Best Free VST Plugins of 2025: [Live Updates on Holiday Freebies]

In this article, explore the Top free VST plugins of 2025 from brands like Native Instruments, Valhalla, including some of the best limited-time deals from Universal Audio, Eventide and more.

This year turned out to be a jackpot for music producers, beatmakers and audio engineers. With an unprecedented number of plugin releases, discounts and giveaways, 2025 has come out to be one of the best years for musicians. Following the giveaway from Soundtoys and Waves, Several other brands are offering their flagship plugins free for a limited time. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional looking for the top industry-standard plugins, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

But what happens when these deals expire? Or if you’ve already missed them? We understand that acquiring the top plugins can be financially challenging for many producers. That’s why we’re here to support you throughout your creative journey. In this article, we’ve curated a list of the Top 29 free VST plugins, including both forever-free releases as well as limited-time holiday freebies that you should consider in your production. This features all the essentials from Synths, Reverbs, delays, to Kontakt Instruments and more, that replace the paid plugins. Many of these plugins are even used by some of the top producers, including Fred Again, Sam Gellaitry, Mike Shinoda and more.

So, without further delay, let’s continue with our guide of the Best Free VST Plugins of 2025. We’ve organized this guide by category, including the Best Free Synth Plugin of 2025, Best Free AutoTune VST Plugin and more, to help you quickly find what you need without extensive comparison. Additionally, if you’re looking for the best plugin deals, you can click here and check the ongoing offers on your favourite plugins.

Content List:

1. Top 29 Free VST Plugins – Quick List
2. Best Holiday 2025 Freebies (Limited-Time Deals)
3. Top 5 Free VST Plugins of 2025
4. Best Free Synth Plugin of 2025
5. Best Free Kontakt Instrument of 2025
6. Best Free AutoTune VST Plugin
7. Top 3 Free VST Plugins for Mixing & Mastering
8. Best Free VST Plugins Bundle of 2025

Also Read: Ultimate Guide to Free Piano VST Plugins

Quick List [Live-Tracker]

Tip – Focus on mastering a select number of plug-ins rather than collecting all the options available in the market. This approach will give you deeper insight into their capabilities and help you understand when and how to use them effectively in your workflow.

Best Holiday 2025 Freebies (Limited-Time Deals)

1. SynthMaster One (Limited Time Deal):

SynthMaster One by kv331audio is one of the best wavetable synthesizer used by producers like Armin van Buuren, Zedd, and Martin Garrix. It features two setero wavetable oscillators with sub-oscillators that are capable of generating complex waveforms and classic analog leads. Featuring over 1,250 factory presets with built-in effect controls like distortion, EQ, compressor, vocoder, delay, chorus, reverb, and more. Whether you make EDM, cinematic, melodic techno or UK garage, this is one of the most versatile wavetable synths you can get this Christmas. Synthmaster One is the lighter version of their flagship plugin, Synthmaster, and is generally sold for $49, but until January 4, 2026, you can avail this for free. So don’t miss this chance, as this can be one of the best free synth plugin deals of 2025.

2. Free UAD plug-in (Limited Time Deal):

Universal Audio just extended its free plugin giveaway until December 31. UAD is letting every user pick one paid plugin from a curated list of ten plugins. These are full versions, not a demo, not a cut-down version. The same plugin that normally sells for $49 to $149. Currently, you can claim it for $0. Just use the code “HOLIDAYFREEBIE” and choose your favourite plugins.

Some of the recommended UAD plugins you can consider:

1. Teletronix LA-2A Tube Compressor
2.  UAD Showtime ’64 Tube Amp
3.  UA 1176 Classic FET Compressor
4. Galaxy Tape Echo
5. PolyMAX Synth

System Requirements & Activation:
Universal Audio Native plugins for macOS and Windows are installed through the UA Connect manager. You only need UA Connect during installation; it does not need to stay running while you use the plugins in your DAW.

Read: The Best Speed Garage Sample Packs of 2025

3. Izotope Insight 2 (Limited Time Deal):

Izotope Insight 2 is an industry-standard metering and audio analysis plugin that is used while mixing and mastering. It provides you with visual feedback of the track with parameters like loudness, peak and RMS levels, sound field, spectrum analyzer, spectrogram, and loudness history graphs. The interface is easy to use with a real-time spectrogram and VectorScope, which gives a precise visual of frequency balance and stereo imaging. If you want to enhance your mixing and mastering, you cannot miss this deal. Available for free until December 31, 2025.

4. Eventide Temperance Lite (Limited Time Deal):

Eventide Temperance Lite is a creative modal reverb plugin that lets you shape reverb based on musical notes. It comes with features like Temper control that help tune the reverb to match the track’s harmony. This blends the effects with instruments. With 15 Factory Presets and a lightweight interface, this is a must-have reverb plugin that you can grab for free until  December 31, 2025.

