11 Best Looper VST Plugins 2024

Loopers. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Their primary function is to repeat a segment of audio that can be used as a jam track, but DJs and producers alike have found plenty of other creative uses for them as well.

Since there are many types of looper VST plugins out there, and many ways to use them, it’s important that you know what you’re getting into.

But if you’re lost, don’t worry, because in this guide, we not only cover the best looper VST plugins, but also look at what each of them can do for you.

Looperator by Sugar Bytes – Best Overall

Sugar Byte’s Looperator was designed to take your audio, slice it up, and transform it into something entirely new.

This unique plugin lets you take advantage of the onboard slicer to rearrange material and place effects in the exact spots you want them.

Ever tried to make rolls, loops, and stutters in your Digital Audio Workstation? The process is often lengthy and tedious. But Looperator lets you do it all in a few clicks.

The smart random algorithms should also come in handy when you’re fresh out of ideas. It can generate highly usable sequences without you having to program each part.

Looperator can sync with DJ software, your DAW’s transport controls, as well as MIDI notes. Effect sequences can be assigned to MIDI notes, which means you can trigger individual patterns.

Every effect comes with five parameters you can control, which you can also control using one of 20 selectable envelope shapes, an automation-ready parameter dial, randomizer, and envelope follower. If you want, you can even customize on a per-step basis.

With a modular drag and drop style design, the user is given complete control over the processing chain, each with a dry / wet control, and a global mix control with six configurations.

In total, Looperator is a 16-step sample slicer with 300 presets featuring a looper with reverse mode, time stretch & talkbox filter, MIDI note preset recall, independent control for left and right channels, unlimited undo / redo, intelligent random, and five parameters per step and effect.

As you’ve probably figured out already, Looperator is more than just a looper. It’s a multi-effect that acts a bit like a granular VST plugin, complete with looping options. It’s an excellent tool for turning a rather ordinary mix into a far more sophisticated one.

It’s a great tool for electronic producers and DJs alike but may not be the go-to plugin for those looking to jam along with a simple looped rhythm track.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

BIAS FX 2 Elite by Positive Grid – Best Premium Option

Positive Grid’s BIAX FX 2 Elite lives on in infamy thanks to popular YouTubers like Stevie T. This fully featured guitar workstation lets you take advantage of, and create your own, incredible sounding guitar patches without ever having to leave your DAW (to rearrange stomp boxes, change mic position, adjust amp settings, etc.).

BIAS FX 2 Elite comes with all the bells and whistles that make guitarists drool – thousands of analog style pedal effects, guitar match, guitar emulation (basically negating the need for you to change over to another guitar every time you need a different sound), studio racks, speaker emulations, over 50,000 presets (online), and much more.

While it’s easy to focus on the many tones you can create with BIAS FX 2 (and that is something to write home about), It includes plenty of utility functions like a tuner, metronome, and yes, a looper too – perfect for jamming!

Overall, BIAS FX 2 Elite features 100 new amps, 100 new effects, 200 new presets, guitar match, new HD racks, new fuzz and time modelers, BIAS pedal distortion, delay, modulation, custom artists presets, IR loader, looper / recorder, dual signal path with multiple splitters, and so, so much more.

BIAS FX 2 is also available in Standard and Professional editions (at a more affordable price point), depending on how much power you need.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Dubstation 2 by Audio Damage – Best Budget Option

Get a load of Audio Damage’s budget friendly delay, Dubstation 2. Just because it’s affordable doesn’t mean it doesn’t also pack a serious punch, though.

Featuring a classic delay algorithm from Audio Damage’s own much praised bucket brigade delay circuits, Dubstation 2 also comes with time controls (from four to 2,000 milliseconds), an LFO, and low-cut and high-cut filters.

But it doesn’t stop there. You can further tweak and experiment with feedback, saturation, reverse mode, loop mode, mix control, gain staging controls, an array of presets, and more.

More than a mere delay, Dubstation 2 offers looping functionality that should prove useful to just about any user seeking a looper VST plugin. While a delay might not be what you’re looking for specifically, this plugin is so affordable and so robust that we couldn’t help but recommend it as our best budget option!

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

SIGNAL by Output

Output’s creations are always intriguing to say the least. And they never hold back in terms of quality or features.

Their SIGNAL is their ultimate pulse engine, empowering you to create sounds that shift, move, and captivate. It’s a shoo-in for composers, but it’s just as compelling for songwriters, beatmakers, EDM producers, and more. Even rock producers could make good use of this.

But what is it exactly? Well, SIGNAL comes loaded with 40 GB of content made up of organic instruments, analog synths, and digital synths. Using these sources, Output created 500 pulse instruments you can use right out of the box. You can even get four pulses going at the same time!

Pulses also lock to tempo, and you can choose from four rhythm sources including looper, step sequencer, LFO, and arpeggiator.

The four MACRO controls are unique to each of the 500 instruments, which is a feature worth noting unto itself!

SIGNAL also features various filters, saturation, delays, convolution reverb, and other effects that let you customize your pulses.

SIGNAL obviously offers some built-in looper functionality. That said, it is for creating atmospheres more than anything, and if that’s not what you’re looking for, check out some of the other products in this guide.

To use SIGNAL, you’ll need Kontakt Player or the full version of Kontakt 5.3.1 or above.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Deleight by Audiority

Audiority’s Deleight is a stereo multi tap delay processor inspired by hardware digital delays from the 90s. More than a mere delay, Deleight offers the ability for you to create simple echoes, multi-voice choruses, doublers, early reverbs, multi-voice choruses, and more.

The onboard Loop mode lets you use Deleight as a looper, and there are even speed and reverse controls that let you customize the loop as you see fit.

Altogether, Deleight comes with a delay buffer of up to five seconds, seven time ranges, tempo sync, left, right, and feedback channels, normal and cross channel feedback modes, channel linking, LFO (with 11 waveforms, loop mode (with speed and reverse), and a resizable user interface.

Deleight is very reasonable in terms of price point and boasts functionality that extends beyond a simple looper. If you’re looking for a multi-purpose delay that can also act as a looper, you’ve found it.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Artillery 2 by Sugar Bytes

Sugar Byte’s Artillery 2 makes it possible for you to turn your keyboard into a multi-effects machine. Take any or all the 28 effects and assign them to keyboard zones, and you’ll be playing god with an expansive effects rack.

All you need to do to get started is draw boxes around the range of keys you want to activate, using the onscreen keyboard. Choose from six categories of effects, from delays and granular processing to vocoders, filters, and more.

The design makes it possible for you to stack as many effects as you like without worrying about CPU load.

Each of the 28 effect algorithms come with their own parameters for added control, and the parameters can even be modulated using an LFO, Key Tracking, envelope, or step sequencer. That makes each of the effects very configurable indeed.

Whether in the studio, on stage, or in a DJ’s setup, Artillery 2 demonstrates its power and versatility in a variety of arenas. Whether it’s transforming a simple EQ into a multiband compressor, or playing pitched delay times on your MIDI controller, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

And yes, in case you missed it earlier, there is a built-in looper effect.

Artillery 2 may be humble in appearance, but its functionality is something to write home about.

In summary, Artillery 2 comes with 28 effects, MIDI integration and host sync, modulation with key tracking and universal modulator, dedicated modulation (with envelope and dry / wet per effect), LFO, envelope follower, and sequencer per parameter, vocoder, MIDI out, and more.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Crystals by Eventide

Derived from the legendary H3000 Harmonizer, Eventide’s Crystals is a twin reverse pitch shifter with reverb and two reverse granular delays. This baby can take your vocals, guitars, and synths to new levels, with added depth, overtones, and textures.

The reverb is also out of this world flexible, with pitch-shifting, “drunk vocal,” near infinite delay times, and more. This functionality is what makes it possible to use Crystals as an ambient looper too.

Overall, Crystals comes with two pitch shifters (with a four-octave range – two up and two down), two adjustable delays with four seconds each and their own feedback, reverb (with 100 seconds of decay), micro pitching, ribbon, flex, mixlock, and more.

If you’re not looking for a delay effect, this might not be your cup of tea. That said, you can always add it to your wish list and come back to it later.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

ANALOG STRINGS by Output

The illustrious ANALOG STRINGS has the honor of being featured on a multitude of “best of” lists, and that’s obviously not by accident. The concept (the ability to fuse organic and synthesizes string sounds) found resonance with composers and producers, and its sound quality is nothing short of stunning.

Dive into the features and you’ll discover a dual layer engine with 500 ready made presets right out of the box.

Besides layer and global FX, you also get convenient features like four central macro sliders (that change with each preset), dual arpeggiators, preset menu with smart tagging, tempo sync, and a built-in help menu, in case you’re ever lost.

Dig a little deeper, and that’s where you discover other great features like dual tape loopers, as well as modulation routing.

ANALOG STRINGS can act as a lo-fi looper unto itself. But if you want to loop your own material, you’ll want to look elsewhere (as is the case with most plugins in this category).

