Drums are the beating heart of most music genres, that’s a given.
They create rhythm, inject energy, and provide a solid foundation upon which the rest of a song is built.
Having access to the right drum VST plugins is key to creating beats that really stand out over the competition 一 whether you’re an aspiring beatmaker or a seasoned music producer.
However, with countless drum VST plugins on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one for you.
They all seem to promise the world: authentic sounds, vast sample libraries, intuitive interfaces, and intricate customization options.
But, how can you determine which plugins truly deliver?… Well, we’ve done all the hard work for you.
Unlike other articles that merely list the best plugins, providing only a sentence or two about each, we delve deeper, and I’ve personally used each and every option on the list for insider info.
Each of our reviews of the following drum VST plugins include:
- A detailed description ✓
- Unique functions & capabilities ✓
- Standout features ✓
- Sound quality, flexibility, and versatility ✓
- The pros & cons ✓
- Everything you need to know ✓
Whether you’re looking to create dynamic beats for a hip hop track or simply experiment with unique drum sounds, there’s a plugin in this guide to fit your needs.
And we didn’t include any of the ones that are ‘just okay,’ only epic options here.
Table of Contents
The Best Drum VSTs (Free & Paid)
Now that we’ve set the stage and covered the basics, let’s dive in. Remember, all the drum VSTs listed here bring something unique to the table. It will ensure that, regardless of your musical style or production needs, you’ll find the perfect fit for you. And yes, we’ve thrown in the best free drum VST plugins as well, for those of you on a budget (or you just love free plugins, like myself).
#1. Drum Monkey by Unison Audio
Drum Monkey by Unison Audio is the first and only drum loop generator tailored to specific music genres, a true marvel for music producers of all levels.
This epic plugin is capable of generating an unlimited number of show-stopping drum loops in 30 different musical styles.
Whether you’re an EDM maestro, a rock-n-roll aficionado, or a hip-hop artist, this plugin can get the job done 一 providing the ideal rhythm section for your creations.
Drum Monkey’s smart algorithms really helped me eliminate the dreaded creative block, which is a problem for each and every one of us at some point or another.
With its ability to generate drum loops that align with the most successful patterns in hit songs, you’ll have endless inspiration right at your fingertips.
Imagine a plugin that can generate professional-quality drum loops, catering to your preferred genre, at the click of a button… This is what Drum Monkey offers!
It seriously improves your workflow and multiplies your entire creative output by like, a million.
Plus, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3:
- Select 一 Select your preferred genre & length.
- Generate 一 Push a button to instantly generate a perfect drum loop (realistic-sounding drums all day).
- Drag & drop 一 Drag & drop your new drum loop straight into your project in either audio or MIDI format, or export them for future use.
The advanced technology behind Drum Monkey is a combination of meticulous research and innovative machine-learning techniques, which not a lot of plugins offer at this point.
It has over 7,500 genre-specific MIDI drum patterns and more than 3,000 drum samples modeled off successful songs, so I was able to really get creative with hybrid joints too.
This drum VST plugin also gives you the flexibility to customize generated drum loops to your exact taste using its fully-loaded, built-in piano roll (which is awesome, for real).
Drum Monkey features an industry-grade saturator designed to enhance your drum sounds, adding more thickness, power, and punch to your drum loops.
Plus the groove saver allows you to store your favorite loops as presets, including all your drum patterns with their MIDI and samples, which I find very beneficial.
NOTE: When you choose the single-pay option, Drum Monkey rewards you with five exclusive bonuses, so you don’t want to miss out.
Standout Features of this Free Drum VST:
- The world’s first genre-specific drum loop generator
- Utilizes drum machine learning and drum-pattern recognition algorithms
- Generates drum loops that can be directly added to projects or exported for later use
- Offers an industry-grade saturator for enhanced drum sounds
- Allows saving of favorite loops in the groove saver
- Includes the most realistic-sounding drums in the game
- Makes programming drums a breeze
- Comes with 3,000+ pro-quality sample factory library
- One of the best drum VST plugins around
#2. XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2
XLN Audio’s Addictive Drums 2 is one of my favorites when I’m looking for real drums played by real drummers.
