VST3

Music Production

Steinberg's current plugin standard for software instruments (synths, samplers) and effects (EQ, reverb, compression) that load inside a digital audio workstation. It's one of several competing formats: AU (Audio Units) is Apple's macOS format, and AAX is the format Pro Tools uses, so a single plugin is often sold in multiple formats. Concrete example: a reverb plugin might ship as VST3, AU and AAX in one installer so it runs in most DAWs. Buying impact: before you buy a plugin, confirm it's offered in a format your DAW actually supports — and on the platform you use — since a VST3-only plugin won't load in Pro Tools, which expects AAX.