Free Kickstart 2 Alternatives — Sidechain Without Paying

Andrei Lupei · June 18, 2026 · 7 min read

Kickstart 2 costs $15. The original Kickstart 1 is free. Here are the best completely free sidechain options.

Kickstart 1 (free, Xfer Records)

The original Kickstart by Nicky Romero is still available as a free download from Xfer Records. 8 preset curves, no curve editing, BPM sync. The core sidechain pumping functionality is identical to Kickstart 2 — the only thing missing is the custom curve editor. For producers who are satisfied with the preset curves, Kickstart 1 covers the need for free.

LFO Tool free tier (iZotope)

LFO Tool has a limited free tier that covers basic volume shaping. The paid version ($14.99) is a closer Kickstart 2 competitor (same price, more LFO shapes), but the free tier works for basic applications.

Native sidechain compression (DAW built-in)

Every major DAW has native sidechain compression routing:

• FL Studio: Fruity Peak Controller or Gross Beat for volume automation. Free with FL Studio Producer edition.
• Ableton Live: Built-in sidechain input on the Compressor device.
• Logic Pro: Compressor sidechain input built in.

The learning curve is higher than Kickstart 1/2 but the result is authentic sidechain compression (responds to actual kick dynamics) rather than fixed curve volume shaping.

When to buy Kickstart 2 ($15)

Buy Kickstart 2 when: you regularly use sidechain effects and find the preset curves in Kickstart 1 too limited, or you want trance gate functionality without learning DAW-specific routing. At $15, it's the lowest barrier paid plugin upgrade in music production.