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You know how they say “don’t judge a book by its cover”? Well, I think the new saying should be “don’t judge a plugin by its price”.
With the number of software designers who are also musicians out there, it’s no surprise that designing plugins has become an entire art form in itself.
Aspiring as well as established developers often give away plugins for free to show off their talent, skills and hard work. Whether it be for marketing or charitable purposes doesn’t really matter to us, because either way, the budget-conscious consumers are the ones who benefit the most.
I’ve decided to update editor Justin Colletti’s ”The Big List of Free Pro Tools Plugins”, originally posted here back in 2012. Here’s a new, even bigger list, each plugin is AAX 64-bit compatible.
Free Bundles
They say the best things in life are free. Well, what if some of the best plugins are too?
I’m always a bit wary of free plugin packs, as they usually have features that are disabled, with the intention of trying to sell you on full paid versions.
However, the Blue Cat Freeware pack gives you access to all the features. It truly is a free bundle.
If you’re sick of the stock plugins and need some new flavors, this plugin pack will definitely help you get there.
It includes an EQ and a pretty decent frequency analyzer, but the modulation effects are the standouts in this pack, including a phaser, chorus and flanger. (You can never have too many flangers, remember that kids.)
The Hofa 4U pack is one of those aforementioned bundles that do have some features disabled. Regardless of those freebie limitations, there are still a few really great plugins here, even without the upgrade. The Tilt EQ for one is something I did not previously have.
There’s also a really cool project timer included so that you can track exactly how long you’ve spent trying to get those drums “just right.” (It’s also very useful for when you need to bill a client.) The only problem is you’d have to remember to hit “pause” when you get up to do something else, leaving Pro Tools open.
Then, there’s the “Comp Listen Mic” plugin which is a one-knob compressor designed to do the Phil Collins “room talkback mic” effect. I love this thing, and have tried it on a few different sources including synths and vocals with extremely successful results.
The only catch is that some features that are not adjustable without a license. For instance, the gate only allows you to change the threshold, while the attack, release and hold parameters are fixed unless you purchase a license. Other plugins will restrict you from accessing the presets before upgrading.
While there are a few other companies that essentially offer free bundles, like Plugin Alliance, U-he and Togu, those free plugins are also available standalone and we’ll have a bit more to say about each of them down below.
Imagers
Polyverse MusicWider
My initial thoughts on this plugin were “How have I lived this long without it?” You need this one. It’s simple, beautiful, and phase-coherently widens anything you put through it.
Mute or solo your sides and middle, swap left for right, and even widen your stereo image, all from one little free plugin.
Free from Plugin Alliance, bx_solo goes on every single one of my mixes.
It’s great for adding control over the relative mid and side levels of your mix, as well as providing a quick way to solo your left, right, mid and side channels.
The main feature of this plugin is the stepped M/S Stereo Width Control which allows you to use Brainworx M/S technology to increase the width of a source and get it out of the middle of your mix so that the important central elements like kick, bass and vocals can stay sharp and punchy.
Another great imaging plugin, this time from the magnificently talented and brilliant designers over at iZotope. As always with iZotope, the visuals and metering are just as cool as the actual plugin. This one is an option that works well at widening and offers a bit more control than the Polyverse.
Oooohhhh… preeeetttttyyyy. (On the eyes, ears, and pocketbook)
I was previously only familiar with this developer’s popular Vulf Compressor, but they seem to be a solid company with some really great plugins on offer.
Autotune For Pro Tools 12
I especially love their fun but intuitive GUI designs. They offer their Midside Matrix to members for free. This M/S plugin gives you all the essentials including controls for side, middle, and some very nifty metering.
Equalizers and Filters
SPL Free Ranger
SPL is probably best known for its outboard mastering gear, and its very popular transient designer.
With the help of Plugin Alliance, they have started putting out some really stellar plugins based on some of their lesser-known pieces of hardware, and the Free Ranger is one good example.
I love graphic EQs, and this one sounds great. The only drawback is the free version disables access to a few of the bands. You only have control over 40hz, 150hz, 1khz, and 16k.
Filters, filters, filters! I love my filters. This is a great, analog-sounding hi- and low-pass filter from Brainworx. Slap it on every channel and get rid of the unnecessary low or high end that’s masking all of your punch and clarity. Stop wasting CPU power with that 40 band EQ when you’re only using the filter section!
