IK Multimedia’s “AmpliTube 5” is an amp simulator that recreates guitar amps, effect pedals, and even cabinets and microphones. There is a Custom Shop (CS) that you can start with for free, and a paid AmpliTube 5. In this article we compare the 2 editions on the same criteria as the 12 guitar amp simulators on this site. The basis is official manufacturer information.
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In short: which one to choose by purpose
- AmpliTube 5 CS (rank B): people who want to try the sound of AmpliTube for free first and buy only the gear they need later.
- AmpliTube 5 (rank S): people who value the large variety of gear and detailed sound design that includes the microphone and the room.
The highest score among the 2 editions is AmpliTube 5 (rank S, average 5.0). But you do not need to buy a higher edition for features you will not use. Choose the one that fits your purpose.
Main features of AmpliTube 5
More than 400 gear models
The AmpliTube 5 series has more than 400 gear models, including guitar and bass amps, cabinets, stomp boxes and rack effects. The top AmpliTube 5 MAX includes all of them, and the standard AmpliTube 5 includes 183 models (published by the manufacturer, checked on October 6, 2026). Models based on classic gear, such as the Fender ’65 Super Reverb, are included. The free Custom Shop also includes 42 models, such as stomps, amps and cabinets.
VIR, which recreates miking
VIR (Volumetric Impulse Response) uses more than 600 IRs per speaker to recreate the state of a cabinet being miked. You can choose the kind and position of the microphone and even the reverberation of the room, and the manufacturer explains that the experience is nearly the same as miking a real cabinet. You can also load your own IRs.
Recording and practice tools in one place
Tools for practice, songwriting and recording are included, such as an 8-track recorder, a looper and a tuner. You can also load TONEX tone models made with AI. It can be used as a standalone app and as a DAW plug-in.
Where it is useful
- Recording guitar or bass at home with the free Custom Shop
- Moving the microphone position to adjust the brightness and thickness of the guitar sound
- Recording ideas on the 8-track recorder without opening a DAW
Differences between editions (comparison table)
| Edition | Rank | Range of tones | Recording and practice | Modeling technology | Bass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AmpliTube 5 CS | B (3.0) | 42 models | Standalone | Standard | Guitar and bass gear |
| AmpliTube 5 | S (5.0) | 400+ + mic positions | Recorder and more | AI (TONEX) | Guitar and bass gear |
Rating of each edition
AmpliTube 5 CS (rank B)
The free version of AmpliTube, with a total of 42 models, including 10 stomps, 5 amps, 6 cabinets, 3 microphones and 6 rooms. It can be used as a standalone app or a plug-in.
Score 3.0 / 5 (average of the 18 products compared: 3.3)
- Price
- Free
- Specs last checked
- 2026/09/25
- Range of tones
- 42 models
- Recording and practice
- Standalone
- Modeling technology
- Standard
- Price (store, date)
- Not listed
Image: from the IK Multimedia official website (product image for the press)
- Range of tones: 2 points — A free version with 42 models, such as 10 stomps, 5 amps and 6 cabinets. You can also choose the microphone and the room.
- Recording and practice: 3 points — It can also be used as a standalone app.
- Modeling technology: 3 points — It uses the standard method with amp and effect models.
- Also usable for bass: 5 points — Even the free version includes guitar and bass gear (a total of 42, including 5 amps and 6 cabinets).
AmpliTube 5 (rank S)
An amp simulator with more than 400 guitar and bass gear models across the series, 183 of them in the standard edition (published by the manufacturer). You can freely build the signal flow through stomps, amps, cabinets, microphones, rooms and rack effects, and it includes an 8-track recorder, a looper and a tuner. TONEX AI models can be loaded too.
Score 5.0 / 5 (average of the 18 products compared: 3.3)
- Specs last checked
- 2026/09/25
- Range of tones
- 400+ + mic positions
- Recording and practice
- Recorder and more
- Modeling technology
- AI (TONEX)
- Price (store, date)
- $29.99 (sale; regular $199) [PB, checked Oct 26]
Image: from the IK Multimedia official website (product image for the press)
- Range of tones: 5 points — Besides more than 400 models, you can adjust the microphone position, the room and even your own IRs.
- Recording and practice: 5 points — It has an 8-track recorder, a looper and a tuner.
- Modeling technology: 5 points — You can load TONEX models made with AI. For cabinets it uses its own VIR technology.
- Also usable for bass: 5 points — The official page states that both guitar and bass gear are included.
AmpliTube 5 screens and images
Image: from the IK Multimedia official website (product image for the press)
Image: from the IK Multimedia official website (product image for the press)
The chart above shows the scores of AmpliTube 5.
