as a software extension of the original hardware unit & can be used in conjunction with it to make amazing sounds.

This means that if you’ve got the original hardware, you can hook it up to Dexed, create sounds on the hardware, and save them as presets within the software. This allows for a more hands on approach to FM synthesis.

(don’t worry it still has full functionality as just a standalone VST synth)

Dexed also has one of the best UI’s we’ve ever seen on a free plugin and could be compared to some paid plugins on the market that attempt to get FM synthesis right.

It’s clean look and easy to use controls make FM synthesis much less of a headache to understand and allow you to dial in sounds of extensive depth quickly and easily.

Dexed comes shipped with a large number of presets, with 32 sound banks that each contain 32 presets, so you’ll be able to find the right sound for your piece.

(that’s 1024 presets to be exact)

With all that and the fact that it’s free, Dexed had to make our list as one of the best free VST synths ever made.

9. Arturia V Collection

Price: $499 or $24.99/month

Pros

✅ 28 virtual instruments that accurately model the most iconic analog synths, digital synths, and keyboards throughout time

✅ Fantastic authentic sound for emulations. Created modelling the circuitry from the original hardware, to acheieve the authentic intricacies of analog hardware

✅ Each virtual instrument has it’s own interface to be controlled with, keeping it as similar to the original as possible

✅ Expands on old hardware by introducing new modulation capabilities made possible with digital software. Giving you the original analog sound with in-depth customisation

✅ Standalone software is available and can additionally be used as a plugin

✅ Frequent updates and upgrades, offering new instruments, presets and more

Cons

❌ CPU intensive, meaning multiple instances of the software might be difficult to handle for some PCs

❌ Expensive software, and updates regularly to different versions which cost more (yearly – bi-yearly)

Arturia pops up again on this list, but this time, in the virtual analog section. This is because the V Collection is one of the most expansive selections of legendary hardware synths, samplers and classic keyboards.

If you’re looking for that analog sound in your music production, then the Arturia V Collection is for you.

The V Collection comes shipped with 24 timeless instruments, that have been used in hit upon hit, throughout decades & are still shaping modern music today!

Arturia have expertly sampled these classics to bring what sounds like the real hardware gear, into your digital music production world.

By owning the V Collection, you have access to an exceptional selection of hardware classics including: the

  • Prophet 5
  • Modular V
  • ARP 2600 V
  • & a whole lot more.

You also get access to real, legendary instruments that have been sampled to sound like an exact replica of the real thing. The V Collection includes electric pianos, acoustic pianos and even the Mellotron V!

Just the Prophet and ARP2600 hardware units alone, add up to the huge price of $4065 at time of writing. With the Collection V, you get access to unparalleled recreations for just a fraction of that price, at $499 or just $24.99/month with Splice RTO options.

Alongside all the awesome, warm analog sounding gear you can get your hands on, you’ll never run out of ideas with Arturia’s V Collection. You have over 8000 inspiring presets to choose from, alongside full features control of each powerful, hardware unit and tonnes of effects to bend your sound.

One of our favourite re-creations, has to be the ARP2600 V, and after we share the features it provides, we think you’ll think so too.

The ARP2600 V has all the charm and customisation of the original, and is just plain fun to use when plugging virtual wires from slot to slot as you craft your sound ever so perfectly. And, like we said above, the Arturia version comes with some enhancements, including polyphony, tracking generator modules, 1601 sequencer and tonnes of effects.

Arturia V Collection is truly a sound designers dream come true and is the best virtual analog synth plugin of all time. We highly recommend taking a look at this beast. For the price, it is the most incredible piece of technology we’ve seen & with continual updates that make it better & better, it looks like it’s going to stay that way for a long time.

Let’s take a look at the CMI V… you guessed it, it’s a recreation of the ground-breaking fairlight CMI synth. And, just like the original you get the same features, with a whole lot more due to the increase in capabilities of modern machines.

The CMI V has 10 multitimbral, polyphonic slots to design your sound, as well as real-time waveform shaping, an effects sequencer and a brand new extension – the Spectral synth.

10. Jup-8V

Price: $199

roland jupiter 8 classic hardware synth
Roland Jupiter 8 – The original hardware synth that Arturia have re-created as a software synth

The Jup-8V is another virtual analog re-creation of one of the most classic hardware instruments known by music producers everywhere. And, it’s another re-creation from the synthesizer software giants, Arturia.

