A compressor is a plug-in that reduces loud sounds to narrow the spread of volume. In a cover-song mix you use it to even out the loud and quiet parts of a voice so it is easy to hear, and to blend it into the backing track. Even among “compressors”, the character differs: some enjoy the color of vintage gear, some allow fine control, and some have AI suggest settings. Here we compare which functions each has, using official information.
This list compares 16 compressor plug-ins on 3 criteria: compression character, speed, mix applications. Scores are decided by how well each product serves its purpose, using the conditions for each criterion, and the basis is official manufacturer information. Price is not part of the score.
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, SoundBounty may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices are as of the date checked and can change.
Picks by purpose
- If you want one that does everything: Pro-C 3 (rank S). Styles, color, fine control and sidechain are all there.
- If you want a versatile compressor for a wide range of uses: DC8C (rank S). From clean to heavy compression, external sidechain and parallel compression are all there.
- If you are unsure about compressor settings: smart:comp 3 (rank S). AI shows you usable settings.
- If you want to enjoy vintage color: Vintage Compressors (rank A). Recreations of three classic units together.
- To try it for free: Supercharger (rank C). A free compressor you can use with almost one knob.
Picks by budget
The highest-scoring product in each price range. Prices are the regular prices in US dollars shown on Plugin Boutique on October 10, 2026; sale prices change often, so check the store page. Price is not part of the score.
- Free: Supercharger, DC1A, MCompressor.
- $50 to $149: smart:comp 3 (rank S, $129). The highest-scoring product in this price range.
- $150 and over: Pro-C 3 (rank S, $199). The highest-scoring product in this price range.
Tier list by rank
Ranks are based on the manufacturer's official features and specifications, not on sound quality. Within a row, products are ordered by score. The basis is explained in How we rate specifications.
Tier table by criterion
Products with the same overall rank can have different strengths. Click a column heading to sort by the rank on that criterion, and use it when you choose by the feature you want.
| Product | Overall | Compression characterWhether you can choose the character of the compression to suit the material and your taste | SpeedHow quickly you can reach a good setting | Mix applicationsUses such as sidechain, parallel and M/S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 FabFilterPro-C 3 | S4.8 | S14 styles + coloration | AAutomatic aids | SSidechain, SC EQ, M/S |
 KlanghelmDC8C | S4.8 | SMany styles + coloration | AAutomatic aids | SSidechain, SC EQ, parallel |
 soniblesmart:comp 3 | S4.5 | A3 styles + Custom + spectral | SAI suggestions | SSidechain, SC EQ, M/S |
 Native InstrumentsVintage Compressors | A3.5 | A3 vintage models | CStandard | ASidechain + parallel |
 KlanghelmMJUC | B3.3 | A3 models + coloration | CStandard | BParallel |
 Universal Audio1176 Classic Limiter Collection | B3.3 | A3 vintage models + coloration | CStandard | BParallel |
 WavesCLA-76 | B3.3 | A2 models + coloration | CStandard | BParallel |
 SoftubeCL 1B mk II | B3.3 | AMk I/Mk II switch + optical | CStandard | BParallel |
 CytomicThe Glue | B3.0 | BSSL bus compressor recreation | CStandard | AExternal SC + parallel |
 Solid State LogicSSL Native Bus Compressor 2 | B3.0 | BSSL bus compressor recreation | CStandard | AExternal SC + parallel |
 Universal AudioLA-2A Leveler Collection | B2.8 | A3 vintage models | CStandard | CNot listed |
 WavesCLA-2A | B2.8 | BLA-2A recreation | CStandard | BParallel |
 Native InstrumentsSupercharger | C2.5 | C1 coloration | BAlmost one knob | BExternal sidechain |
 KlanghelmDC1A | C2.5 | C1 type + switches | BTwo knobs | BParallel |
 MeldaProductionMCompressor | C2.3 | CDraw your own curve | CStandard | BM/S |
 Tokyo Dawn RecordsTDR Kotelnikov | C2.3 | C1 type + separate peak/RMS release | CStandard | BParallel |
Click a column heading to sort by that criterion (click again to reverse). Each cell shows the score (1 to 5) on that criterion as 5 = S, 4 = A, 3 = B, 2 or lower = C. A dash means the criterion is not scored. This is a rating of the manufacturer's official features and specifications, not of sound quality. See How we rate specifications.
