When it comes to equalizer plugins, there simply isn’t one as popular as FabFilter Pro-Q. However, there might be a few reasons you are looking for FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives. Perhaps you are looking for a cheap, maybe even free alternative? Or is there something annoying in its workflow or its user interface? Let’s take a look.
Key Facts About FabFilter Pro-Q Alternatives
Pro-Q alternatives are EQ plugins that offer different workflows with strengths in different areas. While some are especially precise and transparent, others lean on their dynamic processing or analogue-modelling features.
While Pro-Q is still a market leader, many alternatives provide the advanced processing features that were once unique selling points, such as dynamic, mid-side, or linear-phase processing.
There are stock DAW plugins with dynamic EQ capabilities in Cubase, Pro Tools, and Fender Studio Pro, as well as free plugins like TDR Nova, which are excellent Pro-Q alternatives for beginners or producers on a budget.
Many EQ plugins can produce similar sonic results to FabFilter Pro-Q, but the workflow is different because of factors like interface design, CPU efficiency, and ease of use, which can streamline the mixing process.
In This Article:Key Facts About FabFilter Pro-Q AlternativesFabfilter Pro-Q – The Most Popular EQsonible smart:EQ 4Slate Digital Infinity EQ 2iZotope Neutron 5Soundtheory GullfossThree-body Technology Kirchhoff EQSSL Native X-EQ 2Sonnox ClaroTonebooster’s EQ 4TDR Nova (and GE)TDR Nova (and Nova GE)FAQMore Info:
Fabfilter Pro-Q – The Most Popular EQ
Hardly any other plugin has developed such dominance as FabFilter Pro-Q. Since its release in 2009, the equalizer has taken the mixing and production world by storm—crystal-clear sound, advanced workflow, and features that hardly any EQ could match five years ago.
FabFilter Pro-Q 4 · Source: FabFilter
Other than EQs with more analog warmth or those targeted explicitly at mastering, Pro-Q has been at the top of the year-end lists almost every year since then. But apart from the price, there are also a few other criteria when looking for FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives. But to get started, we recommend downloading the full 30-day trial version from FabFilter. Get it at Thomann.*
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$179.00 / £125.00 / 143.00€ at
What do FabFilter Pro-Q Alternatives have to offer?
Up to 24 EQ bands are possible per plug-in instance, and each band can work dynamically and in mid/side instead of stereo if desired. For each band, you can choose between Bell, Notch, High/Low Shelf, High/Low Cut, Band Pass, Tilt Shelf, and Flat Tilt. In addition, filter slopes of up to 96 decibels per octave are possible.
There is also a global AutoGain function that automatically adjusts the output signal level when Pro-Q increases the overall level. FabFilter Pro-Q can also be used in surround setups (up to 7.1.2). Its EQ Match feature is also extremely handy. Here, the VST takes the frequency response of another signal via side-chain and applies it to the track it’s loaded on.
As it can sound “phase-y” when heavily EQ-ing the mix, the plugin also offers a linear phase mode. Anyone using Pro-Q in a live or recording situation will be delighted with the Zero Latency mode. FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives must offer all of this and much more!
FabFilter Pro-Q Alternatives: ZL Equalizer 2
If you’re coding-inclined, the ZL Equalizer 2 is a free, open-source Linux-compatible EQ plugin that carries many of the same features as Pro-Q. There are 24 bands of dynamic EQ processing, with controls for attack, release, and knee, as well as an analysis or “learning” feature that adapts to the incoming signal.
ZL Equalizer 2 · Source: ZL
In addition, there are a few specialist features like FFT Freeze for capturing the spectral profile of a reference track and a “Collision” detection engine, which searches for clashing frequencies via sidechain. ZL Equalizer 2 also uses a 64-bit float processing engine with decramped filters to ensure consistency and integrity across the spectrum.
Overall, ZL Equalizer 2 is an ideal option for users who want to join the open-source community or for those who simply want a decent dynamic EQ plugin without paying premium prices. This is especially useful if you are using a DAW like Reaper, which doesn’t come with an EQ plugin of this ilk.
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FabFilter Pro-Q Alternatives: Waves F6
The Waves F6 is an affordable dynamic EQ plugin with CPU-friendly zero-latency processing, making it ideal for projects with high channel counts and live sound applications. F6 uses a “floating band” approach with six dynamic bands with automatic recovery and two filters for setting the frequency range.