Another free EQ through Plugin Alliance, this time with elysia.
Elysias Niveau is yet another free plugin from our friends over at Plugin Alliance, and another take on the “tilt” EQ concept.
The “Freq” control adjust the center frequency, and when you boost the gain, everything above the center frequency is boosted while everything below starts to become attenuated.
A bit like the “tone” control on an old hi-fi stereo system, this type of tool is said to be great for making broad and natural-sounding tonal changes with a minimum of artifacts.
I loaded this classic EQ emulation up with high hopes.
When I saw it was a fully parametric equalizer, I was a little skeptical about how faithful it could be to an original Pultec that inspired it. Eventually, I opened my mind a little bit and realized that a fully parametric Pultec-style EQ is actually a pretty cool idea.
Unfortunately, I think the sound in this one lacks some of the depth I’m looking for in this style of plugin and it seems to get lost in the sea of all my other EQ plugins. But then again… maybe it’s the perfect plugin for my next client, you never know. (This is the plugin addicts’ mantra, no doubt).
For those who don’t already have an over-abundance of EQs at their disposal like me, this fun freebie could certainly come in handy.
Wacky, unique, inventive, buggy, free. That’s Fromage in a nutshell.
Disclaimer: I couldn’t get this interesting soft synthy filter to work with Pro Tools 12 on my rig.
It worked in Logic (go figure) but that doesn’t really help me much, because I’m trying to write a Pro Tools plugin list here.
Since I didn’t feel like trouble shooting very much, and decided to move on to the next plugin.
Justin Colletti, who wrote the original version of this post more than a half decade ago, confirms that he experience buggy operation in Pro Tools back then as well.
This thing looks (and apparently sounds) like a truly unique little beastie, so give it a try on your system and let us know how it goes. Maybe you’ll have better luck than either of us!
But hey—when a plugin costs all of “FREE” it’s hard to complain too much about a lack of perfect compatibility with all of the systems out there.
The search for big bottom does’t have to drive you out of your mind. Leave those price tags behind.
Carve out a tight and punchy bass with this filter from Brainworx.
The straight-forward but effective, “Tight Punch” knob gives you a resonant high pass filter that’s designed to cut out problem frequencies in bass instruments without losing heft and weight in the right places.
Throw it on your bass guitars, synth bass, 808s and any other bass track to get rid of that mud while still going “BOOM”!
So, remember that part where I said I didn’t have any tilt EQs? Well… now I have three!
The hornet Angle is yet another tilt EQ with a simplistic interface that is similar to the one included in the Hosa pack.
I haven’t found an effective way to work these tilt EQs into my workflow just yet, but I’m not giving up! Let me know in the comments what you like to use them on!
While it’s not the best or the most intuitive filter I’ve ever used, this one works, and it’s free. Beggars can’t be choosers… (Or they can be, I guess, but they’d be pretty obnoxious if they were.)
Metering
Here’s a free analog-style, one-third-octave spectrum analyzer. These are great to use as a visual aid when checking mixes with references. Learn more about using spectrum analyzers in my article “Everything You Need to Know About Audio Metering But Were Afraid to Ask”.
Voxengo has two free metering tools worth checking out.
This is another spectrum analyzer except this one uses a fast Fourier transformalgorithm which means it samples a signal over a period of time and divides it into its frequency components.
This is different than the previously mentioned AnSpec one-third analog octave style. This is more akin to the type you are used to seeing in some of your favorite equalizer plugins.
This is a visually pleasing vector scope that helps reveal the phase integrity of your mix. Stereo Tool allows you to flip the phase of individual channels. There’s also a really nice sounding width control that I like to use as a spreader.
This is a beautiful free VU meter. Works great, looks great, what more can you ask for? I love using these during tracking as I enjoy the look of analog VUs and it’s what I’m used to. There’s a time a place for Dorrough meters and other loudness meters but VU’s have made it clear they are here to stay.
They call this one a “5 band frequency monitor”. It looks really cool but I’m not sure what I’d ever use it for. Try it out and let me know if you find a use for it!
