Plugin comparison
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which effect to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
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Contenders
AmpliTube 5 is IK Multimedia's guitar and bass amp/effects modeling software for recording and live use, available as plugin and standalone.
Guitar Rig 7 Pro is a multi-effects rack and amp simulator with machine-learning circuit modeling and an intuitive interface.
Editorial analysis
AmpliTube 5 (IK Multimedia) and Guitar Rig 7 Pro (Native Instruments) are the two most established software amp-and-effects racks, and guitarists shopping for a plugin rig almost always end up weighing them against each other. They aim at the same job from opposite philosophies: AmpliTube is a catalog of officially licensed real-world gear, while Guitar Rig is a modular tone-shaping workshop.
Decisive signal
The decisive split is authenticity versus modularity. AmpliTube licenses named amps and pedals from Fender, Mesa/Boogie, Ampeg, Fulltone and others, so you are dialing in specific real hardware, and its four-amp routing plus a genuinely useful room-and-mic section make it the stronger tool for accurate re-amping and bass tone. Guitar Rig 7 answers with Intelligent Circuit Modeling (ICM), a machine-learning approach whose four new amps finally sound alive and dynamic, but its real edge is a freely reorderable rack packed with lo-fi and modulation modules that abuse vocals, synths and drum buses as happily as a guitar DI. One is a licensed-gear collection; the other is a sound-design playground that happens to include amps.
Choose AmpliTube 5 if
Choose AmpliTube 5 if you want the deepest catalog of officially licensed real amps and pedals, strong bass rigs, and tight hardware integration with AXE I/O or iRig.
Open plugin file →Choose Guitar Rig 7 if
Choose Guitar Rig 7 Pro if you want a modular tone-shaping and lo-fi coloring workshop that works across vocals, synths and drums, especially if you already own Komplete.
Open plugin file →Buying verdict
For pure guitar and bass tracking, AmpliTube 5 wins on breadth, licensed authenticity and hardware integration, and its 8.2 score reflects that depth. Guitar Rig 7 (7.4) is the better creative multi-effects tool and the far better value if you already own Komplete, where it comes bundled, but at its EUR 199 standalone price against AmpliTube's USD 99.99 base tier it asks more money for a smaller modeled-amp count. Buy AmpliTube for the tones; buy Guitar Rig for the routing and coloring.
Technical matrix
| Signal | AmpliTube 5 | Guitar Rig 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | €199.00 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.2 | 7.4 |
| Formats | VST 3, Audio Units (AU, Mac), AAX, Standalone | Stand-alone, VST3, AU (macOS), AAX |
| Gear models (full AmpliTube 5) | 183 models | — |
| Gear models (AmpliTube 5 MAX) | 435 models (111 STOMP, 111 AMP, 106 CAB, 33 SPEAKER, 18 MIC, 48 RACK, 8 ROOM) | — |
| Platform support | macOS 10.15+ (M1/Intel) and Windows 10 64-bit or newer | — |
| RAM required | 8 GB | — |
| Disk space | 3 GB | — |
| New ICM amps | — | 4 new machine-learning (ICM) virtual amps with matching cabinets (Super Fast 100, Reverb Delight, AC Box XV, Bass Rage) |
| New ICM pedals | — | 5 new ICM-based effects pedals (e.g. Skreamer Deluxe, Chainsaw, IVP Stomp, Seattle Fuzz) |
| New lo-fi components | — | 4 new lo-fi components (Tape Wobble, Noise Machine, Vintage Vibrato, Kolor) |
| Rack presets | — | Over 100 new rack presets, plus artist presets |
| Cabinet IR Loader | — | Custom Cabinet Impulse Response Loader supporting user IRs, with curated factory IR packs |
| Loop Machine Pro | — | Built-in looper for jamming, layering, and live performance |
| macOS support | — | macOS 13/14/15; Intel (i5+) and Apple Silicon (Rosetta 2 or native ARM) |
| Windows support | — | Windows 10 or 11, Intel Core i5 or equivalent CPU, 4 GB RAM, Direct3D 11.1+ |
Quick reference
Guitar Rig 7 has the cleaner, more approachable interface and a rack you can rebuild by dragging modules, which makes experimentation less intimidating. AmpliTube's UI is denser and its Custom Shop store adds friction, though its ready-made presets of real gear can sound convincing faster. For a first plugin rig, Guitar Rig is gentler; for learning real amp models, AmpliTube teaches more.
On sticker price the AmpliTube 5 base tier is cheaper, but its Custom Shop model nudges you toward the pricey MAX bundle to unlock the gear you actually want, so budget beyond the entry cost. Guitar Rig 7 is more expensive standalone yet is bundled free with Komplete, which flips the value math sharply if you are already in the Native Instruments ecosystem. Factor in expansions for AmpliTube and existing Komplete ownership for Guitar Rig before deciding.
Guitar Rig 7 is explicitly built for this: its modular rack and lo-fi modules like Tape Wobble, Noise Machine and Kolor make it a strong coloring tool on vocals, synths, drums and full buses. AmpliTube 5 can process other sources through its amps and effects too, but it is optimized around guitar and bass tone rather than general mix processing. If cross-source sound design matters, Guitar Rig is the more natural fit.
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.