Waves F6 · Source: Waves
On each of the six bands, there are independent controls for threshold, ratio, attack, and release. This allows you to precisely target problematic parts of a signal that only crop up every now and again. For example, harsh vocal sibilance or when the guitarist switches from playing melodic leads to heavy chugging rhythm parts with boomy low mids.
In addition, there are two sidechain modes, including a general-purpose wide mode, which listens to the entire spectrum, and a split mode, which filters the signal for more surgical applications. Overall, the Waves F6 is a great option when you want an affordable dynamic EQ with just a few bands for specific tasks. Get it at Thomann.*
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$37.00 / £33.00 / 39.00€ at
FabFilter Pro-Q Alternatives: sonible smart:EQ 4
With smart:EQ 4, sonible offers a slightly more affordable alternative to Pro-Q with an AI-powered processing engine. One of the most exciting features is that the spectral unmasking system uses a hive mind to link all plugin instances and create a hierarchy for the essential elements in your mix.
sonible smart:EQ 4 · Source: sonible
As you tweak the intelligent filter bands, you can access the different processing modes and control the width, smoothing, and adaptive parameters to deal with complex dynamic signals. With the Track mode, the processing is focussed on the input signal, while Group mode reduces the frequency masking within the assigned group.
In addition, smart:EQ also has mid-side processing capabilities, so you can target specific areas of the stereo image within individual signals or channel groups and busses. Overall, smart:EQ is a worthy option because it provides a system for processing your mix with genre-oriented profiles to take on different aspects of tone shaping quickly. Get it at Thomann.*
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$52.00 / £48.00 / 55.00€ at
FabFilter Pro-Q Alternatives: Slate Digital Infinity EQ 2
Slate Digital has updated its Infinity EQ plugin relatively recently, equipping it with per-band dynamic processing features. With its straightforward interface, the Infinity EQ allows you to quickly dive into dynamic processing without too much of a steep learning curve in your way.
Slate Digital Infinity EQ 2 · Source: Slate Digital
When you need to make tonal adjustments to a single instrument or stereo bus, you have 24 filter bands at your disposal, each with a selection of eight different filter types. What’s more, you have the high-pass and low-pass filters with stepless slopes, giving you the tools to set your frequency range in a natural-sounding way.
Once you’ve activated the dynamic processing mode on a particular band, you can choose between two different compression characteristics, suitable for different applications. While the Tight mode reacts instantaneously for clinical corrective processes like de-essing, the Smooth mode allows some transients through for more subtle shaping. Get it at Thomann.*
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$139.00 / £127.00 / 145.00€ at
Fabfilter Pro-Q Alternatives: iZotope Neutron 5
With iZotope’s Neutron 5, you get a complete and intuitive processing strip that includes a total of 10 different modules and a limiter section for the master output. This includes EQ, compression, gate, exciter, transient shaper, sculptor, unmask, phase, density, and clipper modules that cover just about every requirement for mixing.
iZotope Neutron 5 · Source: iZotope
Neutron’s flexible processing platform lets you mix and match modules to build the ultimate custom effects chains for tackling the different parts of your mix. With different stereo, mid/side, and transient/sustain modes, you can really zoom in on the problem areas and achieve better mix separation.
Overall, the Neutron 5 is more expensive than the average dynamic EQ plugin, but when you consider the range of additional features and the ease of AI-assisted workflows, the bang-for-buck factor becomes increasingly apparent. Not only do you have dynamic EQ filters, but also resonance suppression and unmasking processors. Get it at Thomann.*
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$228.00 / £205.00 / 239.00€ at
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$23.90 / £21.50 / 25.00€ at
Fabfilter Pro-Q Alternatives: Soundtheory Gullfoss
If you’re looking to take a slightly different approach to dynamic equalization, Soundtheory Gullfoss is an intuitive automatic EQ tool for mixing. Gullfoss uses what Soundtheory refers to as a “computational auditory perception model” to determine which elements are being overshadowed in your mix and refocus them accordingly.
Soundtheory Gullfoss · Source: Soundtheory
Unlike a conventional EQ, the Gullfoss processing engine doesn’t use individual bands to target the frequency shaping contours. Instead, the entire frequency response has the ability to react to the input signal and change over 300 times per second. This allows you to make precise changes quickly on complex material.
The selection of controls may seem limited at first, but most users will find this to their liking. With the Recover control, you can hone in on frequencies being masked in the mix, while the Tame control can reduce overpowering elements. In addition, the Bias control allows the processing to lean towards one of these two processes, and you can also do tone shaping with the Boost and Brighten controls.