Virtual Instruments
Togu Audio LineTAL-Vocoder
Here’s a free 80s style vocoder designed to keep vocals more intelligible than other more modern styles of vocoders. Sounds good, feels good, is good.
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There is a surprising number of free limiter plugins available online in VST and AU formats, and even some in AAX format for Pro Tools.
They come with varying levels of features. Some are brickwall limiters, some are soft limiters, and some add extra clipping and compression features.
Some of the free limiters are exceptional, and have a better reputation than paid commercial gear.
Limiter #6 from vladgsound is one of the most popular free options.
Free Pro Tools Plugins Mac
There’s a clone of a Waves L1 limiter that is also quite popular.
Most DAWs include a limiter plugin as well, but they are can be fairly basic or not as transparent as some of the plugins below.
Paid limiter plugins can cost upwards of a few hundred dollars each, like Waves’ Limiter plugins. But you can get pretty good results from these free options as well.
Best Free Limiter Plugins
Limiter No6
Limiter #6 is a mastering plugin that includes five modules: RMS compressor, peak limiter, high-frequency limiter, clipper, true peak limiter.
It has brickwall and soft limiting features with different timing settings, M/S and multiband modes, 4x oversampling, and more.
Free Pro Tools Plugins For Mac
Limiter #6 is available in VST and AU formats for Mac and PC in 32 and 64 bit. There are 3 different GUIs (here’s the page with all three downloads).
LoudMax
LoudMax is a look-ahead brickwall limiter plugin designed to be a clean and transparent loudness maximizer that retains as much of the original sound of the music as possible. It’s a low latency, low CPU usage plugin with an easy to understand interface.
LoudMax is available to download in VST and AU formats in 32 and 64 bit. It works with Windows and Mac OS 10.5 and higher.
George Yohngs W1 Limiter
W1 Limiter is an easy-to-use plugin that was cloned from a Waves L1 limiter and boasts identical output. It also features an approximation of Waves L2 with adaptive release enabled.
W1 Limiter is available in VST, AU, and RTAS formats for windows and Mac (OS X) and it comes in both 32 and 64 bit.
EasyLimiter
EasyLimiter is a free, donationware VST limiter for Windows that features look-ahead peak detection, stereo link, and a number of other features. Its claim to fame is that it uses less CPU than other limiters.
EasyLimiter comes in VST format only and works with Windows 32 and 64 bit systems.
Pro Tools Free Plugins Mac Os
ClipShifter
ClipShifter is a clipping style limiter that can go from transparent compression to hard clipping distortion. It offers controls for clip shaping and harmonics, it has a waveform display, and is low on CPU usage.
There are free and paid versions of ClipShifter. The free version is fully-function; the paid version adds extra features like mid/side processing, oversampling, independent frequency clipping, etc.
ClipShifter is available in AU, VST, VST3, RTAS, and AAX formats for Windows and Mac, both 32 and 64 bit.
Xhip Limiter
Pro Tools Plug Ins
According to the website description, Xhip Limiter is designed for maximal sustain and minimal distortion, and aims to be as transparent as possible in terms of timbre.
The Xhip Limiter plugin is available for Windows only, both 32 and 64 bit.
Faraday Limiter
The Faraday Limiter from Goodhertz is described as having colorful dynamics with warm, tape-like saturation. It features advanced stereo linking, variable L/R or M/S linking, adjustable ratios, and a gain reduction history meter.
Goodhertz plugins are only available in AU and AAX formats for 64-bit Macs with OS X 10.7 and up.
L2007 Mastering Limiter
According to the description, the L2007 is a mastering-grade look-ahead brickwall limiter. It’s made by Massey Plugins and is offered free with Massey’s other plugins but the free versions have limited features.
Free Pro Tools 12 Plugins
However, this one of the few free limiters that is available in AAX format for Pro Tools. Both Mac and PC are supported.
Maxwell Smart
Pro Tools Autotune Plugin Free
Maxwell Smart is simple limiter plugin that claims to be a true transparent peak limiter and loudness maximizer with look-ahead functionality designed to increase loudness while maintaining transients without audible distortion.
The plugin features 3 modes to control the sound: smooth, normal and loud, and the compensated latency is 4ms. It’s available for Windows and is 32 bit only.