Plugin brands. Who makes what.
The plugin makers and stores producers buy from most, and what each one is known for. Each name links to the maker's own site.
SCRAMBLE.
FX plugin + 2,800-preset Bundle. Not just loops: drum buses, 808s, hats, vocals, master bus. Black Friday price live now.
MUTANT.
Layering synth with a pedalboard and arps that loop in 1 or 2 bars. Pre-order $39, out Dec 15.
Waves
Huge catalog with frequent sales. Most producers own at least a few. Known for: CLA vocals, SSL and API channel strips, Renaissance, H-Delay.
FabFilter
The go-to EQ, limiter and compressor for clean, precise mixing. Known for: Pro-Q 4, Pro-L 2, Pro-C 2, Saturn 2, Timeless 3.
Native Instruments
Instruments, samplers and effects. Komplete bundles are big sale items. Known for: Komplete, Kontakt, Massive X, Battery, Guitar Rig.
iZotope
Mixing, mastering and repair with AI assistants. Known for: Ozone, Neutron, Nectar, RX, VocalSynth.
Xfer Records
Serum is one of the most-used wavetable synths in modern production. Known for: Serum 2, LFOTool, Cthulhu.
Spectrasonics
Omnisphere is a staple in hip-hop and film scoring. Known for: Omnisphere, Keyscape, Trilian.
Arturia
Classic synth recreations and the Pigments synth. Known for: V Collection, Pigments, Analog Lab, FX Collection.
Output
Creative instruments and FX built for modern producers. Known for: Arcade, Portal, Movement, Thermal.
Soundtoys
Characterful saturation, delay and vocal effects. Known for: Decapitator, EchoBoy, Little AlterBoy, Crystallizer.
Universal Audio
Analog emulations of classic studio hardware. Known for: UAD plugins, LUNA, 1176, LA-2A, Pultec.
Slate Digital
Subscription with a big library of mixing plugins. Known for: Virtual Mix Rack, Fresh Air, All Access Pass.
Plugin Alliance
Dozens of brands under one store and subscription. Known for: bx_ console channels, Shadow Hills, SPL, Lindell.
Kilohearts
Modular synth and snap-in effects. Known for: Phase Plant, Disperser, Faturator, Snap Heap.
Cableguys
Rhythmic volume, filter and time effects. Known for: ShaperBox 3, VolumeShaper, HalfTime.
BABY Audio
Fresh, fun effects with modern sounds. Known for: Spaced Out, Smooth Operator, Crystalline, Parallel Aggressor.
Antares
The original Auto-Tune for vocal tuning. Known for: Auto-Tune Pro, Auto-Tune Access, Harmony Engine.
Spitfire Audio
Orchestral and cinematic sample libraries. Known for: BBC Symphony Orchestra, Originals, LABS.
Image-Line
FL Studio and its famous plugins like Gross Beat. Known for: FL Studio, Gross Beat, Harmor, Sytrus.
XLN Audio
RC-20 is the lo-fi plugin almost every producer knows. Known for: XO, RC-20 Retro Color, Addictive Drums, Addictive Keys.
Sonible
AI-assisted EQ, compression and limiting. Known for: smart:EQ 4, smart:comp 2, pure bundle.
Softube
Hardware emulations and the Console 1 controller. Known for: Console 1, Tube-Tech, Weiss, Model 72.
Eventide
Legendary studio effects and huge reverbs. Known for: H3000, Blackhole, MicroPitch, SplitEQ.
Splice
Millions of royalty-free samples and rent-to-own plugins. Known for: Samples, rent-to-own plugins, INSTRUMENT.
Plugin Boutique
One of the largest plugin stores, with big Black Friday sales. Known for: The big plugin store, with free gifts on most purchases.
audioplugins.org is run by producer Jordon Lumley, who makes SCRAMBLE. and MUTANT., so they're pinned at the top. Other products link straight to their makers. Some links may be affiliate links, which never change what you pay. Prices and terms change, so check the maker's site.