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The instruments and effects plugins that are available for absolutely free get more and more powerful with each passing year.
From long-time classics to game-changing newcomers, we overview ten of these free plugins that have the potential to be your next music production toolkit staple in 2026—watch along above to hear each of them in action, and download them via the links below.
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The 10 best free plugins for 2026 (instruments and effects)
1. Vital
Vital is a powerful modern wavetable synth with rich modulation capabilities, advanced oscillators, and high-quality visual feedback that rivals premium synths at no cost. You can hear it in action at 0:52 in the video and download the plugin here.
2. Surge XT
Surge XT is a versatile open-source synth that combines wavetable, FM, and subtractive synthesis with an expansive modulation system and built-in effects. You can hear it in action at 2:09 in the video and download the plugin here.
3. Splice INSTRUMENT
Splice INSTRUMENT is our new software instrument powerhouse that puts hundreds of high-quality, artist-made sounds right at your fingertips. You can hear it in action at 3:50 in the video and download the plugin here.
4. iZotope Trash Lite
iZotope Trash Lite is a streamlined version of iZotope’s distortion engine that offers characterful saturation and aggressive tone-shaping with minimal setup. You can hear it in action at 5:20 in the video and download the plugin here.
5. iZotope Vinyl
iZotope Vinyl is a lo-fi effect plugin that emulates record wear, dust, wobble, and noise. You can hear it in action at 6:21 in the video and download the plugin here.
6. Valhalla Supermassive
Valhalla Supermassive is a creative reverb / delay hybrid plugin that’s well known for its massive ambient tails, evolving echoes, and otherworldly spatial effects. You can hear it in action at 7:09 in the video and download the plugin here.
7. Graillon 3 Free Edition (Vocal Tuning & FX)
Graillon 3 Free Edition is a real-time pitch correction and vocal effects plugin that’s capable of subtle tuning as well as extreme robotic vocal transformations. You can hear it in action at 8:46 in the video and download the plugin here.
8. Kilohearts Essentials
Kilohearts Essentials boasts an expansive collection of simple but versatile modular effects, covering everything from EQ and compression to distortion and modulation. You can hear a few of its plugins at 9:34 in the video and download the collection here.
9. TDR Nova
TDR Nova is a precise and intelligent dynamic EQ that’s great for shaping your sounds to fit into your mix. You can hear it in action at 11:13 in the video and download the plugin here.
10. Voxengo SPAN
Voxengo SPAN is a highly detailed real-time spectrum analyzer with customizable metering for visualizing frequency balance and dynamics. You can see it in action at 13:18 in the video and download the plugin here.
And there you have it! Which of these plugins are you most excited to try out? Are there any free gems that we missed? Let us know in the comments section of the video, and subscribe to the Splice YouTube channel for more music production tips, tutorials, and insights.
Explore Splice INSTRUMENT, our virtual instrument plugin that puts an ever-growing catalog of free and premium sounds at your fingertips:
January 6, 2026
