FL Studio Plugins: The 7 Best FL Studio Plugins in 2024
FL Studio plugins are some of the most sought after stock DAW plugins. Especially when you're considering which DAW to start using to make music.
There’s no question that FL Studio plugins like GrossBeat, Vocodex, Edison and Fruity Parametric EQ 2 make FL Studio an extremely attractive bundle to start making music with.
Depending on the edition you buy, you’ll gain access to a range of FL Studio plugins. The lower entry editions like ‘Fruity’ and ‘Producer’ contain entry level plugins.That being said, the ‘Signature’ and ‘All Plugins Edition’ contain several more.
In this article I’m going to round up the best FL Studio Plugins. I’ll also list any notable free plugins and paid alternatives you should consider.
1. Grossbeat
Grossbeat is one of the most popular FL Studio plugins that’s shaped tons of producers’ sound and styles. It allows you to create beat-synced glitch, stutter, repeat, scratching and gating effects. It’s perfect for adding in creative grooves or pumping effects on any track in your session. Sadly, Grossbeat is only available in the ‘Signature’ and ‘All Plugins’ editions of Fl Studio.
A notable alternative to GrossBeat is the legendary Shaperbox 2 plugin by Cableguys. With Shaperbox, you’re able to design modulation shapes and use envelope followers that react to audio. Shaperbox 2 comes with 8 different modules that control different effects. Their time module replicates the sounds of GrossBeat.
Grossbeat is one of the most popular FL Studio plugins that’s shaped tons of producers’ sound and styles.
Hot tip
If you are looking for a GrossBeat alternative, Shaperbox Time is included with yearly subscriptions to LANDR Studio—opening access to everything LANDR has to offer including samples, mastering, premium plugins, distribution and much more.
2. Harmor
Harmor might be one of the most unique and powerful soft synthesizers out there. You’ll find this FL studio included in the ‘All Plugins Edition’ or available for purchase for just $100.
Harmor is the predecessor of the more simple subtractive synthesizer ‘Harmless’. It’s powered by an additive synthesis engine, and is capable of making otherworldly sounds.
Additive synthesis is based on the principle that any sound can be expressed as a sum of simple sine waves. Harmor can generate up to 516 sine waves per note, per unison voice. It can modulate these in real-time to resynthesize any continuously evolving sound.
There aren’t many alternatives to Harmor out there. It truly is a one of a kind synthesizer. If you’re getting started with additive synthesis, ‘Harmless’ is a great place to start. It’s a simpler version of Harmor and is available in the ‘Signature’ edition.
Hot tip: Want more plugin roundups, DAW guides and mixing tips? Subscribe to the LANDR Newsletter for the best weekly content in your inbox.
Never miss a post from the LANDR Blog.
Get the newsletter weekly.
3. Soundgoodizer
Soundgoodizer is a one knob version of their multiband compressor plugin ‘Maximus’. It’s available on all editions of FL Studio.
Get the tools to shape your sound with 30+ synths, instruments, effects and utilities plugins from industry leaders like Arturia, UJAM and more. Try LANDR Plugins.
Soundgoodizer makes it easy to get a refined sound, with more body and quality.
It passes the signal through processes of compression and saturation. Then, you can blend in the processed signal with one knob. It sports four different presets to accommodate varying sounds.
There are plenty of alternatives if you’re looking to expand on your one knob plugin collection. LANDR FX is a five plugin suite organized by sound and instruments. They’re perfect for bus or single channel processing. Where LANDR FX stands out is the insane number of professionally curated presets. Each category of presets are listed by effect.
4. Newtone
Newtone is FL Studio's pitch correction tool.
Newtone is Image Line’s answer to Melodyne-style pitch correction. Like most manual pitch correction plugins, you can slice, correct and edit vocals. Instrumentals and other recordings can be drastically altered as well.
Efficient integration with FL Studio allows you to drag and drop audio to and from Newtone. It syncs with the FL Studio transport. This means you can completely edit your audio without leaving Newtone.
To edit the audio, all you have to do is move the MIDI-like blocks to change the pitch of whatever it is you’re correcting.
If you’re looking for a more automatic pitch correction like Auto-Tune, Pitcher might be for you. Both Newtone and Pitcher are in FL Studio’s ‘Signature’ and ‘All-Plugins’ editions.
Unless you’re going for an Auto-Tune type effect, tuning vocals can often sound unnatural.
Unless you’re going for an auto-tune type effect, tuning vocals can often sound unnatural. Synchroarts RePitch is one of the most natural sounding pitch correction plugins. It comes at a similar price point to Newtone and Pitcher.
Synchroarts RePitch uses advanced musical note detection technology. This makes instant automatic pitch correction possible in seconds. It also sports manual tools which help you get specific when editing vocals.
