Both are plugin managers that show your installed plugins in one place and tell you when updates are out. Here is where they differ, stated as plainly as we can.
| PluginHub | PluginStation | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | One-time purchase. No subscription, ever. | Subscription, or a perpetual license per machine. |
| Two machines | $39.99, once. | $7.99 a month, $87.89 a year, or $249.99 perpetual. |
| One machine | Not sold separately. The $39.99 tier covers two. | $4.99 a month, $54.89 a year, or $149.99 perpetual. |
| Updates | Every future update included. | Included while the subscription runs; perpetual terms on their site. |
PluginStation's prices were read from pluginstation.app/pricing on October 22, 2026, and may have changed since. "Free to download" in some write-ups refers to their installer, not the product.
PluginHub runs on macOS and Windows, and one license covers both. PluginStation is a Mac application.
| PluginHub | PluginStation | |
|---|---|---|
| Scan installed plugins and show versions | Yes: AAX, AU, VST3, VST2, CLAP | Yes |
| Update alerts | Yes, checked against more than 350 vendors | Yes |
| Download and install updates from inside the app | Yes, Install Manager, where vendors publish their installers | Not that we know of |
| License keys | License Key Vault for third party keys and key files | License key manager |
| iLok monitoring | No | Yes |
| macOS compatibility | Plugin Compatibility view, with an Intel-only filter | Compatibility database |
| Clean-up | Hide, park in (Unused), uninstall, batch by vendor or list, remove old installers, duplicates | Storage manager |
| Categories and tags | Eleven categories plus your own tags | Not that we know of |
| Share and compare rigs | Share Plugin List, Compare Plugin Profiles | Not that we know of |
If we have something wrong about PluginStation, tell us at support@pluginhubapp.com and we will correct it.