How we score (Guitar amp simulators)
| Criterion | Basis | 5 pt | 4 pt | 3 pt | 2 pt | 1 pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range of tones | Choices of amps, cabinets, microphones and so on | 400 or more models, plus adjustment of microphone position, room and even your own IRs | Many amps and effects, plus loading your own IRs | Dozens of amps and effects can be combined | A small number of models (such as a free version) | — |
| Recording and practice | Features that help with home recording and practice | A recorder, a looper and a tuner are all included | Two or more, such as a looper and standalone use | Can be run as a standalone app | — | Not mentioned on the official page |
| Modeling technology | The technology used to recreate real gear | Has models made with machine learning or AI | Has its own IR (cabinet response) technology | Standard modeling | — | — |
| Also usable for bass | Whether it includes bass amps and the like, so you can record bass with it too | The official page states that it includes gear (amps and so on) for both guitar and bass | — | Stated to be usable for bass too (general-purpose processing) | — | No bass gear, or not mentioned |
Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on how well the product serves one goal: recording guitar and bass through a line at home and making them sound like an amp. Scores follow the conditions in the table above, and the rank is based on an average in which "Range of tones" counts double. The basis is official manufacturer information. Sound quality and CPU load are not measured, so they are not scored; reviews from trade magazines are introduced in the articles for reference. Price is not part of the score. Features that cannot be confirmed from the manufacturer's or a retailer's description are scored as if absent. "Also usable for bass" is a criterion that answers the common search for "bass amp simulator". The "OBS (streaming)" column in the table shows whether the official page lists the VST2 format that the streaming software OBS Studio can use (○). OBS does not support the VST3 format. It is not part of the score.
Trade-magazine reviews (for reference, not part of the score)
We summarized the main points from reviews in overseas music-production magazines.
Sound On Sound (review of AmpliTube 5 MAX), March 2021
- It rates the reproduction of amps and effects as very realistic
- It rates the way microphone positions are set as well crafted
- It introduces that there are four versions, from the free one to the top one, so you can choose to fit your budget
Source: review in Sound On Sound (AmpliTube 5 MAX) (English)
AmpliTube 5 system requirements and getting started
| Supported OS | Windows / Mac |
|---|---|
| Plug-in formats | Windows: VST3, AAX / Mac: AU, VST3, AAX (64-bit) |
| Standalone | Yes |
| Free version | The free AmpliTube 5 Custom Shop is available (42 models) |
| OBS (streaming) | Not usable as is (VST3 only). It can be loaded with a bridge plug-in |
Checked on the manufacturer’s official page on September 27, 2026. How to use them in the OBS streaming software is explained in How to use VST3 plug-ins in OBS.
Compared with other guitar amp simulators
Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.
| Product | RankAvg. score | Range of tones | Recording and practice | Modeling technology | Bass | Free | OBS (streaming) | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native InstrumentsGuitar Rig 7 Pro | S 4.4 | Many + IR loading | Looper + standalone | Machine learning (ICM) | Has bass amps | Free version available | × (VST3 only) | $189 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| Native InstrumentsGuitar Rig 7 Player | B 2.6 | 2 amps + 26 tools | Standalone | Machine learning (ICM) | No bass amps | Free | × (VST3 only) | Not listed |
| IK MultimediaAmpliTube 5 | S 5.0 | 400+ + mic positions | Recorder and more | AI (TONEX) | Guitar and bass gear | Free version available | × (VST3 only) | $29.99 (sale; regular $199) [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| IK MultimediaAmpliTube 5 CS | B 3.0 | 42 models | Standalone | Standard | Guitar and bass gear | Free | × (VST3 only) | Not listed |
| MeldaProductionMGuitarArchitect | B 2.6 | Dozens of models | No recording or practice features | Standard | Usable for bass too | — | ○ | $329 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| IK MultimediaTONEX CS | A 3.4 | 20 models | Standalone | AI | Guitar and bass tones | Free | × (VST3 only) | Not listed |
| IK MultimediaTONEX | S 4.2 | 400+ + IR | Standalone | AI | Guitar and bass tones | Free version available | × (VST3 only) | $199.99 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| IK MultimediaTONEX MAX | S 4.2 | 1,250+ + IR | Standalone | AI | Guitar and bass tones | Free version available | × (VST3 only) | $99.99 (sale; regular $299.99) [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Gojira X | B 3.0 | 3 amps + effects + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | Hundreds of IRs + 6 mics | For guitar | — | ○ | Not listed |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Nolly X | B 3.0 | 4 amps + effects + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 640 IRs recorded by Nolly | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$151.32 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Cory Wong X | B 3.0 | Amps + effects + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 6 mics + 324 IRs | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$133.39 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Tim Henson X | B 3.0 | 3 amps + Multivoicer + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 6 mics + 324 IRs | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$133.39 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Positive GridBIAS FX 2 | A 3.6 | 100+ amps + pedals | Looper, auto-recording, standalone | DSP + tube emulation | Bass amps and effects | — | Not checked | Not listed |
| OverloudTH-U | A 3.8 | 253 models + SuperCabinet | Tuner | Fluid Modeling + Fluid IR | 4 bass amps, 2 cabinets | — | Not checked | ≈$301.53 (sale; regular €299) [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Brainworxbx_rockrack V3 | C 2.2 | 8 amps + 40 chains | Not stated | Standard modeling | For guitar and bass | — | Not checked | $75 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Petrucci X | B 3.0 | 4 amps + effects + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 6 mics + IR | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$167.02 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Plini X | B 3.0 | 3 amps + effects + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 6 mics + hundreds of IRs | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$133.39 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: John Mayer X | B 3.0 | 3 amps + pedals + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 11 mics + IR | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$189.43 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
Features checked on each manufacturer's official website on September 25, 2026. Check the store page behind the buy button for the price.
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