5. Excite Audio Bloom Bass Groove Lite:

This is one of the best holiday freebies you can get before the year ends. Bloom Bass Groove Lite by Excite Audio is a virtual instrument built around a sampled electric bass. Bloom Bass Groove Lite sounds very authentic, especially with the variety of basslines like offering slap, fingerstyle, picked, muted loops and one-shots that are tempo- and key-synced to your project. The game-changer feature of this amazing VST is an intuitive Phrase Player that lets you audition and trigger different riffs and playing styles with realism. This plugin includes 75 presets, three modules (Speakers, Dynamics, Envelope Filter) and four macro controls. This versatility and modern controls make this one of the best freebies of 2025. To grab this, just use the Code PB-XMAS-25 until December 31, 2025, on Plugin Boutique.

Top 5 Free VST Plugins of 2025:

1. u-he Zebralette 3:

Zebralette 3 is the first one on our top 5 free VST plugins list. This powerful wavetable synthesizer by u-he is a lighter version of the Zebra2. It features a single wavetable oscillator which is capable of blending and morphing between multiple waveforms, ideal for rich leads, basses, pads and atmospheres. Comes with two flexible LFOs, an envelope generator, and a filter section. Zebralette 3 is a must-have free plugin, especially if you admire producers like Ben Bohmer, Lane 8 and many others. You can feel the signature warmth and character u-he synths are known for. Grab this free synth plugin from their website or just click the link below!

2. Valhalla Freq Echo:

Valhalla Freq Echo is a legendary delay-based effect plugin that blends classic analog bucket bridge delay with modern frequency shifting. Used by artists like Fred Again, this is a must-have for every producer. It offers two independent delay lines with smooth feedback and filtering, allowing you experiment with the sounds. The plugin also includes filter high/low cut, feedback saturation and spread controls, that provides fine tuned tonal shaping and stereo width. There are a lot of unique features that you should explore and use in your tracks. With its minimal CPU usage and extensive list of features, this is one of the best free delay plugins of 2025.

3. Native Instruments Raum:

Native Instruments Raum is a creative reverb plugin that is also one of the must-have plugins you should grab in 2025. You can use Raum in any instruments, from a simple synth lead to vocals, as well as drums. It offers three modes, Grounded, Airy and Cosmic that are perfect for cinematic, electronic, or ambient music. This plugin also includes pre-delay and modulation controls that let you tailor the reverb tail with rhythmic echoes, granular effects and much more. What makes this unique is the quality output and easy-to-use interface. So if you’re a producer looking for a reverb plugin, just download Raum from the official native instrument site and start experimenting.

Also Read: Skrillex Secret Weapons: Top 10 VST Plugins He Actually Uses

4. Kushview reTuner:

Kushview reTuner is one of the underrated plugins that provides real-time pitch correction and MIDI to audio tuning. It lets you adjust the pitch of monophonic audio with a precise musical feel. This is one of the best plugins for experimental music producers and beatmakers. Additionally, reTuner offers MIDI-triggered pitch changes, smooth correction curves, and adjustable speed and range parameters. With its lightweight and flexible interface, reTuner is a must-have free plugin for producers in 2025.

5. W. A. Production KSHMR Essentials Kick:

Kick is the most essential part of any track. It defines the emotions and power in any song, or even any genre. So that’s why we kept KSHMR Essentials Kick by W. A. Production in our top free plugin list. It makes your kick’s low end punchy and polished with minimal effort. Comes with controls like Sub, Mid, Air, Tape and more, this multi-fx plugin can be used in almost any instrument. The interface is pretty straightforward and fast to work with, making it suitable for beginners as well as pros. So, if you love making EDM, hip-hop, pop, or house. Do check out this amazing plugin by WA Production in collaboration with KSHMR.

Best Free Synth Plugins of 2025:

1. Vital:

The best free synth plugin that you can consider in 2025 is Vital. Launched in 2020, Vital has quickly become the most popular free wavetable synthesizer among producers. It features three wavetable oscillators with advanced modulation and warp options. You can create everything from powerful basses to evolving pads and textures. Vital is also available in a subscription model, where you can get more presets and wavetable access. But in the basic free version, you can get 75 presets ​and 25 wavetables, which is sufficient for beginners. Additionally, Vital includes a built-in effects rack that includes distortion, chorus, delay, reverb, EQ, and more, helping you shape sounds according to your track. This plugin is supported by every DAW and available across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

2. Venus Theory auras: lichen:

Venus Theory auras: lichen is a free experimental instrument library designed for the Decent Sampler plugin, which is also available for free. It offers a rich palette of organic, evolving and deep textures and pads that are ideal for atmospheric and cinematic music producers. This is built from the individual performances sampled from the Soma Terra synthesizer, giving you a more expressive feel when played. Additionaly the dual-layer setup lets you blend any two sound sources with built-in effect controls. Comes with 20 preset auras: lichen is one of the best free releases of 2025; you should consider it in your production.