Top-scoring products
Pro-C 3Rank S- DC8CRank S
- smart:comp 3Rank S
- Vintage CompressorsRank A
- MJUCRank B
- 1176 Classic Limiter CollectionRank B
- CLA-76Rank B
- LA-2A Leveler CollectionRank B
- SuperchargerRank C
Up to 9 products in order of score. Images are the manufacturers’ official press images or Plugin Boutique images. The overall order and the basis for each rank are in the tier tables above and on each product’s page.
Free ways to start
If you want to try something without spending money, or are looking for your first one, you can start with a product that is free to use. Check the free scope and conditions on each product’s page.
- Supercharger (rank C, free)
- DC1A (rank C, free)
- MCompressor (rank C, free)
- TDR Kotelnikov (rank C, free)
How to choose a compressor plug-in
Figure: SoundBounty
Do you want to even out volume, or add color?
A compressor reduces loud sounds to narrow differences in volume. To even out a vocal so it is easy to hear, a transparent one suits you; to get the thickness of vintage gear, a modeling type suits you.
Is there help with settings?
A compressor has many knobs and is hard to set. One where AI suggests settings, or one with fewer knobs, is easier for a first-time user.
Mixing with the dry sound
If you can blend the compressed sound with the original (a Mix knob), you can even out the volume while keeping it natural. For vocals this function is handy.
A word on each product
Prices in the headings are regular prices in US dollars shown on Plugin Boutique on October 10, 2026. They are not part of the score.
Pro-C 3 (rank S, $199)
FabFilter’s Pro-C 3 is a compressor with 14 compression styles and analog-style coloration (character). It offers up to a six-band sidechain EQ, up to 20 ms of look-ahead and up to 32x oversampling (processing finely inside to reduce distortion noise).
DC8C (rank S)
Klanghelm’s DC8C is a multi-featured compressor from Klanghelm in Germany. One plug-in can produce everything from clean compression with little coloration to opto-style, peak and RMS behavior and hard, squashing compression. It also includes two kinds of saturation (a faint distortion, as if passed through analog gear) for coloration.
smart:comp 3 (rank S, $129)
sonible’s smart:comp 3 is a compressor in which AI analyzes the sound and shows usable compression settings as a “map”. It also has a Group mode that adjusts several tracks together, a zero-latency mode and spectral processing.
Vintage Compressors (rank A)
Native Instruments’ Vintage Compressors is a set of three vintage-style compressors, the VC 76, VC 2A and VC 160, developed together with Softube. All three have an added sidechain input (a function that moves the effect in time with another track) and parallel compression.
MJUC (rank B)
Klanghelm’s MJUC is a plug-in that recreates a tube “variable-mu” compressor. It has three models with different characters, from the 1950s to a modern one, and the DRIVE and TIMBRE knobs adjust the coloration.
1176 Classic Limiter Collection (rank B, $199)
Universal Audio’s 1176 Classic Limiter Collection recreates three versions of the 1176 (an FET compressor): Rev A, Rev E and AE. Besides classic uses such as “All-Button”, it adds a dry/wet mix and sidechain filters (a way of filtering what the effect reacts to) that the original did not have.
CLA-76 (rank B, $149)
Waves’ CLA-76 is an FET compressor based on the two 1176s (nicknamed Bluey and Blacky) owned by the engineer Chris Lord-Alge. It has preamp distortion, an ALL ratio mode and a mix knob.