Each and every sound was record in world-class studios by industry professionals, so when it comes to realism, there is seriously no better option.
Also it comes packed with high-quality, built-in audio effects and live rhythm performances that covers whatever you’re looking for.
To make the most of Addictive Drums 2 like I did, you’d need to explore its Collections because it comes with bundles, like:
- ADpaks (drum kits)
- MIDIpaks (beats)
- Kitpiece Paks (single drums)
Plus it lets you mix and match drums and cymbals from any ADpak to build your own custom kit, which I’ve taken advantage of more times than I can count.
And since there are so many options, each containing complete drum kits and production-ready presets, the possibilities are limitless.
The real beauty of Addictive Drums 2, though, lies in its epic editing menu.
I’m able to control various parameters such as EQ, compression, pitch adjustment, tape saturation, and even microphone placement with no issues.
This way, I was able to easily tweak each drum sound to fit my specific needs and made sure they matched my unique style.
And the best part is Addictive Drums 2 doesn’t exclude any genre and includes electronic drum sounds to organic drum sounds and everything in between.
The Beats menu offers a wide variety of grooves that can significantly influence your songwriting process.
NOTE: I found that the Transform tab Addictive Drums 2 offers let me manipulate the rhythm of my grooves so they match the mood and tempo of my song, and I absolutely love that as well.
Altogether, when it comes to drum VSTs, this one is one of the best out there, hands down.
Standout Features of this Free Drum VST:
- Features professionally recorded acoustic drums and high-quality built-in effects
- Offers ADpaks, MIDIpaks, and Kitpiece Paks for a comprehensive drum production experience
- Allows mix and match of drums and cymbals for custom drum kit creation
- Provides a robust editing menu for detailed sound customization
- Includes a Beats menu with various grooves to boost the songwriting process
- Has a Transform tab to adjust the rhythm of grooves
- One of the top drum VSTs around.
#3. Toontrack EZDrummer 3
Toontrack’s EZDrummer 3 is a tried & true favorite of mine, as well as a lot of my friends in many different music production circles around the world.
It comes packed with:
- Seven drum kits
- An assortment of percussion instruments
- Mix-ready presets
- Drum grooves
- A host of songwriter-focused features
Plus the fully resizable and scalable interface is a nice touch too, in my opinion.
Whether you’re a professional producer or a bedroom musician, EZDrummer 3 provides a user-friendly experience, so it’s super simple unlike some other drum VST plugins out there.
The features that I love the most when I messed around with EZDrummer 3 was all its drum sequencing options, like the onboard grid editor, step sequencer, etc.
Plus the Bandmate or Tap2Find feature helped me find grooves that matched my song perfectly, even when I was getting super complex and thinking out of the box, which was great.
The seven kits in EZDrummer 3 (accompanied by additional snares, kicks, and cymbals) contribute to an approximately 15GB trove of drums, cymbals, and percussion, so I never ran out of options in that department either.
And if you’re like me and like to play around with different styles, this drum VST plugin offers an impressive MIDI library of grooves and fills as well.
With its song structure format, EZDrummer 3 allows you to arrange and sequence your drum parts in common song sections such as intro, verses, pre-choruses, choruses, hooks, etc.
Everything is very organized and straightforward, which I love.
NOTE: The seven drum kits were recorded at the famous Hansa Studios in Berlin by Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer/mixer Michael Ilbert, which further solidifies the professional appeal of this best drum VST plugin.
Toontrack’s EZDrummer 3 also gave me access to a powerful mixer where I could tweak levels, effects, and more until I got the exact drum sound I desired.
You’ll also get three different room options for recording to choose from, with each one bringing a different character to your drum sound.
All these features and more make EZDrummer 3 a reliable option for music producers looking for high-quality drum sounds and features that don’t ever disappoint.
