Best Cheap Synthesizers Worth Buying

You do not need a flagship budget to make real synth music. A good cheap synthesizer can give you fat analog bass, glassy chords or acid lines that sit happily next to instruments costing several times as much. The catch is that the lowest price tier hides plenty of compromises: mini keys, plastic cases, limited polyphony, menus instead of knobs, or no keyboard at all. This guide sticks to the cheapest synths that are still worth owning, ranked from pocket-sized toys with serious sound to sub-five-hundred-dollar instruments you will keep for years, and is honest about who each one is not for.

What “cheap” gets you in a synth today

The low end of the synth market has never been stronger. Under $200 you can buy faithful clones of classic bass machines, tiny digital synths with effects and sequencers, and battery-powered boxes that fit in a jacket pocket. In the mid tier, under $500, you reach small polyphonic synths, semi-modular analogs with patch points, and well-built monosynths with full-size keys. What you usually give up is a full-size keyboard, deep preset storage and robust metal cases. If you already own a MIDI keyboard or a DAW, a keyless desktop synth is often the smartest place to save money. VR’s best budget hardware synths guide covers the classic Model D, Monologue and MicroFreak picks, so this list deliberately focuses on other options.

The best cheap synthesizer picks

Teenage Engineering PO-28 robot

The Teenage Engineering PO-28 robot is a calculator-sized 8-bit synth with live play, a sequencer, micro drums and punch-in effects. It is the cheapest serious way to learn step sequencing and pattern chaining, and it runs on batteries with a built-in speaker.

Best for: curious beginners, travel jams and chiptune sketches.

• Pros: very low cost, genuinely fun, fits anywhere.
• Cons: exposed circuit board, tiny buttons, a lo-fi sound that will not suit every genre.

Korg NTS-1 mkII

The Korg NTS-1 mkII is a build-it-yourself digital synth kit that snaps together without soldering. It has an 18-key multitouch strip, an arpeggiator and sequencer, a multimode filter, three LFOs and excellent built-in effects, and it can load custom oscillators and effects.

Best for: producers who want a tiny, hackable synth and effects box beside their laptop.

• Pros: great effects, expandable, very portable.
• Cons: the touch keyboard is for sketching rather than real playing, so pair it with a MIDI keyboard.

Behringer TD-3

The Behringer TD-3 recreates the classic 303-style bass line: an analog VCO with saw and square waves, a resonant four-pole filter with accent and envelope controls, a 16-step sequencer and built-in distortion. It is the cheapest route to authentic acid squelch.

Best for: acid house, techno and electro producers.

• Pros: true analog sound, distortion built in, many colour options.
• Cons: monophonic and single-purpose, and the original-style sequencer takes practice to program.

Roland S-1

The Roland S-1 is an AIRA Compact tweak synth inspired by the SH-101, with snappy basses and leads, a polyphonic mode for small chords, onboard sequencing and effects. Its compact body runs on batteries and fits in a laptop bag.

Best for: anyone who wants authentic Roland character in the smallest possible box.

• Pros: classic SH sound, surprisingly deep features, battery power.
• Cons: small knobs and a tiny keypad, so long editing sessions are fiddly.

Roland J-6

The Roland J-6 is a four-voice chord synth built on a JUNO-60 style engine, with 100 chord sets, arpeggio and phrase styles, and a 64-step chord sequencer. You press one key and get a full chord voicing, which makes it a brilliant idea machine.

Best for: producers and songwriters who want lush chords without strong keyboard skills.

• Pros: classic JUNO pads and chords, instant song ideas, sync and MIDI.
• Cons: limited sound editing, and not built for playing melodic leads.

Behringer Crave

The Behringer Crave is a semi-modular analog synth with a 3340 VCO, a ladder filter with low-pass and high-pass modes, a 32-step sequencer and a patch bay. It sounds big and is the most affordable way to learn patching before you think about Eurorack.

Best for: learning analog synthesis and patching on a tight budget.

• Pros: fat analog tone, patch points, solid sequencer.
• Cons: no keyboard, and Behringer’s build quality and support are more variable than Roland or Korg.

Yamaha Reface CS

The Yamaha Reface CS is an analog-modelling synth with 37 high-quality mini keys, eight-note polyphony, a phrase looper and built-in speakers. Its slider-based panel makes sound design approachable, and it runs on batteries for playing anywhere.

Best for: players who want a small synth they can actually play, with speakers built in.

• Pros: excellent mini keybed, eight voices, speakers and batteries.
• Cons: no preset memory for your own patches, and mini keys are still mini keys.

Korg minilogue

The original Korg minilogue is a four-voice analog polysynth with 37 slim keys, 200 presets, an oscilloscope display and a 16-step motion sequencer. Newer models exist, but the first minilogue is often the cheapest true analog polysynth you can buy, especially used.

Best for: anyone who wants real analog chords and pads at the lowest possible price.

• Pros: genuine analog polyphony, knob-per-function panel, plenty of presets.
• Cons: only four voices, slim keys, and no digital oscillators like the later xd.

Novation Bass Station II

The Novation Bass Station II is a full analog monosynth with two oscillators, a sub-oscillator, noise and ring modulation, and Classic and Acid filter types. Its 25 full-size keys, arpeggiator and sequencer make it a proper instrument rather than a box you program.

Best for: bass and lead sounds from a synth you can play with two hands on full-size keys.

• Pros: huge, flexible analog tone, full-size keys, sturdy build.
• Cons: monophonic, and the top of the cheap tier.

Comparison table

How to choose a cheap synthesizer

Mono or poly. Monophonic synths play one note at a time and are best for bass and leads. If you want chords and pads, you need polyphony; the minilogue, Reface CS, J-6 and S-1 cover that here.

Keys or no keys. Desktop synths are cheaper because they skip the keyboard. If you already own a controller, that saving is real; if not, factor in a MIDI keyboard. Our guide to what your first synth should be walks through this decision.

Hands-on control. At low prices, menus and shift functions creep in. A knob-per-function layout teaches synthesis faster and is more fun to perform with.

Connectivity. Check for MIDI, USB, clock sync and audio outputs. Pocket synths often use 3.5 mm jacks, which is fine for practice but less robust on stage. See how to connect a hardware synth to your DAW for the cables you will need.

Know when to spend more. If you already know you want more voices, a full keybed or deep presets, stepping up a tier saves you from buying twice. Our guide to the best synthesizers at every budget covers the mid-range and splurge tiers.

FAQ

Is a cheap synthesizer good enough for real music?

Yes. Many classic records were made with modest gear, and budget synths like the TD-3 or minilogue are used on professional tracks. Your sound depends far more on patches, arrangement and mixing than on price.

Should I buy a cheap hardware synth or use a software synth?

Software synths are cheaper and more powerful, but hardware gives you hands-on knobs, no screen fatigue and a different creative workflow. Many producers start with free plugins, then add one inexpensive hardware synth for that tactile experience.

Is buying a used synth a good way to save money?

Often, yes. Synths hold their value well, so a used minilogue or Bass Station II can cost noticeably less than new. Check that every key, knob and output works and that the power supply is included.