[ UPDATE: Aug. 3, 2024, fixing a ton of broken links. Sorry about that – bad editing. July 22, 2024, with extended tables providing descriptions, compatibility, and links compiled by Paul Greenberg. Thanks Paul!! ]
Earlier this month, I surveyed the readers of my weekly “Edit Smarter” newsletter to learn more about them and the tools they used to edit their projects. I reported earlier on some of the results – but left the hardest question till last: “What Are Your Favorite 3rd Party Plugins or Utilities. Tabulating more than 450 answers took the last couple of days.
NOTE: Here are my two prior reports with survey results.
AUDIO PLUGINS
The Izotope RX audio plugin suite is workhorse used for both music creation and video sweetening. All of the vendors in this chart provide multiple plugins or, in the case of SmartSound, multiple stock music albums.
Here’s the complete list:
Audio Plugin Descriptions and Links
(Links & descriptions compiled by Paul Greenberg)
| Name | Responses | Description | Download URL | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Izotope RX | 25% | Audio repair and enhancement software. | Izotope RX | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, Adobe Audition, Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, standalone |
| BorisFX Crumplepop | 15% | Audio restoration and effects plugins. | BorisFX Crumplepop | Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Avid Media Composer, Audition |
| Waves | 12% | Professional audio plugins for mixing and mastering. | Waves | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Reason |
| AccuSonus (ERA) | 10% | Real-time audio processing tools. | AccuSonus (acquired by Meta in 2022) |
Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| SmartSound | 10% | Royalty-free music for video production. | SmartSound | Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, standalone |
| Those mentioned only once are listed below and total: | 28% | – | – | – |
| Accentize | – | Intelligent audio plugins for mixing. | Accentize | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Reason |
| Acon Digital | – | Audio editing and restoration tools. | Acon Digital | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Reason, Audition |
| Acoustica | – | Comprehensive audio editing software. | Acoustica | Standalone |
| Apogee Studio | – | High-quality audio interfaces and plugins. | Apogee Studio | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Reason |
| BeatEdit | – | Automatic beat detection and editing software. | BeatEdit | Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| Dolby Vision | – | HDR video and audio technology. | Dolby Vision | Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Kazrog TrueIron | – | Analog emulation plugin for audio. | Kazrog TrueIron | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Reason |
| Landr Mastering Console | – | Professional mastering software. | Landr Mastering | Standalone |
| LockDown | – | Audio/video synchronization software. | LockDown | Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| Marquis Broadcast X2Pro | – | Final Cut Pro audio conversion tool. | X2Pro | Final Cut Pro |
| Melodyne | – | Pitch and time correction software. | Melodyne | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, Studio One, Reaper, standalone |
| Native Instruments | – | High-quality audio instruments and effects. | Native Instruments | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio |
| PSP Audioware | – | Professional audio processing plugins. | PSP Audioware | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Reason |
| Schep’s Choice | – | Curated collection of audio plugins. | Schep’s Choice | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Reason |
| Sonnox | – | High-end audio processing tools. | Sonnox | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Reason |
| Sound Radix Auto Align | – | Phase alignment plugin for multitrack recordings. | Sound Radix | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Reason |
| Sound Soap | – | Audio cleanup software for noise reduction. | Sound Soap | Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, standalone |
| Universal Music | – | Music distribution and licensing services. | Universal Music | Standalone |
VIDEO PLUGINS
FxFactory supplies hundreds of plugins for Premiere, Final Cut, After Effects and other software. With so many to choose from, I was not surprised to see it listed so often. Motion VFX provides both an effects engine and multiple effects to run inside it.
The leading response for BorisFX was for Continuum Complete, followed by Mocha Pro. Neat Video provides video noise removal, while Ripple Training provides a variety of utilities and effects plugins.
