How to choose a synth VST
Answer in brief
Choose by the sound and the role it plays in your tracks. Then check the synthesis type, the preset library, how hard it works your computer and how you pay. Play your own part through the demo before you buy.
Begin with the role in your tracks
A synth for bass lines has a different job from one for film pads. Write down the three sounds you make most, such as a sub bass, a pluck and a pad, and judge every candidate on those. A synth famous for one style may be ordinary at the sounds you actually use.
Pick a synthesis type that suits the sound
Wavetable synths are strong at bright, moving, modern tones. Analog-modeled ones are strong at warm and slightly unstable classic sounds. Granular and sample engines turn recordings into textures. Many current synths are hybrids, such as Arturia Pigments with six kinds of synthesis, so the type is a guide rather than a rule. The page on synthesis types in plain words goes deeper.
Presets are part of what you buy
Unless you love programming, the factory library is where most of your sounds will start. Native Instruments lists 1,000 presets for Massive XL, Xfer lists more than 626 presets for Serum 2, and Spectrasonics describes 18 new factory libraries in Omnisphere 3. Browse a synth’s presets by category before buying and check that they cover your three sounds.
Check what it asks of your computer
Some synths are light and some are heavy. u-he says the authentic sound of Diva costs a lot of CPU and offers a lighter oscillator for when that matters. Spectrasonics asks for 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB of free disk space for Omnisphere. On an older laptop, hold a dense chord with a long release in the demo and watch your DAW’s CPU meter.
Price and how you pay
- One payment: most synths on this site, from Diva to Omnisphere.
- A subscription: Kilohearts includes Phase Plant in a monthly plan that it says you can subscribe to own.
- Tiers: Vital is free in its Basic version, and paid tiers add presets, wavetables and extras.
- Upgrades: Xfer gives Serum 2 to owners of the first Serum as a free upgrade.
Run a fair trial
- Load one of your own songs rather than judging presets on their own.
- Make your three sounds in each candidate, from a preset or from scratch.
- Match the loudness of each result before you compare.
- Notice how quickly you got there as well as how it sounds.
Questions and answers
Should a beginner start with a deep synth?
A deep synth is fine if its presets are good and its screen is clear. Vital and Surge XT cost nothing to try, which makes them a low-risk place to learn before paying for anything.
Sources for this page
- Studio 56: Studio 56’s official website, the publisher of this reference.
- Vital: Vital’s official page, the source of its description here.
- Arturia Pigments: Arturia Pigments’s official page, the source of its description here.
- Surge XT: Surge XT’s official page, the source of its description here.
The practical advice here is our own. A maker's description of its product is not a test of how it performs.
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Cite this page
Best Synth VST. “How to choose a synth VST.” Studio 56 Reference. Content reviewed November 8, 2026.
https://bestsynthvst.com/how-to-choose/