Best Free Kontakt Instrument of 2025:

1. Oceanswift Tyrian Tine:

Oceanswift- Tyrian Tine is a free Kontakt instrument ideal for ambient, cinematic, game scoring, and experimental music. It features an asymmetric dual-layer engine that blends a wavetable oscillator with morphing and randomization. It produces ambient sounds like bells, chimes and crystalline. Comes with 73 presets, 34 samples, and 11 wavetables. Tyrian Tine does not need the full version of Kontakt 8. Alongwith these sounds, you can also control Fx like filter, tremolo, delay, and reverb for quick atmospheric shaping. So, if you’re looking for an instrument that seamlessly integrates with Native Instruments’ Kontakt, as well as hardware like Komplete Kontrol and Maschine, don’t miss this one.

2. Tempest Audio – Sona/Chroma:

Tempest Audio – Sona/Chroma is an interesting Kontakt instrument that features sixteen symphonic orchestra instruments across four distinct sections, like Woodwind 1, Woodwind 2, Brass, and Strings. Each instrument is assigned to a colour, such as woodwinds are blue to green, the strings are red to purple and more. The interface with this concept looks really unique and easy to use. You just have to move your cursor over the plugin, and automatically the colour changes harmoniously with the sound. This plugin comes with two articulations: Sustain and Staccato, that provides a flexible playing experience. Additionally, you get an LFO-based vibrato and three microphone positions: Close, Room, and Mid-Side. There are a lot of amazing features that you can explore, but you have a full version of Kontakt 8 is required to run this instrument. Grab this for free from their official website.

Also Check Out: Amazing plugin deals on Plugin Boutique

Best Free AutoTune VST Plugin:

1. Melda Production MAutoPitch:

If you’re a Vocalist or work around vocals and are looking for an autotune alternative, MAutoPitch by Melda Production is what you should consider. It is a simple-to-use automatic tuning and pitch correction plugin designed for vocals and instruments. It provides creative features like formant shift and setreo expansion, which you can get in plugins like Little Alterboy and Antares Autotune. This amazing plugin is included in the MFreeFXBundle, which you can download from Melda Production‘s official website.

Hottest Plugin Deal: AutoTune 2026 + FREE AutoKey 2 & FREE Vocodist

Grab this for $150

Top 3 Free VST Plugins for Mixing & Mastering:

1. Youlean Loudness Meter:

Youlean Loudness Meter is a must-have for every music producer and audio engineer. Available for free, this plugin helps you to measure the true perceived loudness of your track. Comes with multichannel support, measures loudness, loudness range, dynamics, and true peak. All these features help you to master your track and make it release-ready. There is also a pro version available that will bring you additional features like Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music presets, custom alerts and much more. But honestly, the free version is all you need to enhance your mixing and mastering game. You can download this from Plugin Boutique.

2. iZotope Ozone EQ:

Used by top artists and mixing engineers, iZotope Ozone EQ is a free equalizer plugin that provides a clean, resizable interface with spectrum visualization, so you can see what you’re shaping in real time while adjusting frequency bands. It includes multiple filter types (bell, high/low shelf, high/low cut, and more) with adjustable Q (bandwidth) and gain, allowing you to move any frequency precisely. EQ is a basic tool that every producer should have, and this one from Izotope is one of the best free plugins available for mixing and mastering.

3. Kiive Audio Warmy EP1A Tube EQ V2:

Warmy EP1A Tube EQ V2 is a vintage analogue equaliser that brings the warmth, character and subtle saturation of the classic tube hardware to your mixes. This is a free version of the UAD’s Pultec and Waves Puigtec EQ, offering comparable features as well as an output very similar to the paid ones. You can use this on basses, leads, drums, as well as vocals. In 2025, this free tube EQ by Kiive Audio is one of the best free plugins you can add to your plugin library. Do check out the video below for more details.

Best Free VST Plugins Bundle of 2025:

Plugin Boutique Free VST Plugins Bundle:

At last, we have this bundle from Plugin Boutique. It includes all the essentials you need to produce a track. You’ll get a curated collection of creative instruments and effects from top developers across the industry. This is the only bundle you’ll need if you’re a beginner or a bedroom producer with no budget. Get this from their site or click the link below to download this amazing bundle.

Bundle includes:

• Ample Guitar M Lite II
• Ambience
• Surrealistic MG-1 Plus Synthesizer
• MSoundFactoryPlayer
• Blue Cat’s Freeware Plug-ins Pack II (Bundle)
• Tube Saturator Vintage
• Kilohearts Essentials
• Magic Switch
• FOUNDATIONS | Emotive Choir
• FOUNDATIONS | Piano
• Ozone EQ
• Filterjam
• Pendulate
• TAL-U-NO-62
• Waveform Free
• EQ Academy
• Haze
• Formant