The FabFilter Total Bundle is every plugin FabFilter makes in one licence: the seven Pro tools engineers rely on (Pro-Q 4, Pro-C 3, Pro-L 2, Pro-R 2, Pro-MB, Pro-DS and Pro-G), the creative effects Saturn 2, Timeless 3 and Volcano 3, the Twin 3 and One synths, and the Simplon and Micro filters. Plugin Boutique sells it for $1,069. Best Service lists it at $899, excluding VAT. The smaller Essentials Bundle, Pro-Q 4, Pro-C 3 and Pro-R 2, is $419 at Plugin Boutique and $359 at Best Service.
The strength is consistency. Every FabFilter plugin shares the same large interactive display, the same parameter behaviour and the same low CPU load, so learning one teaches you the rest. Pro-Q 4 is the anchor, with dynamic and spectral EQ bands, EQ Sketch and an instance list that controls every Pro-Q in a session. Pro-L 2 is one of the most used mastering limiters, Pro-C 3 is a flexible clean compressor, and Saturn 2 is the one tool here built to add colour.
The weaknesses are price and character. Total costs more than twice as much as Essentials, and for a lot of mix engineers the extra plugins that matter are Pro-L 2, Pro-DS and Saturn 2. The two synths and the two small filters are pleasant extras, not reasons to buy. FabFilter's sound is clean by design, so if you want tape, tubes and analog grit you will still reach for something else.
FabFilter bundles compared
| Bundle | Plugins | Plugin Boutique | Best Service | Bought separately (PB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | Pro-Q 4, Pro-C 3, Pro-R 2 | $419 | $359 | $597 |
| Mastering | Pro-Q 4, Pro-C 3, Pro-MB, Pro-L 2 | $519 | n/a | $796 |
| Mixing | Pro-Q 4, Pro-C 3, Pro-R 2, Pro-DS, Pro-G, Saturn 2, Timeless 3 | $729 | $619 | $1,293 |
| Pro | All seven Pro plugins | $769 | n/a | $1,393 |
| Total | All 14 plugins | $1,069 | $899 | $2,134 |
Individual prices are Plugin Boutique's on 29 October: $199 for each Pro plugin, $149 for Saturn 2, Timeless 3, Volcano 3 and Twin 3, $55 for One and Simplon, $35 for Micro.
Buy now or wait? Wait if you can. In 2025 Plugin Boutique cut the whole FabFilter range by 24 percent from 17 November to 8 December. The same cut this year would bring Total to about $812 and Essentials to about $318. For a cheaper price today, Best Service is already $170 below Plugin Boutique on Total.
How it compares
Soundtoys 5.5 at $599 is the natural partner rather than a replacement: it brings saturation, echo and modulation, where FabFilter brings precision. Our best mastering plugins guide sets Pro-L 2 against Ozone 12 and others, and the plugin bundles Black Friday guide ranks FabFilter against six other bundles.
Choose Total if you mix and master for a living and want one toolset for both. Choose Essentials if you mainly mix.