Top 15 Synth VST Plugins (in 2025)

Here you’ll find a full list of the 15 best VST synths or synth plugins to include in your DAW in 2025. These are essential tools for music production and sound design.

Best VST Synths (Plugins)

The Best VST Synth Plugins (Top 15)

Let’s dive straight into it:

1. Serum (Xfer)

One of the best and most popular VST synths out there. Serum offers wavetable synthesis and more, with a super clean, intuitive, and visual interface that’s easy to use.

A top-tier plugin for modern music production.

Serum

Access the download for Serum

2. Pigments (Arturia)

Another top-tier synth. Pigments combines multiple forms of synthesis, including wavetable, making it incredibly versatile and attractive.

It also features a beautiful and intuitive interface.

Arturia Pigments

Access the download for Pigments

3. Diva (u-he)

A synth plugin that emulates the components and sound of classic analog synthesizers from the past 50 years, like the Minimoog, Roland Jupiter, Juno, and more.

It sounds nearly identical to the real thing.

Diva

Access the download for Diva

4. Omnisphere (Spectrasonics)

A highly popular hybrid synth plugin that blends sampling with multiple synthesis types (subtractive, granular, etc.). It has a massive, high-quality sound library, used even in film scoring.

Omnisphere is versatile and great for any genre.

Omnisphere

5. PhasePlant (Kilohearts)

A semi-modular synth that lets you add any module you want: oscillators, modulators, effects… It also supports multiple synthesis types including wavetable. Offers incredible control and detail.

Highly appreciated for its flexibility and depth without the steep learning curve of traditional modular synths.

Phase Plant (Kilohearts)

Access the download for Phase Plant

6. Nexus (reFX)

Nexus is a rompler-style synth with thousands of ready-to-use presets. From electronic sounds to orchestral instruments, it’s used in EDM and cinematic production. Editing is limited, though.

Its sound quality is top-notch and requires little tweaking.

Nexus VST

7. Massive X (Native Instruments)

The evolved version of the classic Massive, which was big during the EDM era. More complex and less beginner-friendly, but extremely powerful.

Perfect for creating detailed, rich, and evolving sounds.

Massive

Access the download for Massive X

8. Spire (Reveal Sound)

A hybrid synth with multiple types of synthesis and 7 oscillator modes. Classic, intuitive workflow makes it easy to use.

Now includes an AI preset generator, great for sparking new ideas fast.

Spire Reveal Sound

Access the download for Spire

9. FM8 (Native Instruments)

A synth specialized in FM (Frequency Modulation) synthesis. Ideal for users already familiar with FM techniques.

Despite the complexity of FM, FM8’s clean interface helps a lot.

FM8 Native Instruments

Access the download for FM8

10. Sylenth1 (Lennar Digital)

Sylenth1 is a classic in the virtual synth world. Hugely popular for nearly 20 years, and still widely used today. Tons of presets available online.

Lightweight, easy to use, and extremely reliable.

Sylenth1

Access the download for Sylenth1

11. Reaktor (Native Instruments)

Reaktor is a modular synthesis platform for building your own virtual instruments and effects from scratch.

Requires some knowledge of modular synthesis, but it comes with a large library of ready-made instruments and tools.

Reaktor 6, Native Instruments

Access the download for Reaktor

12. Zebra2 (u-he)

A hybrid modular synth combining FM, wavetable, and more. Extremely flexible and used in film scoring and sound design.

Fun fact: It’s Hans Zimmer’s favorite VST synth.

Zebra2

Access the download for Zebra

13. Falcon (UVI)

A deep, modular synth plugin that combines sampling with tons of synthesis types, additive, FM, granular, analog, wavetable, and more. It’s a true all-in-one sound lab.

Not for beginners, but extremely powerful for experienced users.

Falcon VST

14. Hive 2 (u-he)

A modern hybrid VST synth that blends multiple synthesis types like 2D wavetables and subtractive. Simple, efficient, and low on CPU, perfect for heavy projects or slower computers.

Highly optimized, simple interface, and solid sound quality.

Hive 2 - u-he

Access the download for Hive 2

15. Analog Lab (Arturia)

A modeling-based synth that works with Arturia’s V Collection, offering thousands of presets that emulate synths from every era.

Very beginner-friendly and includes one of the best preset libraries, even in the free version (Analog Lab Play).

Analog Lab Arturia

Access the download for Analog Lab Here

Other Synth Plugins

Here are a few more synth plugins you might like:

  • ANA 2.5 (Access the download for it here)

ANA vst

ANA 2 is a hybrid digital synth with 6 oscillators, 3 wavetable and 3 sample playback types. It also includes tools like a chord memory function. Quite popular.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ:

What are some famous VST synths?

Some of the most famous VST synths are Serum, Diva, Omnisphere, Massive, Nexus, Sylenth1… But there are many more. We recommend going through the full list above.

Is a VST the same as a synthesizer?

Not exactly. A VST (Virtual Studio Technology) is a type of software commonly used as a plugin in DAWs. It can be a virtual instrument, effect, or sound processor.

Many VSTs are synths, but not all VSTs are synthesizers.

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