Best EQ Plugins of 2026

Starting the year on the right foot also means knowing which tools can make your music sound at its best.

Over the next couple of weeks, the Sample Focus team will share their favorite plugins and how to get the most out of them. We're starting with EQ, probably the most essential tool in audio post-production.

The plugins below are ordered by price, but when it comes to value-for-money they all deliver excellent results; regardless of your budget, you’ll find an EQ that fits your needs and won’t break the bank.

Top 7 EQ Plugins for Music Production in 2026

TDR Nova

Price: Free (GE Edition: $60)

TDR Nova is by far my favorite free dynamic equalizer.

The plugin comes with a 4-band parametric EQ, full dynamic processing on each band, high-pass and low-pass filter sections, frequency-selective compression, and much more.

TDR Nova

The interface is clean and intuitive, with a large display and intuitive knobs that make it ideal for beginners as much as seasoned engineers. The Gentleman's Edition (GE) expands to 6 bands and comes with extra features like equal loudness workflows and smart operations for spectral matching and resonance removal.

Pros:

  • Exceptional value
  • Professional sound quality
  • Dynamic EQ functionality and flexible compression
  • Clean interface

Cons:

  • Limited to 4 bands in the free version

Waves V-EQ4

Price: $35

Here’s a fabulous emulation of a vintage classic! Originally released almost twenty years ago, the V-EQ4 is a faithful emulation of the Neve 1081 with a 4-band equalizer, two 10-position midrange parameters with Hi-Q switches, high and low shelving, plus highpass and lowpass filters.

Many call it a perfect clone of the iconic Neve, and there’s no doubt that the level of detail and richness it adds to music has an analog feel. Despite the vintage-looking interface and the unmistakable tube sound, the V-EQ4 comes with all modern features to make it an all-rounder in the studio.

Pros:

  • Authentic Neve 1081 sound
  • Simple interface
  • Great for adding vintage warmth

Cons:

  • Not a pretty interface
  • It’s not a “surgical” EQ

HoRNet TotalEQ MK2

Price: $35

Review: HoRNet is basically a one-man endeavor, which is impressive if you look at how many great plugins the company has released so far. I own a few of their products, and the TotalEQ MK2 has become one of my go-to EQs when mixing.

HoRNet TotalEQ MK2

This visual parametric equalizer comes with up to 36 bands with real-time spectrum analysis – frankly more than I ever needed! Plus, each band includes 15 filter types (Tilt EQ, Band Shelf etc..), full dynamic EQ controls, and independent analog saturation.

The exceptional Auto EQ analyzes your signal in real time and applies corrective filters based on HarmoniQ and BalancEQ algorithms. In my experience, the automated function gets 70% of the job done, and then all you have to do is make fine adjustments.

Regularly on sale, the TotalEQ MK2 offers exceptional value for money and all the flexibility you need from a professional EQ.

Pros:

  • Up to 36 bands with extensive filter options
  • Auto EQ offers exceptional results
  • Per-band analog saturation
  • Regular sales make it a bargain

Cons:

  • Occasional stability issues and bugs
  • Less intuitive than most competitors

KiloHearts Carve EQ/Slice EQ

Price: $79 each

Review: KiloHearts’ plugins never disappoint; whether it’s the phenomenal semi-modular synth Phase Plant or their versatile post-production effects, everything they release feels reliable and professional.

When it comes to EQing, KHs offers a powerful combo: Carve EQ and Slice EQ. The way I see it, Carve is more like a mastering EQ, whereas Slice is perfect for mixing and sound design.

Carve EQ is a 31-band graphic equalizer that comes with three tools you can use to shape sound: Select (detailed control), Sculpt (organic shaping), and Sketch (drawing custom curves). This gives you total control over sound frequency, and the ability to shape the spectrum endlessly.

There’s also a feature called Match that automatically extracts EQ profiles from reference tracks or audio files, which can simplify and speed up your workflow.

Slice EQ is an advanced parametric equalizer that is more designed for surgical work. It supports up to 32 filters with six filter types, and comes with a handy context-aware creation tool that automatically finds the right filters based on where you click in the frequency spectrum.

