Waves dominated the plugin market for two decades. But with their controversial subscription model and fierce competition, are they still the go-to?
TL;DR
Waves plugins are technically excellent but their pricing model has alienated many users. The subscription (Waves Creative Access at £12/month) offers great value if you use many plugins. For individual purchases, alternatives like FabFilter, Valhalla, and TDR often offer better value.
The Waves Legacy (And Controversy)
For over two decades, Waves was the default plugin company. The SSL Channel Strip, CLA-76, H-Delay, Renaissance Compressor — these plugins appeared on countless hit records and were considered essential tools in any producer's arsenal.
Then came the Waves Update Plan controversy. Waves introduced a paid annual update plan that required users to pay to keep their plugins compatible with new operating systems. If you didn't pay, your plugins would eventually stop working as your OS updated. The backlash was fierce and justified — users felt they were being forced into a quasi-subscription for products they'd already bought.
Waves has since shifted to a proper subscription model (Creative Access) alongside perpetual licences, but the trust damage was done. Many producers migrated to alternatives and never looked back.
What Waves Still Does Best
Credit where it's due: many Waves plugins remain genuinely excellent. The CLA series (modelled on Chris Lord-Alge's hardware chain) delivers results that few competitors match. The SSL E-Channel and G-Channel emulations are among the best available. And the H-Delay and H-Reverb are versatile, great-sounding tools.
The sheer breadth of the Waves catalogue is also unmatched. With over 200 plugins covering every processing category imaginable, there's a Waves solution for virtually any audio task. If you're working in a studio that uses Waves, the consistency and familiarity has real value.
Waves also excels at processing for specific use cases. Their vocal chains (Vocal Rider, Waves Tune, DeBreath) are industry standards. Their live sound plugins (SoundGrid system) power professional live mixing worldwide. For certain workflows, Waves remains the best option.
The Competition Has Caught Up (And Sometimes Overtaken)
The plugin market in 2025 is vastly more competitive than when Waves rose to dominance. Here's what's changed.
FabFilter's Pro-Q 3, Pro-C 2, and Pro-L 2 are now the EQ, compressor, and limiter of choice for many professional engineers. Their interfaces are more intuitive, their sound quality is impeccable, and their licensing is straightforward perpetual purchases.
Valhalla DSP offers reverbs and delays (VintageVerb, Shimmer, Supermassive) at £40-50 each that rival or exceed Waves' equivalent plugins at a fraction of the cost. Supermassive is free and has become a modern classic.
Tokyo Dawn Records (TDR) offers professional-grade EQ, compression, and limiting for free. Their free plugins genuinely compete with paid alternatives from any company, including Waves.
Plugin Alliance, Soundtoys, and Arturia all offer compelling alternatives in specific categories. The days of Waves being the only game in town are long gone.
The Verdict: Should You Buy Waves in 2025?
If you're starting fresh, we'd recommend building your plugin collection from alternatives first. FabFilter for EQ and dynamics, Valhalla for reverbs and delays, TDR for free essentials, and specific tools from Soundtoys, Arturia, and Plugin Alliance as needed.
If you already own Waves plugins and they work for your workflow, there's no urgent need to switch. Familiarity has value in creative tools, and Waves plugins are technically excellent.
The Waves Creative Access subscription (£12/month for access to all plugins) is actually good value if you use multiple Waves products. It's cheaper than buying individual plugins from competitors, and you get access to the full catalogue. The issue is commitment — if you stop paying, you lose access.
For individual purchases, compare carefully. The Waves Renaissance Compressor at £30 on sale is a great deal. The full-price CLA-76 at £150 is harder to justify when free alternatives from TDR and Analog Obsession compete credibly. Shop smart, trust your ears, and don't let brand loyalty override value assessment.