Virtual analog is where free synths shine: Juno, Oberheim OB-X, Korg Mono/Poly, PS-3300 and Delta, Nord Lead and Moog-style circuits, all recreated by developers who give them away.
AudioKit Pro · Virtual analog · AUv3, Standalone · iPad and iPhone
A free Juno-inspired synth for iPhone and iPad: 400+ presets, dual arpeggiators, step sequencer, chorus, tape delay and reverb. AUv3 for Logic, GarageBand, AUM and Cubasis.
TheWaveWarden · Virtual analog · VST3, AU, CLAP, LV2 · Windows, macOS, Linux
A 24-voice analog-style synth with drawable waveforms and filters modelled on the Moog ladder and Korg 35.
u-he · Virtual analog · VST3, AU, CLAP, AAX · Windows, macOS, Linux
A Juno-flavoured dream synth designed by a magazine’s readers and built by u-he, with early Diva filters inside.
Surge Synth Team · Virtual analog · VST3, AU, CLAP, LV2, Standalone · Windows, macOS, Linux
The Surge team’s open-source continuation of OB-Xd: Oberheim OB-X flavour, patch-compatible, GPL forever.
Togu Audio Line · Virtual analog · VST3, VST2, AU, AAX, CLAP · Windows, macOS, Linux
Three oscillators, a self-resonating filter and that Juno chorus. Still the fastest way to a good analog bass.
Sognevo · Virtual analog · VST3, AU, CLAP, Standalone · Windows, macOS, Linux
2026’s new arrival: a black-metal-styled open-source synth with morphing wavetables and a granular Blizzard layer.
Ichiro Toda · Virtual analog · VST2, AU · Windows, macOS
The Nord Lead 2 clone that launched a thousand tracks since 2002. Ancient GUI, enormous preset library.
Matt Tytel · Virtual analog · VST3, VST2, AU, LV2, Standalone · Windows, macOS, Linux
Matt Tytel’s pre-Vital synth: 32 voices, formant filter, stutter effect. Archived in 2025 but still fantastic.
u-he · Virtual analog · VST3, AU, AAX · Windows, macOS, Linux
u-he’s one-oscillator workhorse with WaveWarp morphing and a 16-step arpeggiator. Simple on purpose.
discoDSP · Virtual analog · VST3, VST2, AU, LV2, AAX · Windows, macOS, Linux
discoDSP’s long-running Oberheim OB-X emulation. Free for any use, no registration. OB-Xd 3 is a separate paid product.
BlauKraut Engineering · Virtual analog · VST3, CLAP · Windows, Linux
Bare-bones subtractive engine with drawable waveforms and three filter models. Windows and Linux, VST3 and CLAP.
Full Bucket Music · Virtual analog · VST3, VST2, AU, CLAP, AAX · Windows, macOS
The 1979 Korg Delta, a paraphonic strings machine, simulated down to its frequency-divider generators.
Full Bucket Music · Virtual analog · VST3, VST2, AU, CLAP, AAX · Windows, macOS
Korg’s Mono/Poly with all four oscillators, the arpeggiator and a zero-delay-feedback filter.
Full Bucket Music · Virtual analog · VST3, VST2, AU, CLAP, AAX · Windows, macOS
A free simulation of the Korg PS-3300, the 1977 semi-modular polysynth that cost as much as a house.
Cherry Audio · Virtual analog · VST3, VST2, AU, AAX, Standalone · Windows, macOS
Cherry Audio’s recreation of the Moog-designed Realistic MG-1 that Radio Shack sold in 1982.
Surge Synth Team · Virtual analog · VST3, AU, CLAP, Standalone · Windows, macOS, Linux
Thomas Arndt’s monophonic bass and lead synth, now maintained by the Surge Synth Team.
Nick Dowell · Virtual analog · VST2, AU, LV2, Standalone · Windows, macOS, Linux
A classic two-oscillator subtractive synth developed since 2002, now with a JUCE interface and MTS-ESP tuning.
ML-VST · Virtual analog · VST2, Standalone · Windows, macOS
The Roland JX-8P, right down to importing and exporting the original SysEx patches.
Audible Genius · Virtual analog · AU, AUv3, Standalone · Windows, macOS, iPad and iPhone
A deliberately simple three-oscillator synth built to teach synthesis, and a perfectly good first instrument.
Best free VST synths · Best free AU synths for Logic and GarageBand · Free synths with CLAP support · Best free synths for Linux · Best free synth apps for iPad and iPhone · Best open-source synthesizers · Free FM synths · Free wavetable synths · Free modular synths