If you’re looking for a free version of pitch correction, Graillon 2 Free Edition by Auburn Sounds is a great way to get started.
5. Slicex
If you’re looking to chop samples, Slicex is a must have for FL Studio. Luckily, it comes in most editions, excluding the ‘Fruity’ edition.
If you’re looking to chop samples, Slicex is a must have for FL Studio.
Slicex allows you to import audio files and slice them up with different parameters. You can slice by beat, manually, or by auto slicing by transient. Afterwards, you can play those slices using your MIDI controller or draw them in as MIDI into the piano roll.
This FL Studio plugin has the unique ability to load two audio clips at the same time in two separate decks: Deck A, and Deck B.
You can also assign different effects to single chops, or set specific chops to different articulation groups if you’re looking for more grouped control.
If you’re coming from or considering Ableton, Slicex is a great alternative to Simpler. Serato Studio is a comparable third party plugin that has similar functionality.
6. Vintage Chorus
Vintage Chorus is a Juno 60-modeled chorus that’s part of the ‘Signature edition of FL Studio. If you’re looking to widen your synthesizer sound or thicken up a guitar tone, this plugin has you covered.
There are a ton of alternatives available as well. A notable contender is the free TAL-Chorus-LX. It’s modeled after the slightly dirtier Juno 6.
What Vintage Chorus has that many of the alternatives don’t, is the ability to define delay times, LFO speed, LFO waveform, and the polarity of the wet signal.
The sound of this FL Studio plugin is timeless, and is always a useful tool to have in your plugin arsenal.
7. Poizone
Poizone is one of the most simple looking subtractive synthesizers out there.
It’s designed with simplicity in mind, making sure every knob counts. Poizone is a must have if you’re getting started with synthesis. It’s only available in the ‘All-Plugins’ edition,
Poizone sports 2 oscillators that produce the two most popular shapes for subtractive synthesis: fat, bright saw and pulse waves, with adjustable pulse width.
With 385 presets and built in effects such as delay and chorus, it’ll be a while before you get bored with this one!
A free alternative to Poizone, is Matt Tytel’s ultra popular subtractive synth Helm. Helm doesn’t nearly cover the 385 presets featured in Poizone. But, it’s easy-to-use interface is a sizeable alternative to the simplicity of Poizone.
8. Sytrus
Sytrus is a unique synth plugin with additive synthesis tools.
Sytrus is Image Line’s slightly more advanced synthesizer plugin that features a range of sound synthesis styles including FM, subtractive and additive synthesis.
The plugin also comes with three filter modules and a module for effects including chorus, delay and unison envelopes.
Of course, the added functionality does make this synth slightly more complex than other counter parts on this list.
But its presets and relatively simple user interface help to simplify each part of the synthesizer.
And if you’re willing to learn how the synth works, Sytrus can be one of the more rewarding plugins in FL Studio.
9. 3x Osc
Despite the simple concept, 3x Osc offers some compelling soud design features.
3x Osc is one of the oldest and most well-loved FL Studio synth plugins in Image Line’s plugin suite.
Despite its deceptively simple interface, the plugin is capable of performing many additive synthesis tasks and can create a huge variety of sounds—especially if you have a decent grasp of synthesis and sound design.
You’ll find—you guessed it—three oscillators, with options for sine, saw and square waves, alongside a noise generator.
Each oscillator also comes with knobs for coarse tuning, fine tuning, pan, phase offset and detune.
It’s a simple plugin, but combined with effects and EQ, you can use 3x Osc to create some pretty impressive sounds.
10. Harmless
Harmless is a unique synth that combines aspects of additive and subtractive synthesis
Here’s an interesting synth that combines aspects of both additive and subtractive synthesis.
The synth is broken into four sections—at the top you’ll find its additive synthesis features where you’ll create you base synth tone and add harmonics, EQs, sub-oscillators and more.
In the module below you’ll most of the synth’s subtractive features, including a section for filters and resonance along side attack and decay controls for the the filter itself.
On top of all that the synth includes number of effects including phase, chorus, delay, reverb and compression.
It also includes a well considered LFO panel that can easily add modulation to just about every parameter within the synth.
If you’re ready to dive into sound design, Harmless is a comprehensive synth that can generate some impressive sounds.
11. Fruity Granulizer
Granulizer offers some nice granualr synthesis capabilities.
Fruity Granulizer is FL Studio’s granular synthesis plugin.
The sample based plugin uses granular synthesis techniques to split a sample’s wave form into much smaller looped grains that are played back based on the synth’s settings.
While Granulizer stays true to the basic principles behind granular synthesis, the plugin can generate some incredibly interesting sounds—especially if you use automation to make subtle changes and stretch the sample over time without changing its pitch.