CL 1B mk II (rank B)
Softube’s Tube-Tech CL 1B mk II is a plug-in for vocals that recreates the optical compressor CL 1B from Tube-Tech of Denmark. It puts two versions, Mk I and Mk II, on one screen, and you switch between them with the Generation Switch.
The Glue (rank B)
Cytomic’s The Glue is an analog-modeled compressor based on the stereo bus compressor of a large British console from the 1980s. It has Mix, Range and sidechain high-pass knobs, an external sidechain, peak clip and oversampling.
SSL Native Bus Compressor 2 (rank B)
SSL Native Bus Compressor 2 is a plug-in designed by SSL that recreates the stereo bus compressor in the center section of SSL’s G-series analog console. It has new attack, release and ratio options, an external sidechain, a sidechain high-pass, a Mix knob and 2x and 4x oversampling.
LA-2A Leveler Collection (rank B, $149)
Universal Audio’s LA-2A Leveler Collection recreates three versions (Silver, Gray and LA-2) of the classic optical compressor, the LA-2A. How fast each version acts and how it distorts differ from version to version.
CLA-2A (rank B)
Waves’ CLA-2A is a recreation of an optical tube compressor/limiter based on a unit loved by the mix engineer Chris Lord-Alge. It has a Limiter mode, a Mix knob and a sidechain frequency filter, and it has no delay.
Supercharger (rank C)
Native Instruments’ Supercharger is a free compressor, based on a tube compressor, that you use with almost a single knob. It has Punch (emphasizes the attack) and Dirt (adds distortion) buttons.
DC1A (rank C)
Klanghelm’s DC1A is a free compressor you use with just two knobs, input and output. It is based on settings from the DC8C, and it has switches for parallel (mixing in the original sound) compression, a peak/RMS change and separate left and right compression.
MCompressor (rank C)
MeldaProduction’s MCompressor is a free compressor in which you can freely shape the compression curve. It also has upsampling (oversampling) settings.
TDR Kotelnikov (rank C)
Tokyo Dawn Records’ TDR Kotelnikov is a free compressor with a “digital-only design” that does not imitate any real hardware. You can adjust separate releases for peak and RMS, and it has a sidechain high-pass filter and a Dry Mix knob.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Is there a free compressor?
In this comparison Supercharger, MCompressor and DC1A are free. Getting a feel for evened-out volume with a free one first is a good idea.
Q. What changes when I apply a compressor?
The gap between quiet and loud notes narrows and the lyrics get easier to hear. If you overdo it, even breaths get loud and the voice can sound flat.
Q. How much should I use on vocals?
It depends on the song and the voice, but the basic approach is to start where the loud parts are only slightly reduced and adjust while comparing.
How we score
How we score (Compressor plug-ins)
| Criterion | Basis | 5 pt | 4 pt | 3 pt | 2 pt | 1 pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compression character | Whether you can choose the character of the compression to suit the material and your taste | Many compression styles and coloration to choose from, plus fine controls such as look-ahead | Several styles plus either coloration or spectral processing | Either several styles or a recreation of vintage hardware | One type, but with coloration or compression-curve adjustment | One type |
| Speed | How quickly you can reach a good setting | AI analyzes the sound and suggests settings | Several automatic aids, such as auto gain and auto release | Few knobs; almost everything is set with one | Standard controls | — |
| Mix applications | Uses such as sidechain, parallel and M/S | External sidechain, sidechain EQ, and M/S or parallel are all included | External sidechain plus either parallel or M/S | One of external sidechain, M/S or parallel | — | Not mentioned on the official page |
Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on how well the product serves one goal: evening out the volume of a vocal and blending it into the backing track. Scores follow the conditions in the table above, and the rank is based on an average in which "Compression character" 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. 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.
The thinking behind scores and ranks is summarized in How we rate specifications. We add products in order.
More comparisons
For free options
Pages about free products in this category: