Why Signing Up to Plugin Companies Saved Me Thousands on Pro Plugins

When you look at plugin prices today, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. If I’d paid full price for every plugin I’ve collected over the years, I’d have spent thousands - seriously. And while I probably have spent a few thousand over time, I’ve also managed to save just as much through strategy, timing, and most importantly, signing up to plugin companies.

It Started with UAD

It all kicked off for me back in 2003 with Universal Audio. I signed up to their mailing list and that one move ended up making a massive difference. Every now and then, UAD would drop $50 vouchers and run big discounts. If I timed it right, I could grab a $129 plugin for $39 - which worked out around £29 back then. I did that when I could and slowly built up a proper collection of solid, industry-standard tools.

Why Signing Up to Plugin Companies Pays Off

After UAD, I started signing up to other plugin companies - sometimes just out of curiosity. But over time, I noticed a few things that really paid off.

Mailing lists are a no-brainer. You get early access to deals, discount codes, and even the odd freebie.

• Arturia, for example, would send out free plugins at Christmas just for being on their list.

• Waves once gave away R Bass, and other companies regularly drop exclusive discounts or vouchers you’d miss if you weren’t subscribed.

  
  

Then there’s rent-to-own options, which are a different thing altogether.

• Splice and Plugin Boutique offer this - and that’s how I picked up Serum without having to drop a big chunk of money upfront. It’s a solid way to get what you need without the sting.

And finally, I got into subscriptions.

• Slate Digital was my intro - one price, loads of tools.

• Then Plugin Alliance came along, and that became home for me. Their quality was spot on, and they let you choose 10 plugins to keep each year, which is huge. It gave me time to actually use stuff properly before committing.

Each of these approaches - mailing lists, rent-to-own, and subscriptions - helped me build up a serious plugin collection without rinsing my bank account.

Plugin Alliance: My Home Base

Out of all of them, Plugin Alliance became my go-to. Their subscription model was ideal for my workflow - I could choose 10 plugins each year to keep. That setup let me experiment, test deeply, and eventually own the ones I used the most or those niche tools I needed every now and then. Their sound suits me, and their new releases consistently hit a high mark.

Smart Choices Over Full Price

Not every company offers discounts. Some plugins felt essential, and for those, I explored alternative ways of accessing them. Subscriptions and rent-to-own models became my bridge to tools I couldn’t otherwise afford. Trying before buying turned out to be invaluable.

Final Thoughts in 2025

Now, in 2025, I still see value in signing up to plugin companies. Brands like Waves, UAD, Native Instruments, and more regularly offer fantastic deals, making it easier than ever to work with world-class tools. Whether you’re starting out or expanding your collection, staying in the loop via mailing lists and subscriptions is a no-brainer.