Although this comes packaged as part of the plugins included with the Arturia V Collection (listed above), we felt it deserved its very own slot on the best synth vst plugins list.

If you didn’t guess already, the Jup-8V is a powerful emulation of the classic Roland Jupiter 8. And the virtual version, is a sound designers dream.

With second hand units going for close for $20,000, getting your hands on a classic Jupiter 8 has become extremely difficult. Arturia recently solved this by creating the best emulation of the original known to man.

The Jupiter 8 is known for its lush pads haunting leads as well as the ability to split sounds apart for layering.

The Jup 8v not only gives you access to the original capabilities, but adds on that with features like, the new sequencer mode, galaxy mode & effects plugins you can use to tweak your sound even further.

Arturia’s Jup-8v features more than 500 innovative presets, up to 32 voices of polyphony, a great selection of modulation options & a unison mode with up to 4 voices.

With analog instruments still ruling music in 2023, having access to synths like the Jupiter 8 for such a low price is a dream come true. The Jup 8v is a must have if you’re looking for that old school sound only the hardware instruments can replicate.

11. Softube Modular

Compatibility: Win8, Win7, Win10, Win11 Apple Silicon, macOS 10.12+ VST, VST3, AU, AAX, 64-bit
Price: $89

Pros

✅ Highly realistic copycat emulation of a hardware analog modular synthesizer, using circuitry emulation technology to perfectly emulate the intricacies of analog, modular hardware

✅ Over 20 utility modules and 6 oscillator generation modules included

✅ Modular design allows for patching of any module between any other module, giving total freedom to create

✅ Includes emulations of authorised Euro Rack synth modules, which sound strikingly similar to the original units

✅ Fully expandable with 3rd party modules built and authorised by original makers

✅ Standalone is available too

✅ High-quality effects included to get you started, with filters, delays and more

✅ Can be linked up with hardware Euro Rack units to expand the possibilities of sound design without breaking the bank on new modular units

Cons

❌ Very hard to learn for a beginner and it can be overwhelming

❌ Collecting 3rd party modules can become very expensive and not many modules are initially included

Softube Modular is a modular synth that packs a punch. We also featured it in our 50 best VST plugins article as one of the best analog vst instruments available.

In our opinion, modular synths have to be one of the most interesting kinds of synths to use when creating music. The creative possibilities are almost endless & the fun of plugging different wires in everywhere never grows old.

The great thing about Softube Modular is that it’s as close to a modular synth that software instruments can provide. Working closely with hardware kings, Doepfer, Softube Modular features both the sound, flexibility and expandability that makes producers so fond of true analog modular synths.

It comes shipped with 6 modeled Doepfer modules, 20 utility modules & the ability to acquire additional Eurorack modules from cutting edge manufacturer’s like Intellijel.

With more an more modules being made for Softube Modular all the time, it’s one of the most expandable virtual instruments of all time.

One of the best things about Softube Modular is its ease of use. Unlike other modular instruments that are daunting and somewhat overwhelming, Softube makes it easy for beginners to rustle up some awesome sounds, with over 200 quality templates to choose from.

You can also integrate Softube Modular with your hardware Eurorack modular instruments to expand its capabilities even further.

If you’re looking for a great introduction to modular synthesis, that’s also great value for money, then Softube Modular is for you. With it’s true dynamic circuit-emulation, it’s the most real experience of using a modular synth in a digital environment.

12. Native Instruments Massive X

Compatibility: Win10, Win11, Apple Silicon macOS 10.5+, VST, VST3, AU, AAX 64-bit
Price: $179

Pros

✅ Stunning sounding oscillators with great filters that sound analog, and can be used to further shape your sound design

✅ Routing and modulation is really easy to use, you just drag and drop on certain effects and use the modulation matrix to further refine, making it great for workflow

✅ Brilliant selection of modulators, LFOs, performance modules and more. If you’re an original Massive fan you’ll know how great the performer modulators are

✅ Great selection of built-in effects that can be modulated and sound fantastic. Things like LFOs, envelopes can be applied to really technically shape your sounds

✅ Wonderful selection of presets

Cons

❌ Quite expensive for a synth

❌ No ability to load your own samples or waveforms

❌ Not as versatile as other wavetable synths on the market

With the release of synth plugins such as, Native Instruments Massive, Kontakt & Reaktor, they have made more than a name for themselves in the industry.

