Kickstart 2 vs LFO Tool
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which effect to buy.
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Kickstart 2 and Xfer LFO Tool both deliver the sidechain-style pump electronic producers want without wrestling a compressor. They compete in every “best sidechain plugin” list for good reason.
The key difference
Kickstart 2 is a one-job ducking tool: pick or draw a volume curve, trigger from MIDI or audio, done — at a very low price. LFO Tool is a broader modulation utility: drawable curves for volume, filter, pan, multiple graphs, and MIDI CC out to control other devices. Kickstart is speed; LFO Tool is flexibility.
Choose Kickstart 2 if you want the simplest, cheapest path to consistent sidechain-style pumping on bass and pads.
Choose LFO Tool if you need custom LFO shapes for volume, filter, and pan, or MIDI CC control of other instruments.
Which should you buy?
Kickstart 2 wins if you only need foolproof kick ducking on a budget. LFO Tool wins if you want custom rhythmic shapes, filter pumps, and MIDI CC control from one plugin. Many templates include both.
Specs compared
| Kickstart 2 | LFO Tool | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $16 | $49.95 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.2 | 8.4 |
| Formats | VST 2.4, VST 3, AU, AAX | VST, AU, AAX |
| Curves / presets | 16 hand-crafted curves | — |
| Triggering modes | MIDI trigger and audio trigger (Cableguys audio triggering) | — |
| Curve editing | Draggable curve to fit any kick duration | — |
| Mix control | Mix knob to adjust sidechain ducking strength | — |
| Visual feedback | Kick View shows kick and bass waveform display; follows non-4/4 patterns | — |
| Windows | Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 (64-bit) | — |
| macOS | macOS 10.15 or later, Intel or Apple Silicon (Native/Rosetta) | — |
| Type | — | LFO-driven volume / filter / pan modulator |
| Price | — | $49.95 USD |
| Graphs | — | Up to 4 simultaneous (e.g. volume, cutoff, resonance, pan); 12 graphs per preset |
| Rate | — | BPM (with optional swing) or free Hz; sample-accurate sync |
| MIDI | — | Optional MIDI CC output to control other devices |
| Formats | — | VST, Audio Units, AAX (macOS and Windows) |
| System | — | macOS 10.11+; Windows 7 SP1+ |
Kickstart 2 vs LFO Tool: FAQ
Is LFO Tool better than Kickstart 2?
LFO Tool is more flexible; Kickstart is simpler and cheaper for pure ducking. “Better” depends on whether you need only pump or full LFO shaping.
Can both replace a sidechain compressor?
For rhythmic pumping, yes. For transparent, level-dependent glue, a real compressor still wins. These tools shape volume by design, not by program dynamics.
Which is better for beginners?
Kickstart 2 — fewer decisions, instant results. LFO Tool is still approachable but offers more parameters to explore.
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.