Standout Features:
- Fully resizable and scalable interface with a grid editor and step sequencer
- Comprehensive MIDI library of grooves and fills
- Seven drum kits recorded by Grammy Award-winning producer Michael Ilbert at Hansa Studios, Berlin
- Song structure format for easy arrangement and sequencing of drum parts
- Powerful mixer for level and effects adjustments
- Three different room options for recording, each with a unique sound character
- One of the top drum VST plugins around
#4. Toontrack Superior Drummer 3
Superior Drummer 3, also by Toontrack, is perfect for when you’re looking for the the definitive tool for percussive sound design, no doubt about it.
I thought it was going to be a simple drum sampler, but boy was I wrong.
The core sound library (clocking in at over 230 GB) was carefully recorded by the legendary George Massenburg at Galaxy Studios in Belgium and honestly blew me away.
The extensive sound library that Superior Drummer 3 includes comes with:
- 7 kits
- 25 snares
- 16 kicks
- 350+ electronic sounds
This gave me an almost infinite number of options to lay down perfect drum tones, unlike some other different drum VST plugins I’m not even going to mention.
What made Superior Drummer 3 really stand apart to me was its unique blend of acoustic sampled drums and electronic drum kits, which I found super intriguing (I created epic new sonic landscapes all day).
The 35 onboard sound processing effects, comprehensive MIDI library, and integrated system for audio-to-MIDI conversion gave me customization out the wazoo.
Whether you want to build beats quickly, layout complex drum sequences, or fine-tune the velocity and timing details, Superior Drummer 3 has you covered, for real.
Superior Drummer 3 is also engineered for immersive sound playback…
Recorded using eleven additional room microphones set up in a surround configuration, I was able to produce drum mixes for anything from stereo to 5.1, 9.1, and all the way up to 11.1 systems (crazy, right?).
With only 14 dBA of environmental noise, the recording studio offers unparalleled quietness for pristine audio quality as well.
NOTE: For e-drummers, Superior Drummer 3 offers a dedicated e-drum settings tab with a range of e-drum presets 一 allowing for an easy setup for positional sensing pads and multiple articulations.
With up to 25 velocity layers per instrument and quick access to controls for snare and hi-hat CC, this best drum VST transforms the response/expressiveness of your e-kit into an immersive experience.
One that’s felt just like playing an acoustic drum set or real drum kits to me.
Out of a scale 1-10, I’d have to give this one a 10 every single time (I might be bias because I love Toontrack, but I don’t think so).
Standout Features:
- More than 230 GB of raw material for drum sounds
- Electronic drum kit
- Comprehensive MIDI library and audio-to-MIDI conversion
- Surround sound recording setup for immersive sound playback
- Dedicated e-drum settings for an enhanced e-drumming experience
- One of the best drum VST plugins around
#5. MDrummer by MeldaProduction
MDrummer by MeldaProduction is a super powerful drum machine and virtual drummer that simplifies the process of arranging drum tracks and performing in real time.
With its sound engine capable of covering the entire range of percussion instruments, MDrummer gave me a wide selection of drum sets and effects that I absolutely went crazy with.
This included:
Whether you’re interested in acoustic drums, electric drums, percussion sounds, or effects, MDrummer has got you covered.
It’s capable of generating an infinite number of new drum sets and can import your sample libraries (that I can’t lie, I spent way too much time playing around with… in a good way).
When you’re looking for a traditional sound or a unique one like electronic drums or MIDI drums, MDrummer offers all the tools you need to explore, mix, and create.
It has the ability to understand advanced rhythm, so no style or percussive instrument is off the table… I was able to generate new rhythms, merge multiple rhythms, add shakers, and incorporate other background percussion all day.
Plus it’s advanced features, like humanization, shuffling, and half/double tempo, were certainly on point as well.
MDrummer also has:
- An interactive MIDI command method
- Integrated sequencer
- Jamming capabilities
The resizable and restyle-able user interface (complete with context help) is optimized for maximum speed and offers an intuitive and inspiring workflow too, which is also a plus.
The goal of this drum plugin is to provide the ultimate user experience and the tools necessary for unlimited creative exploration in drum programming, and I think it nailed it.