And, with Massive X, they’ve only gone and done it again.

Massive X is one of the most incredibly versatile wavetable synths on the market. With over 170 different wavetables to choose from, 2 oscillators (with separate sub oscillators) and the ability to add a 3rd in (through the FX panel), it’s a customisable powerhouse.

The separate sub modules are awesome, and each have 3 different modes, that give a wide range of tonal qualities. “King”, “Kang” and “Kong” can take any of your wavetables and deliver some of the fattest subs known to man!

Where Massive X really shines though, is the modulation. You can only do so much to a sound with wavetables and envelopes. To truly bring your sound design alive, clever modulation is needed.

Massive X allows for this, giving you the ability to modulate every single parameter, very simply. It takes the classic drag and drop modulation functionality, that made the original Massive so popular, and improves on it.

Also included, is a new, updated version of the routing panel. The routing panel allows you to have full control over your synth’s signal path.

Using the routing panel, you can change the flow of your signal path, and bypass certain modules really quickly, and easily.

Alongside this function, you get 3 modulation envelopes, 6 LFOs, 3 performers, & 4 trackers. These can all be used to create movement and depth in your sounds.

When all is said and done, Massive X is an absolute beast of a synth. It’s best at creating aggressive bass sounds, but can do pretty much anything you want it to.

13. Vital (Free)

Compatibility: Win10, Win11 Apple Silicon, macOS 10.12+ VST, VST3, AU, AAX, LV2, 64-bit
Price: $0

Pros

✅ Wavetable synthesis with 3 oscillators, incredible range of effects and filters

✅ Endless modulation possibilities with a simple drag and drop approach, which allows you to modulate anything

✅ Very similar layout to Xfer’s Serum, making it very easy to use and some calling it the free version of Serum, however the sound engine is entirely different

✅ UI is intuitive and easy to navigate, with a sleek and modern design.

✅ Very affordable price. It’s either free or only $80 to purchase the pro version which unlocks everything

✅ Nice library of presets to choose from which help aid the sound design process

✅ Great modulation matrix that is easy to understand and use, allowing you modulate literally anything

✅ Possible to load own wavetables, create wavetables from samples and load samples, meaning you don’t have to purchase the full version

✅ Active community that shares presets, wavetable packs and more

Cons

❌ Free version is stripped back, you only get a few wavetables to use

❌ Not as good as Serum, but offers a more affordable option to Serum

Vital Synth has been highly acclaimed by music producers and sound designers over the years due to its robust and adaptable wavetable synthesis. This synthesizer presents a diversified array of timbres and textures that can be effortlessly tweaked to generate exclusive and captivating sounds.

It has a remarkable interface, with an intuitive framework and easy navigation, catering to the needs of beginners and professionals alike. Its features a diverse collection of filter types, LFOs, envelopes, to effects, where adjusting parameters comes as second nature.

Vital, in my personal opinion, is fantastic for synthwave music, drum and bass, dubstep and pretty much any genre. I personally like it for 80s synthwave music/old vintage sounds. This may or may not be influenced by the purple colour hahaha!

However, the filters are fantastic and unique, with modulation they become even greater tools for intriguing sound design too.

Unfortunately, the free version doesn’t come with a lot of wavetables or preset to choose from. However, you can load your own wavetables and create wavetables from samples etc if you like, meaning you don’t have to purchase the full version.

Nothing else is limited in the free version of the synth, which is what sets Vital apart.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the complete list of the 13 best synth VST plugins, instruments and synths available updated for 2023:

  1. uhe Diva
  2. Xfer Serum
  3. Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2.6
  4. Kilohearts Phase Plant
  5. TAL Bassline 101
  6. TAL -U-NO-LX
  7. Arturia Pigments 2
  8. Dexed
  9. Arturia V Collection
  10. Arturia Jup-8v
  11. Softube Modular
  12. Native Instruments Massive X
  13. Vital

Honing down the so many available synth plugins on the market to only just a few is difficult. We spent hours designing this list and ensuring that there was something for everyone included. From expensive to free, digital to analog emulation, this list has it all.

While we’ve go you, be sure to check out our huge list of deals on audio plugins.

1 thought on “13 of The Best Synth VST Plugins in 2023”

  1. Bert Haandrikman

    I don’t understand why Vital and Pigments don’t get a spot. Instead of Serum, Vital is free and Pigments is also cheaper and a very great synth.

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