You’ll need Kontakt Player or the full version of Kontakt 5.6.5 or above to take advantage of ANALOG STRINGS.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Blue Cat’s Plug’n Script by Blue Cat Audio

What if you could script your audio and MIDI to create custom effects or virtual instruments? And what if you could do it all without having to leave your host? That’s what Blue Cat’s Plug’n Script does.

What does that mean in practical terms? Well, Blue Cat’s Plug’n Script basically lets you create your own plugin without any programming knowledge. And if you don’t want to use it that way, you can still use it as a multi-effects processor.

The concept is exciting to anyone who’s taken on their share of DIY projects (me included). Completed projects can even be exported as a VST, VST3, AU, or AAX.

Blue Cat’s Plug’n Script also features up to 48 input parameters and 32 outputs, full MIDI and automation control, 57 scripts, 267 presets for sound synthesis, MIDI FX, audio FX (including looper, echo, filters, compression, gate, tremolo, among others), sidechain input and auxiliary outputs, surround support, and more.

This is not a dedicated looper by any means. But imagine the types of loopers you could create using Plug’n Script. If the concept intrigues you, check out the video below to learn more.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Bite Harder by denise

Digital effects can sometimes reach plateaus analog effects only wish they could. denise’s Bite Harder may not be expensive, but it is a versatile, nicely designed plugin that performs crushing at a level few plugins can.

Bite Harder comes with a push-pull graph (for choosing which frequencies you want to crush), drive, solo, presets (including some created by Florian Meindl), clipper, sidechain control, silky control, continuous reduce & re-sample, looper & stutter, and glitch controls.

If you’ve ever wanted to mangle, distort, and glitch your sounds, Bite Harder is well worth a look. Loop & Stutter effects, specifically, might be of interest to you.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

Portatron by Robotic Bean

Robotic Bean’s Portatron is a virtual four-track cassette recorder for adding a delightful lo-fi vibe to your samples.

Portatron comes with multiple effects for added customization over your sounds – delay, reverb, drive, and EQ, as well as level and pan controls for each track.

Want to control how the tape affects the samples? You can do that too – just play with the noise, dropouts, wobble, and normal / chrome controls. The tape speed can also be adjusted from 0 to 200%.

Don’t have a ton of samples to work with? No problem! Portatron comes with its own sound library – vocals, synths, piano, vibraphone, shortwave radio, hydrophones, and more. Of course, you can import your own sounds too.

Portatron also has multiple playing modes – drones, semi-synced loops, or even four-track monophonic mellotron.

Learn more: Plugin Boutique

What Should I Look For In A Looper VST Plugin?

There are a few things you should be thinking about if you’re shopping for a looper VST plugin. Here are the main criteria we’d consider:

Project Requirements

What do you need in a looper? You most certainly have a better idea than we do, but here are some high-level observations:

If a conventional “jam station” is what you need (in the Boss RC product line vein), then you’ll probably want to check out BIAS FX 2. If you want a DJ style looper, check out Dubstation 2. A delay that’s also capable of looping? There’s Crystals and Dubstation 2. Virtual instruments / libraries? There’s SIGNAL and ANALOG STRINGS.

Looper VST plugins are all very different. That being the case, the most important criteria for you to consider is your own project requirements. What types of projects will you be working on? How will you be using the looper?

Knowing the answers to these questions can help you identify the right plugin for you with ease.

Features

While there aren’t too many straight comparisons that will apply in this category of plugin, this can end up helping the selection process. Because most plugins are very different from each other, you may find that the process of elimination goes more rapidly than expected.

The main categories explored here are multi-effects, delays, virtual instrument libraries, guitar workstations, crushers, lo-fi effects, and DIY plugin makers. There is some overlap, but not much.

Some plugins work as loopers out of the box, while others can work like loopers if you use the right settings. We’ve tried to make it as clear as possible which is which, but if in doubt, it can’t hurt to do a bit of your own research.

Budget

If you can afford plugins in the $25 to $300 range, you have sufficient resources to purchase any of the plugins covered in this guide.

Budget will end up being a critical decision-making factor for most, as the extra features of premium plugins only makes sense if they come with features you need.

That said, our main piece of advice is to avoid going into debt for any plugin related purchases.

Top Looper VST Plugins, Final Thoughts

And now it’s time for you to play around with loops. Whether you’re jamming, adding a stutter effect to your glitchy EDM tracks, looping sections at the club to get the crowd hyped, or otherwise, looping is a powerful tool you can employ in a variety of situations. Experiment plenty and let us know how it goes!