Standout Features:
- A comprehensive range of percussion instruments and effects
- High-quality drum samples
- Ability to cover any style and any percussive instrument
- Advanced features like humanization, shuffling, and half/double tempo
- Intuitive and flexible drum machine
- Resizable and restyle-able user interface for maximum speed and creative exploration
- One of the best drum VSTs around
#6. Steven Slate Drums 5.5
You can’t go wrong when you hear the name Steven Slate… and Steven Slate Drums 5.5 (SSD 5.5) just proved that point.
It’s a highly versatile drum VST plugin that offers a wide range of artist and legendary-modeled drum kit presets that will certainly blow your socks off.
The new software includes upgrades from Steven Slate Drums 5, like more than 2,400 MIDI grooves, 400 instruments, and one-shot snare samples.
Plus, the new Smart-Velocity Triggering algorithm allowed me to blend any one-shot sample with the rest of my kit.
NOTE: SSD 5.5 has recently undergone upgrades with the addition of new kits and samples, an updated GUI, and faster MIDI mapping & learning, so it’s even more on point now.
Plus the improved interface made it super easy to customize drums, with total control over the dynamics, panning options, and ADSR settings of each instrument that I included.
The software also allows you to mix ambient room mics and close mics with custom routing options, and even resize the plugin window for a customized workflow.
And my favorite part is the completely redesigned Map section in SSD 5.5, so you can play around with MIDI mapping and tweak your drum MIDI mappings on the fly.
This is an inclusion I find very beneficial, aside from a drum synth.
SSD 5.5 also allows for the import and use of third-party samples and grooves, giving you even more flexibility in shaping your drum sounds.
Standout Features:
- Wide range of artist and legendary modeled drum kit presets
- Over 2,400 MIDI grooves and 400 instruments for any room sound
- New Smart-Velocity Triggering algorithm for perfect blending of one-shot samples
- Redesigned interface for easy drum customization
- Quick MIDI mapping and learning drum machines, with import and use of third-party samples
- One of the best drum VSTs around
#7. MT Power Drum Kit 2
MT Power Drum Kit 2, developed by Manda Audio, is last on our list, but it’s certainly not basic or incapable in any way.
It’s a free drum sampler providing the epic, dynamic sounds of an acoustic drum kit designed specifically for pop, rock, and metal productions.
I found their samples to be meticulously recorded and processed, and they fit into my mix perfectly.
Plus the superior acoustic feel sets the MT Power Drum Kit 2 apart from other drum VST plugins, bridging the gap between electronic kit production and live sound dynamics.
The emphasis is on the provision of drum sounds that are naturally dynamic but also powerful and distinct enough to stand their ground in a full mix.
This makes it a true drummer’s delight, especially when compared to like getgood drums or something.
A common challenge with some expensive drum samplers is their inability to deliver a natural, dynamic drum kit sound when used in a powerful pop or rock production mix.
And, to my surprise, MT Power Drum Kit 2 addressed this, offering kick and snare drums that retain their clarity and natural tone even in complex mixing situations.
These are not overly compressed but rather deliver an in-your-face and authentic acoustic punch unlike other drum VSTs.
This sampler is on point as well, but the real power of the MT Power Drum Kit 2 lies in its embedded compressors for each channel, which let me have enhanced control over the degree of compression.
And, if you’re anything like me, this is non-negotiable when it comes to drum sounds.
Beyond its sound capabilities, MT Power Drum Kit 2 also offers an extensive Groove Library with thousands of diverse rhythms to choose from and compose your drum accompaniment.
This creates a much more organic and realistic drum sound than I’d get from programming my beats manually, that’s for sure.
Bottom line, this drum kit plugin stands out due to its refined cymbal sounds, recorded using high-quality cymbals and microphones, and won’t disappoint even with its zero-dollar price tag.
Standout Features:
- High-quality, realistic acoustic drum kit sounds, specifically processed for pop, rock, and metal productions
- Built-in compressors for each channel provide enhanced control over the degree of compression
- An extensive Groove Library with thousands of assorted rhythms for creating drum accompaniments
- Innovative fill creation functions to produce smooth and realistic drum tracks
- High-quality cymbal sounds recorded using top-notch cymbals and microphones
- Unique recording approach to producing very realistic samples
- One of the best drum VST plugins around
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