When used together, Carve EQ and Slice EQ offer a great combination of creative and corrective workflow. They used to be available as a bundle for $99, but now you can either buy them separately for $158, get KiloHearts Ultimate (all their plugins) for $399, or sign up to their subscribe-to-own programme, which is affordable and fair.

Pros:

  • Complementary design philosophy covers both mastering and sound design needs
  • Multiple editing modes for different workflows
  • Mid/Side processing on both plugins
  • Modern and user-friendly interfaces
  • CPU-efficient

Cons:

  • Slice doesn’t have dynamic EQ functionality

 

Slate Digital Infinity EQ 2

Price: $149

Infinity EQ 2 is a parametric EQ that rightfully deserves its popularity.

Slate Digital Infinity EQ 2

Compared to the already-excellent first version, Infinity EQ 2 now has three new filter shapes (Notch, Tilt, and Bandpass) and two timing modes (Tight for tasks like de-essing, and Smooth for preserving transients). Plus, the analog-like shapes are a great option if you want to create a timeless sound without spending hours fixing frequencies.

It doesn’t require tons of CPU power, and the interface is intuitive and clean, with infinite scaling, per-band Mid/Side processing and band linking.

All in all, this is an EQ that feels extremely natural even when it drastically changes the frequency spectrum, with zero latency and curves steady and symmetrical up to 96dB.

Pros:

  • Dynamic EQ with two timing modes
  • Extremely fast and intuitive workflow
  • Presets from top producers

Cons:

  • Less colored than vintage-style EQs
  • Pricey (subscription model available)

FabFilter Pro-Q4

Price: $199

Pro-Q 4 has been the industry-standard EQ plugin for years – used by professionals and bedroom producers alike, it’s a software that revolutionized the way we approach frequency shaping, and even how EQ plugins look visually. In this updated version, there are many new features that make the Pro-Q 4 a one-stop solution for most frequency issues.

The new Spectral Dynamics mode targets problem frequencies within a band leaving the rest untouched. The Instance List is a superb feature I never thought I needed until I tried it; it allows you to view and adjust all Pro-Q 4 instances in your session from a single window, which, once you get used to it, gives you complete control over your track’s soundstage.

You also have the Character modes that can help add analog-style saturation to FabFilter's notoriously transparent sound.

We could go on talking about Pro-Q 4’s features forever: from the EQ Sketch to Dolby Atmos support, and the precision and natural sound that made it so popular, this plugin is as close as you can get to an all-in-one solution to all your EQ needs.

Pros:

  • Industry-leading interface design
  • Dolby Atmos support
  • CPU-efficient despite extensive features

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • It takes time to master

iZotope Neutron 5

Price: $249 (Full version)

Professional sound engineers might sneer at Neutron 5, but for independent music producers and DIY artists this mixing suite offers the easiest and fastest way to get a track ready for release.

Neutron 5 is iZotope's all-in-one mixing suite, with 11 plugins including Equalizer, Compressor, Exciter, Gate, Sculptor, Transient Shaper, and Unmask. It comes with an AI-powered Mix Assistant that creates custom signal chains based on your audio, and the results are nothing short of exceptional: it gets 90% of the job done, basically leaving only the final touches to you.

The latest version added Mid/Side and Transient/Sustain modes across modules and Delta buttons for A/B comparisons. The Visual Mixer is clear and intuitive even for first-timers and a great tool for spatial mixing.

While expensive, Neutron is the best solution if you don’t want to spend hours shaping frequencies or learning new tools. It gives your music a professional and crisp sound, and although it doesn't quite reach the quality of a professional mixing service, it makes your track release-ready for a fraction of the cost.

Pros:

  • Comprehensive 11-plugin suite in one interface
  • AI Mix Assistant offers valuable starting points
  • Perfect for DIY musicians and beginner sound engineers

Cons:

  • Less control over frequencies
  • High CPU usage
  • AI-powered means your mix might lack a “human” touch

Final Thoughts

Ready to take your production skills to the next level? Pick one of these exceptional EQ plugins and turn your mixes into professional songs!

And if you’re looking for the perfect samples to test your new EQ tools, just head over to Sample Focus and dive into an endless library of sounds ready to be mixed, combined, shaped, and released.

Have fun!