Here’s the complete list:
Video Plugin Descriptions and Links
(Links & descriptions compiled by Paul Greenberg)
| Name | Responses | Description | Download URL | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FxFactory | 11.40% | Comprehensive plugin suite for video effects. | FxFactory | Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| Motion VFX | 9.40% | High-quality templates and plugins for motion design. | Motion VFX | Final Cut Pro, After Effects |
| Maxon Red Giant / Red Giant / Universe | 6.80% | Creative tools for filmmakers and motion designers. | Maxon | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro |
| BorisFX (Continuum/Mocha Pro/Sapphire) | 6.50% | Advanced visual effects and image processing tools. | BorisFX | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Neat Video | 6.30% | Noise reduction plugin for digital video. | Neat Video | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Ripple Training | 5.40% | Professional training resources for video editors. | Ripple Training | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| Pixel Film Studio | 5.10% | Customizable plugins for video editing. | Pixel Film Studio | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| Topaz Labs Video AI | 4.30% | AI-powered video enhancement software. | Topaz Labs | Standalone |
| Color Finale Pro | 3.40% | Advanced color grading tools for Final Cut Pro X. | Color Finale Pro | Final Cut Pro |
| LenoFX | 2.80% | Templates and plugins for Final Cut Pro X. | LenoFX | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| Film Impact | 1.70% | Video transitions and effects for editors. | Film Impact | Premiere Pro |
| Alex4D | 1.40% | Free plugins and effects for video editing. | Alex4D | Final Cut Pro |
| Film Convert | 1.40% | Film stock emulation plugin for video editors. | Film Convert | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Cinema Grade | 1.10% | Professional color grading software. | Cinema Grade | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro |
| Digital Anarchy | 1.10% | Unique plugins for video and photo editing. | Digital Anarchy | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro |
| Hawaiki Keyer | 1.10% | Advanced keying plugin for Final Cut Pro X. | Hawaiki Keyer | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| Keyper | 1.10% | Plugin for keying and compositing in Final Cut Pro X. | Keyper | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| Motion Array | 1.10% | Marketplace for video templates and plugins. | Motion Array | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Adobe After Effects | 0.90% | Industry-standard motion graphics and VFX software. | Adobe After Effects | After Effects |
| BretFX | 0.90% | Custom plugins and effects for video editors. | BretFX | Final Cut Pro |
| Custom LUTs | 0.90% | Color grading lookup tables for video editors. | (Various) | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Envato Elements | 0.90% | Unlimited creative assets for video production. | Envato Elements | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Hedge | 0.90% | Backup software for video professionals. | Hedge | Standalone |
| FCPEffects | 0.90% | Plugins and templates for Final Cut Pro X. | FCPEffects | Final Cut Pro |
| Nobe Omniscope | 0.90% | Professional video monitoring tools. | Nobe Omniscope | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Plumepack | 0.90% | Media management plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro. | Plumepack | Premiere Pro |
| AEJuice | 0.60% | Animated elements and plugins for After Effects. | AEJuice | After Effects |
| Arctic (Final Cut Library Manager) | 0.60% | High-quality video editing plugins. | Arctic | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| CommandPost | 0.60% | Workflow automation tool for video editors. | CommandPost | Final Cut Pro |
| CoreMelt | 0.60% | Advanced video effects and transitions. | CoreMelt | Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| HandBrake | 0.60% | Open-source video transcoder. | HandBrake | Standalone |
| idustrial Revolution Volumetrix | 0.60% | Plugin for volumetric light effects. | Volumetrix | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| mLUT | 0.60% | Professional LUTs for color grading. | mLUT | Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| PremiumFX | 0.60% | Templates and plugins for video editing. | PremiumFX | Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro |
| Re:Vision Effects | 0.60% | Visual effects plugins for video editors. | Re:Vision Effects | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Those mentioned only once are listed below and total: | 15.6% | – | – | |
| Adobe Stock | – | Stock footage and assets for video projects. | Adobe Stock | Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| Animation Composer | – | Free plugin for animations and motion graphics. | Animation Composer | Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| Aurora HDR | – | High dynamic range imaging software. | Aurora HDR | Standalone |
| Ben Halsall’s Text Flow Rectangle | – | Plugin for creating flowing text effects. | Ben Halsall | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| Cineflare | – | Professional video transitions and effects. | Cineflare | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| Cinematch | – | Color matching plugin for video editors. | Cinematch | Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro |
| Cocktail | – | Mac utility software for system maintenance. | Cocktail | macOS |
| Colorista | – | Advanced color grading tools. | Colorista | Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| Creator’s Best Friend | – | Plugin for organizing and managing video projects. | Creator’s Best Friend | Final Cut Pro |
| Cullen Kelly’s | – | Plugins and effects for video editors. | Cullen Kelly’s | Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve |
| Dalet | – | Media asset management software. | Dalet | Standalone |
| Digital Juice | – | Stock footage, templates, and effects. | Digital Juice | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro |
| Element 3D | – | 3D object-based particle rendering in After Effects. | Element 3D | After Effects |
| Excalibur | – | Enhanced workflow plugin for video editing. | Excalibur | Premiere Pro |
| ffMPEG | – | Free software for handling multimedia data. | ffMPEG | Standalone |
| Frame.io | – | Cloud-based video collaboration platform. | Frame.io | Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve |
| Friday | – | Workflow automation software for video editors. | Friday | Final Cut Pro |
| Fusion | – | Compositing and motion graphics software. | Fusion | DaVinci Resolve, Fusion Standalone |
