Plugin Comparison
De-Sipper vs SpitFish
Modern Build vs Free Legacy Classic
An honest, feature-by-feature look at a $20 modern de-esser (signed and notarized on macOS) and the beloved free Digitalfishphones plugin most modern DAWs can no longer load.
Last updated: October 2026
- De-Sipper: $20
- SpitFish: Free (legacy)
Quick Verdict
SpitFish earned its reputation honestly - Florian Bomers built a free de-esser that sounded better than half the paid options when it shipped. De-Sipper isn't trying to dethrone SpitFish on character; it's offering a modern, AAX-supported (on macOS), Apple-Silicon-native de-esser, signed and notarized on macOS, that actually loads in 2026. If SpitFish still loads in your DAW and sounds right on your vocal, keep using it. If you've tried to install it on a recent Mac or in a current Pro Tools session and hit a wall, $20 buys a working modern alternative.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | De-Sipper | SpitFish |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $20 one-time | Free |
| Plugin Formats | macOS: AU, VST3, AAX, Standalone; Windows: VST3, Standalone | VST2 (legacy) |
| 64-bit Native | Yes - both macOS & Windows | Primarily 32-bit |
| Apple Silicon Native | Yes | Compatibility friction |
| Code Signed & Notarized | Yes - on macOS | No |
| Pro Tools AAX | Yes - PACE-wrapped | No |
| Latency Reporting | Accurate | Reports of inconsistency |
| UI Resolution | Modern resizable UI | Fixed-size legacy UI |
| Active Development | Yes - current updates | Last update circa 2010s |
| Support | Email support + free demo | None (abandonware) |
| Sound Quality | Modern algorithm, oversampled | Genuinely musical when it loads |
| Free Demo | Yes - full plugin with periodic mute | Already free |
When to Stick With SpitFish
- Your DAW still loads VST2 plugins reliably and SpitFish opens cleanly in your sessions
- You're on an older macOS or Windows machine and the legacy build still runs natively without bridges
- You've used SpitFish for years and you know exactly how to dial it in for your specific voice
- You're working at a casual level where the occasional plugin scan-crash isn't a session-killer
- You value $20 in your wallet over modern-format support
When to Switch to De-Sipper
- You're on a recent Mac (macOS 12 or later, especially Apple Silicon) and SpitFish either won't load or requires bridging that breaks in subtle ways
- You use Pro Tools and need a real AAX de-esser - SpitFish doesn't have one, and you've been opening alternate sessions just to de-ess
- You charge for mixing and can't have a de-esser fail to load in front of a client
- You're on macOS and want code-signed, notarized plugins that don't trigger Gatekeeper warnings or installer permissions weirdness
- You want a developer who can actually email you back if something goes wrong, instead of an abandonware plugin with no support
- You want the complete Carbonated Audio toolkit - all 9 plugins in one bundle
The Real Differentiator: Modernity
SpitFish is one of the great free plugins of all time. The problem isn't its sound. The problem is that the world has moved on from how it was built. The plugin was authored when 32-bit VST2 was the standard, when DAWs trusted unsigned plugins by default, when Apple Silicon didn't exist, and when Pro Tools' AAX format hadn't replaced RTAS yet. Every one of those facts has flipped.
If you're producing in 2026 on a recent system, you're increasingly running into walls with SpitFish. macOS 13+ has stricter rules about unsigned binaries. Pro Tools moved entirely to AAX years ago. Apple Silicon makes 32-bit Intel code an emulation layer at best. Some hosts have dropped VST2 support entirely. None of this is SpitFish's fault - it's just the cost of being a free plugin that nobody has updated for over a decade.
De-Sipper isn't trying to be better than SpitFish on a sonic level - that's a coin-flip on individual sources. It's trying to be the plugin that actually loads, in the format your DAW asks for, on the OS you're actually running. $20 is the price of that being someone else's problem.
The Bottom Line
SpitFish is a great free plugin and there's no shame in keeping it on the sessions where it still works. It earned its place and it'll outlast a lot of paid plugins on charm alone.
But if you've already tried installing it on your current setup and run into a 32-bit warning, a missing AAX format, an unsigned-binary block on macOS, or a host that just won't show it in the plugin list - that's the gap De-Sipper fills. $20 one-time, no iLok, no subscription, signed and notarized on macOS, with active developer support if anything goes wrong.
Try the demo first. The full plugin is free to download with a periodic mute. Run it next to SpitFish on the same vocal, A/B them, and decide for yourself.
Common questions
Is SpitFish still usable in 2026?
On modern systems it's hit or miss. SpitFish was last updated by Digitalfishphones over a decade ago and is primarily a 32-bit VST2 plugin. Modern DAWs (Pro Tools 2024+, Logic Pro 11, Ableton Live 12) have moved toward 64-bit-only and increasingly toward AU/VST3, so SpitFish often won't load without a 32-bit bridge. On Apple Silicon Macs it has additional compatibility friction.
Why pay $20 for De-Sipper when SpitFish is free?
De-Sipper is signed and notarized on macOS, PACE-wrapped for AAX, native 64-bit on macOS and Windows including Apple Silicon, and ships in modern formats (AU, VST3, and AAX on macOS; VST3 and Standalone on Windows). SpitFish is a free legacy plugin that may or may not load in your current DAW. The $20 buys you a working, supported, modern de-esser instead of a free one that fights you on install.
Does SpitFish sound good?
Yes - when it loads, SpitFish sounds genuinely musical. Florian Bomers tuned it well and it has earned its reputation. The issue isn't sound quality; it's that the plugin format and architecture have aged out of compatibility with most modern DAWs and operating systems.
What about latency and modern compatibility?
SpitFish has been reported to have inconsistent latency reporting in some host configurations, which can cause phase issues in parallel chains. De-Sipper reports latency correctly to the host, supports modern Pro Tools AAX on macOS, and runs natively on Apple Silicon and modern Windows without bridging.
Is there a free demo of De-Sipper?
Yes. De-Sipper has a free demo at carbonatedaudio.com/desipper - full plugin with a 60-second audio / 10-second mute cycle. You can A/B it against SpitFish on the same vocal session.
A Modern De-Esser That Actually Loads
Download the free demo - full plugin, no credit card, no iLok. Modern, and signed and notarized on macOS.
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