If you’re curious about using granular synthesis in your tracks, this is a pretty simple plugin that’s definitely worth a try.
12. FL Studio effects plugin bundle
FL Studio has its flagship plugins which we’ve listed above, but the DAW also includes a number of well-designed effects plugins.
Here’s what you’ll find with most FL Studio versions.
Fruity Delay
Fruity Delay offers a number of decent delay settings.
Fruity Delay is a relatively advanced delay plugin with a handful of features that make it useful in specific circumstances.
It comes with all the trappings of a standard delay plugin, but it also includes smart tempo tracking that sync timing the of the delay to any automations changing the tempo of a certain track.
Fruity Reeverb 2
Fruity Reeverb 2 is FL Studios' essential reverb unit.
Fruity Reeverb is Image Line’s stock reverb plugin for FL Studio.
The plugin’s main purpose is to simulate various rooms, allowing producers to simulate a wide variety of acoustic spaces.
Like other room reverb simulators, you get a series of controls to dial in room size, diffusion, high & low cut filters, modulation, decay and bass-boosting.
Fruity Reeverb doesn’t exactly break ground, but it certainly offers some useful room reverb effects.
Fruity Convolver
Get impulse response style reverb and model real-life gear and rooms.
Convolver is a convolution reverb plugin for FL Studio that can be used to produce a variety of reverb effects with impulse responses captured from live audio equipment.
The plugin comes with a selection of pre-made impulse response settings, but if you have your own impulse response recording you can load it into convolver to model reverbs of your own.
If impulse response based reverb tools are interesting to you, Fruity Convolver is a great option.
Edison
Edison is FL Studio's in-depth audio editing tools.
Edison is FL Studio’s audio editing tool, its best used for granular waveform editing of any recorded audio in FL Studio.
Because the DAW timeline in FL Studio does not allow for fine editing, Edison was made to allow producers to make granular edits in FL Studio audio tracks.
Inside Edison you’ll find a selection of audio editing tools, recording transport buttons and both a waveform and spectral audio view.
Edison essentially is the plugin you’ll need to use to perform advanced audio editing functions, especially within small time scales inside FL Studio.
Effector
Effector offers X/Y axis style control over a variety of effects.
Effector is FL Studio’s X/Y axis effects controller, it offers responsive X/Y controller over a variety effects like distortion, flanger, delay, filter and more.
The plugin is made to interface nicely with any X/Y MIDI control surface like Korg’s padKONTROL MIDI controller.
If you’re looking for interactive control over your effects, Effector is an interesting option that opens up plenty of creative possibilities.
Vocodex
Vocodex is FL Studio's Vocoder inspired plugin.
Vocodex is a vocoder-like plugin that can effect vocals with that iconic robot sound associated with the legendary vocoder synth.
The plugin features a wide array of envelope controls, effects styles with a number of parameters to dial in the perfect vocoder sound.
If you’re an FL Studio user who’s looking to experiment with creative vocal sounds, start with the Vocodex.
Maximus
Maximus is a highly customizable compressor plugin.
Maximus is a multiband compressor particularly made use as last step in the signal chain on the master bus.
The plugin is also well-designed for enhancing bass and kick frequencies to make the low end shine.
Inside Maximus you’ll find an intuitive compression envelope to set ratio and knee to dial in the amount of compression you desire, offering a high degree of control over how the compressor treats audio inputs.
Maximus is a great mixing tool that offers a ton of flexibility with a variety of compression options.
Fruity Love Philter
Love Philter is a filter plugin with a unique, creative workflow.
Fruity Love Philter is a unique filter plugin that offers eight identical filter units that can be use to effect audio inputs in parallel.
Each filter unit contains a set of filter controls that follow a logical signal change, with a variety of filter options in the middle control section.
Love Philter offers a ton of control and creative options for adding unique and interesting sound design to any instrument, especially synths and electronic instruments.
DAW plugins are still plugins
Just because they come with the DAW, doesn’t mean they’re any less of a plugin than notable third party plugins.
Plugin offerings by DAW developers just keep getting better. Image Line’s affordable DAW bundles with free lifetime updates makes it a no brainer if you’re looking to get started with FL Studio.
Anthony is a music producer and educator with notable placements for Universal, Guitar Center and CBC. He currently resides in Montreal and leads LANDR's YouTube channel & Premium Courses education platform. He also works as composer and producer at RVRSPlay and founded jazz pop duo Elluisoir. Connect with Anthony on LANDR Network!
@Anthony AlbaneseGear guides, tips, tutorials, inspiration and more—delivered weekly.
Keep up with the LANDR Blog.
