01
Vital
Matt Tytel · Wavetable · VST3, VST2, AU, LV2, Standalone · Windows, macOS, Linux
The wavetable synth that made Serum optional. Spectral warping, drag-and-drop modulation, all of it free.
Free wavetable synths
Wavetable synthesis is the sound of modern bass and lead design. These free synths offer wavetable, spectral and hybrid engines that go head-to-head with Serum and Pigments.
02Surge XT
Surge Synth Team · Hybrid · VST3, AU, CLAP, LV2, Standalone · Windows, macOS, Linux
A former $99 synth, open-sourced and then out-developed by its community. Twelve oscillator types, 2,800 patches.
03Zebralette 3
u-he · Spectral · VST3, AU, CLAP, AAX · Windows, macOS, Linux
One oscillator from u-he’s upcoming Zebra 3, and it is absurd: spline drawing, spectral effects, MSEGs and a mod matrix.
04AudioKit Synth One
AudioKit Pro · Hybrid · Standalone · iPad and iPhone
The first fully free, open-source professional synth for iPad and iPhone. 300+ presets, no ads, no in-app purchases.
05Vaporizer2
VAST Dynamics · Wavetable · VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, CLAP, LV2, Standalone · Windows, macOS, Linux
A full commercial wavetable workstation, 220 mod destinations and all, handed to the world under GPL in 2023.
More guides
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 virtual analog synths · Free modular synths