Looking for a HOST application, which can load all of VST2 VST3 CLAP, as a utility tool, to try out plugins (free & commercial).

As simple to use as possible for quick easy test checking, so prefer not a full size DAW.

I used to use Hermann Seib - VSTHost.
Then I thought of Blue Cat's - Patchwork... no VST3 CLAP -_-

Last I can think of is Cockos - REAPER.

Any other suggestion ideas?

Thanx ^_^

 

Hi @Dalmation,
you can't avoid using a DAW. I would suggest testing this lite version; it's only 11.6 MB, presumably lightweight and fast!

Bremmers Audio Design - MultitrackStudio Lite (Windows) Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 - 11.6 MB - Free
www.multitrackstudio.com/download.php

CLAP Plugin Support:

- Bitwig Studio 4.3 latest beta: www.bitwig.com/whats-new/
- MultitrackStudio: www.multitrackstudio.com/
- Cockos - REAPER v6.71 www.reaper.fm
- Presonus - Studio One 7

Info: https://u-he.com/community/clap/

 

What are you testing?

The free JUCE framework includes a utility called AudioPluginHost.
It's a patcher environment with support for presets.
You'll have to build it yourself, but you only have to do it once.
https://juce.com/tutorials/tutorial_create_projucer_basic_plugin/

PluginDoctor can help if you need silent data.
https://ddmf.eu/plugindoctor/

 

Not "testing" per-se as in analyse technically. Just simply checking out plugins old~new that I build up in my hoard. To try them out if I want to keep for later or discard.

Many need no installation - simply copy a file/folder to my VST plugins directory.
Many need an install which places relevant file.s into my plugins directory.

eg. the DDMF - Metaplugin would be perfect if they added a standalone version (like PluginDoctor) and CLAP hosting.

 

BC Patchwork supports VST3, but no Clap.

 

To this day, I'm a fan of "Hermann Seib - VSTHost." I like it because I can drag and drop VSTs without having to scan. I also use BC Patchwork within VSTHost to test more plugins without having to create connections. It's more practical.
The other day, looking for an alternative, I found Kush Element. It also allows me to drag and drop VSTs without needing to install them. I use it the same way as VSTHost, with my plugins in a template and BC Patchwork to speed up testing VSTs. It's very practical for adding and removing plugins and creating chains without having to create connections.
I also use it to try out or test plugins without needing to open Cubase.

https://kushview.net/element/

OS Version Formats
Linux - LV2 / CLAP / VST / LADSPA
macOS 10.15 and up LV2 / CLAP / VST / AU
Windows 7 and up LV2 / CLAP / VST

 

Depending on the importance of clap or how many of them are to check you could use a clap to vst wrapper in blue cats Patchwork.
Something like this one:
https://github.com/free-audio/clap-wrapper

 

Kushview Element seems a good option. The main drawback is impossibility to play audio files that is important for tests of effects. Element has Media Player (a plugin preinstalled with Element) but it is very basic, you can not even loop an audio file within it.

Two possible decisions.

1. Use basic VST (VST3) audio players as plugins. Similar to these:
https://miraxlabs.com/products/vstplayer/
https://github.com/clearly-broken-software/drops

2. Use Element as a plugin in any host (in your preferable one). You load an audio file to a track, load an instanse of Element, choose a plugin to test and test the loaded plugin as you want. This way seems preferable as you can assign custom (not system) folders and exclude system folders for VST3 and CLAP plugins. So you have to pick only folders where plugins for testing are stored. (I have checked it in the latest version of Element, it is definitely possible, but Element sometimes doesn't allow you to choose a system path you want to delete. You just need move in any direction the window where you assign avialable paths to search for plugins.Definitely a bug.)

 

Reaper (try the portable install).

 

Last edited: Apr 9, 2026 at 8:17 PM

i do not see why you would like to test clap in addition to VST2 and VST3, or why you do not want to use a (your?) regular DAW for that, but beside technical utilities such as the above mentioned test host from juce, the first "non-DAW" app which comes to mind which can host all three formats is bidule.

a simple test for parameter automation or midi input is quickly set up there, and it supports multichannel- and mono-plugins in the most straight forward way you can think of.

 

can use ADPTR MetricAB or MM Reference 2 for play files.

 

It's because the user may not be just testing known working retail software from the developer. Sometimes they will even have different results in different DAWs, different formats, different firewall settings, etc.

 

An example of VST3 CLAP I keep up to date with are the free plugs from the non-commercial developer - Full Bucket Music:
https://www.fullbucket.de
- these are manual install, then can dran-n-drop to wherever can host.

 

Last edited: Apr 9, 2026 at 3:44 AM

there is also Tone2 NanoHost but it's it's only VST , I've used it to test plugins as standalone apps