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Three-body Technology Kirchhoff EQ – the most similar one of the FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives
If you look around a little in forums and other magazines, one plug-in, in particular, is mentioned more than any other VST as the most similar one of the FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives: Three-Body Tech Kirchhoff EQ. But the plug-in offers even more in some respects: more bands (32 instead of 24), more filter types (15 instead of 9), plus 32 emulations of various vintage EQs (including Neve and SSL).
And at a very competitive price ($149) that undercuts the Pro-Q. In addition, each dynamic band can compress downwards but also expand upwards. In comparison, Kirchhoff EQ can only do 2x oversampling, whereas Pro-Q offers five quality levels in linear phase mode. Get it at Thomann.*
More about the manufacturer at Gearnews
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Plugin Alliance TBT Kirchhoff-EQ Download
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$113.00 / £104.00 / 119.00€ at
FabFilter Pro-Q Alternatives: SSL X-DynEQ
The X-DynEQ plugin from Solid State Logic provides up to 24 bands of dynamic EQ processing, with linear phase and zero latency modes, and 20 different filter types. In true SSL style, the X-DynEQ has program-dependent “Auto” modes for dynamic EQ parameters, such as threshold, attack, and release, which adapt according to the input signal.
SSL X-DynEQ · Source: SSL
In addition, there is a flexible sidechain matrix that allows you to use the internal or external sidechains of different dynamic nodes to control other nodes. This provides a great deal of flexibility, especially when you are working on channel groups or the main mix bus. The range of different shilter shapes includes some unique options like the Tilt EQ.
This gives you the ability to balance the highs and lows around a central frequency point using high and low shelving filters, which is interesting when you use it to add brightness or warmth based on the incoming signal or sidechain. Overall, X-DynEQ is an attractive option, especially for mix bus processing and for those who love the SSL way of doing things. Get it at Thomann.*
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$152.00 / £139.00 / 159.00€ at
Sonnox Claro – The most versatile of the FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives
Like the EQ from SSL, Sonnox Claro is not a dynamic EQ – but it offers some very innovative features that Pro-Q doesn’t even come close to. This makes it one of the most versatile FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives. Claro offers not one but three workflows – one for quick adjustments, one for details, and one for the final mixdown.
In the smallest iteration, the Producer workflow, you only get a small window with three knobs – Low, Mid, and High. This lets you make quick corrections and adjustments without getting lost in the details. In tweak mode, you can further go into detail with 26 bands, emulations of Neve and SSL EQs, mid/side, and much more.
In the mixing workflow, Claro recognizes all instances loaded in a DAW project. That makes it super easy to detect and adjust frequency overlaps via attenuations in the respective cases. Get it at Plugin Boutique.*
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FabFilter Pro-Q Alternatives: TDR Nova (and GE) – A Free Option
Without TDR Nova and its big brother, TDR Nova GE, no list of the best FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives would be complete. The former is entirely free – for a dynamic EQ with four bands and a workflow that’s not far removed from the original, that’s awesome!
The paid GE version offers six instead of four bands, upward and downward compression and expansion per band, and “Smart Operation”. This tool helps to automatically detect resonances (similar to Soothe 2) and other problematic frequency ranges. Get it at Plugin Boutique.*
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TDR Nova GE
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FAQ
What is the best FabFilter Pro-Q alternative?
Choosing the best Pro-Q alternative depends on your budget and, most importantly, your workflow. While some EQ plugins are surgical corrective tools, others emulate analogue hardware circuitry or provide dynamic processing features.
Are there any free FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives?
Yes, besides the stock plugins included with DAWs like Cubase, Pro Tools, and Studio Pro, there are free third-party plugins available, like TDR Nova and ToneBoosters FIX4 v3.
Can FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives be used for mastering?
Yes, many EQ plugins have precision controls as well as linear-phase and mid-side processing features, which make them well-suited for mastering.
Do FabFilter Pro-Q alternatives have dynamic EQ?
Yes, from the free EQ plugins to the premium options, you’ll find per-band dynamics processing features that give you control over specific parts of the frequency range when needed.
What should I look for in a FabFilter Pro-Q alternative?
As most of the similarly priced alternatives have similar sound quality, dynamic EQ, mid-side processing, and spectrum analysis features, the key aspect is finding an EQ plugin with an interface that suits your workflow.
More about Fabfilter Pro-Q Alternatives:
EQ Plugins for Beginners
Thomann’s Guide to Equalizers
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