Best Apple Silicon Native VSTs (M1/M2/M3 Optimized)

FabFilter Pro-Q 3 was one of the first plugins to go fully native on Apple Silicon, and the optimization is absolutely mind-blowing. I tried to stress-test my M3 Max MacBook by duplicating this plugin across 150 tracks-each with active dynamic bands-and the fan didn't even spin up. It runs so efficiently that it has become completely invisible to my CPU meter, allowing me to focus comfortably on mixing without ever thinking about freezing tracks. This kind of stability is essential for modern workflows where deadlines are tight and technical hiccups are unacceptable.

Beyond the performance, the workflow on a Retina display is gorgeous. The analyzer is buttery smooth, reacting instantly to the audio with zero visual lag, which is critical when I am surgically removing resonances. It is the definition of a 'native workhorse'. I trust it on every single channel of my template because I know it will never, ever crash my DAW.

On my old Intel Mac, a complex Phase Plant patch with 30 modulators would bring the session to a grinding halt. On the M1 and M3 chips, it flies. I recently designed a massive, evolving sci-fi texture with four wavetable oscillators and a chain of ten effects, and the CPU meter barely ticked above 15%. This newfound headroom has completely changed how I design sound. I no longer have to bounce to audio constantly.

It is a modular beast that acts as an open canvas, and now that the silicon optimization is mature, it feels incredibly stable. I love stacking the "Multipass" effect modules to create multiband distortion chains that would have been impossible to run in real-time just a few years ago. If you want to build towering stacks of oscillators without a single audio glitch, this is the synth to get.

Diva used to be the plugin that made my computer cry. I vividly remember freezing tracks constantly just to use one instance in "Divine" mode. Since the Apple Silicon update, that has completely changed. I can now run multiple polyphonic instances of Diva in full quality mode on my MacBook Air without the chassis even getting warm. It is a testament to how well u-he has optimized their code for the ARM architecture.

The sound is, as always, incredible-thick, analog, and heavy-but now it is actually usable in a large production context. I used it for every synth part on a recent synthwave track (bass, pads, leads) and didn't have to print a single track until the final mixdown. If you have been holding off on using Diva because of CPU fears, the M1/M2/M3 chips have officially solved that problem.

It took Soundtoys a little while to get fully native, but the wait was absolutely worth it. These creative effects-especially Decapitator and EchoBoy-are the spice of every mix I do, and running them natively means I can stack them high without worrying about the dreaded Rosetta bridge crashes. I recently updated my entire template to the native versions, and the session load times improved significantly, which is a huge deal when you are opening heavy projects multiple times a day.

Stabilty is the key word here. I used to have issues where automating the delay time on EchoBoy would cause a CPU spike on non-native systems, but on my M2 Studio, it is smooth as silk. Whether I am crushing a drum bus with Devil-Loc or adding space with Little Plate, knowing that these essential tools are optimized for my processor gives me total peace of mind during a mix.

Valhalla DSP was one of the very first developers to port their plugins to M1, and VintageVerb remains the king of efficiency. I use this reverb on literally every project-often on every single auxiliary track-and on my M3 chip, it uses virtually 0% active CPU. It is so lightweight that I sometimes put it directly on channel strips just for "vibe" without thinking twice about the processing cost.

The Native Metal graphics acceleration also makes the UI feel snappy and responsive. But performance aside, it just sounds expensive. I used the "Smooth Plate" algorithm on a lead vocal recently, and it provided that lush, 1980s tail that sat perfectly in the mix without muddying up the midrange. For $50, it is arguably the best value software in the entire audio industry, and it runs flawlessly on Silicon.

Omnisphere is a massive workstation that used to take forever to load on Intel Macs, but the Native Apple Silicon support combined with the fast internal SSDs of modern Macs has made it a speed demon. Patch selection is now instantaneous. I can scroll through the massive library and load 2GB multi-sampled instruments in the blink of an eye, which keeps my creative flow moving during a writing session.

The CPU efficiency for multi-timbral patches has also drastically improved. I often use "Stack Mode" to layer four different synth sounds for cinematic textures, and my M1 Max handles the voice count beautifully. It feels like a hardware workstation now-immediate and responsive. If you have the drive space for it, Omnisphere on Silicon is a completely different (and better) experience than it was on older hardware.

Vital is a visual powerhouse, and it leverages the modern GPU in Apple Silicon chips to render its complex wavetable animations at a buttery smooth 60fps (or higher). I love watching the modulators move in real-time. It gives me a visual connection to the sound design that static plugins just don't offer. On my M2 laptop, zooming in and out of the wavetable editor is glitch-free and incredibly satisfying.

Sonically, it is a spectral monster. I used the text-to-wavetable feature recently to create a robotic vocal bass for a hyperpop track, and the clarity of the top end was pristine. Because it is fully native, I can run multiple instances of these complex, high-voice-count patches without my buffer size choking. It is unapologetically digital, modern, and perfectly suited for the architecture of the new Mac chips.