Compressors control the dynamic range of your audio – making loud sounds quieter and quiet sounds louder. They’re essential for keeping vocals steady, drums punchy, and mixes under control. A good free compressor plugin can easily compete with paid options if you know how to use it.
The plugins listed below are all free VST compressor plugins that work great for mixing and mastering. Over time, I’ll add notes, recommendations and example chains to help you decide when to reach for each one.
If you’re new to compression, check out our beginner’s guide to compression to understand the basics before exploring plugins below.
These are the best free VST compressor plugins available today, selected for sound quality, stability, and ease of use.
TDR Molotok is a character compressor inspired by vintage Russian hardware units, delivering aggressive, punchy, and colorful compression. Unlike transparent digital compressors, Molotok is designed to add attitude, movement, and harmonic excitement to drums, vocals, synths, and buses. Main features Molotok is the free version of TDR’s flagship Molot GE and offers a unique analog-style … Read more