| GoPro Player | – | Software for viewing and editing GoPro videos. | GoPro Player | Standalone |
| IMFTool | – | Media file analysis software. | IMFTool | Standalone |
| Intelligent Assistance | – | Metadata management for Final Cut Pro. | Producer’s Best Friend | Final Cut Pro |
| Jojo | – | Video editing plugins and templates. | Jojo | Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| Kai’s Power Tools | – | Classic Photoshop plugins for creative effects. | Kai’s Power Tools (Sold to Corel in 2000) | Photoshop |
| Keyflow Pro 2 | – | Media asset management for video editors. | Keyflow Pro | Final Cut Pro |
| Keylight (Nuke) | – | Advanced keying plugin for compositing. | Keylight | After Effects, Nuke |
| Knights of the Editing Table | – | Creative video editing plugins. | Knights of the Editing Table | Premiere Pro |
| Lens Distortions | – | Realistic lens effects for video editors. | Lens Distortions | Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| LowePost DCTL OFX tools | – | Color grading tools for DaVinci Resolve. | LowePost | DaVinci Resolve |
| Lumenzia | – | Luminosity masking panel for Photoshop. | Lumenzia | Photoshop |
| Luminar 4 | – | AI photo editing software. | Luminar | Standalone |
| Media Info | – | Tool for analyzing media files. | Media Info | Standalone |
| Mister Horse | – | Animation composer and motion graphics templates. | Mister Horse | Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| Mononodes DCTLs | – | Color grading tools for DaVinci Resolve. | Mononodes | DaVinci Resolve |
| Nattress Film Effects | – | Film stock emulation and effects plugins. | Nattress | Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve |
| Nobe Omniscope | – | Professional video monitoring tools. | Nobe Omniscope | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Noise Industries (FxFactory) | – | Video effects and transitions for editors. | Noise Industries | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| Particular | – | Particle generation plugin for After Effects. | Particular | After Effects |
| PCP Effects | – | Video effects and transitions for editors. | PCP Effects | Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro |
| Post Haste | – | Project management software for creatives. | Post Haste | Standalone |
| PPMulater | – | Plugin for audio post-production. | PPMulater | Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro |
| ProList | – | Title and text animation plugin for Final Cut Pro X. | ProList | Final Cut Pro |
| ProParagraph | – | Professional text animations for Final Cut Pro X. | ProParagraph | Final Cut Pro |
| Rollermouse | – | Ergonomic mouse for creative professionals. | Rollermouse | Hardware |
| Shot Anvil | – | Plugin for advanced shot composition. | Shot Anvil | Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro |
| SimonSays | – | Transcription software for video editors. | SimonSays | Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve |
| Skin Enhance | – | Plugin for retouching skin in video footage. | Skin Enhance | Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro |
| Sony Catalyst Browse | – | Media preparation and organization tool. | Sony Catalyst | Standalone |
| Stupid Raisins | – | Fun and creative plugins for video editing. | Stupid Raisins | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
| Switch Pro | – | Software for video file conversion and analysis. | Switch Pro | Standalone |
| Tap5a Animator | – | Animation plugin for Final Cut Pro X. | Tap Animator | Final Cut Pro |
| The Final Cut Bro | – | Plugins and effects for Final Cut Pro X. | The FCP Bro | Final Cut Pro |
| TKY Marker Pen | – | Plugin for marking and annotating video footage. | TKY Marker Pen | Final Cut Pro |
| TrueSync Duplicator | – | Audio and video synchronization plugin. | TrueSync | Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro |
| Video Copilot | – | Visual effects and motion graphics tools. | Video Copilot | After Effects |
| VizRT | – | Broadcast graphics and live production software. | VizRT | Standalone |
| Yanobox | – | Innovative visual effects plugins. | Yanobox | Final Cut Pro, Motion |
SUMMARY
What struck me was the vast diversity of this list. Yes, longtime favorites were listed, but smaller companies also rated mention. Those links that are missing are for companies no longer in business, or I could not find them on the web using that name.
A comment I saw several times was that editors who were new to buying plugins were looking for recommendations. Any of the popular plugins listed here are respected in the industry for the quality of their effects and the ongoing support from the developer.
14 Responses to Survey Says: What Media Plugins Are You Using?
Pixel Film Studio and Pixel Film Studios are same company. The name of open text responses. Moves them up the list a bit.
Nigel:
Thanks for the heads up. Yeah, I was dealing with multiple spellings of the same thing throughout this survey. I’m sorry I missed this one.
I’ve corrected the chart and the table. Thanks!
Larry
This is quite the comprehensive list Larry! I’ve spent over an hour already checking out some vfx tools that were unfamiliar to me and saved it to resume that effort later on.
John:
Yay!
That is why I went to the effort to compile this. Glad you liked it.
Larry
Thank you for your hard work, it helps us more than you probably realize. It is also now a resource, sort of a recommendation list.
Thank you for the work you put into this, Larry. I’m still doing research on the list thanks to you.
Great list, one little change.
Knights of the Editing Table makes plugins for Premiere Pro (that should be part of the program) not Final Cut Pro.
Jonah:
Thanks for the note, I’ll change this.
Larry
Hi Jonah. Hope you’re well.
very helpful summary Larry for us forever NLE Newbies!
Hi Larry:
Kudos for all your work in compiling this extensive and extremely helpful list. I see many familiar vendors as well as numerous new contenders! Can’t wait to research the latter when I get a moment.
Cheers
Larry, I have many of the digital juice products on disc, so I have created a spread sheet for the stock footage. I know because they closed up shop it isn’t very useful. We also use free music from You Tube and music from Adobe that we have a license for. This is really useful information, thank you.
Sorry to say it, but there seems to be a whole lot of bad links and sites that Chrome flags as security risks.
Eric:
Hmmm. I thought I checked these. But I used safari. I’ll check these again.
It is never my intent to post bad links.
UPDATE: Yup there were a TON of bad links here. I clearly did not check these closely enough. All are fixed.
Thanks,
Larry