You do not need to spend $249 to control a stereo image. The best stereo imager plugins in 2026 run from free one knob wideners to $249 multiband width tools. We make RysUpImager, a $9.99 imager with four bands, rotation, center, bass width and a live vectorscope, so it goes first. Then here is every serious option, with prices checked October 13, 2026.
Disclosure: Rys Up Audio makes RysUpImager and RysUpSuite. Competitor facts come from each vendor's own product page, checked October 13, 2026. This is a feature and price roundup, not a blind listening test.
Stereo imager prices at a glance
Two of these are free, and they are good at their one job. The paid tools charge $50 to $249 for more control. RysUpImager sits at $9.99 with four bands, rotation, center and bass width in one window.
1. RysUpImager
Price on October 13, 2026: $9.99
RysUpImager is the one we make, and the one we would put on a mix bus first. Width from 0 to 300%, Rotation, Center and Bass Width sit on the same proven mid side math classic studio imagers use. On top you get 1 or 4 bands with draggable crossovers, mono safe Spread, Mono Below, a glass vectorscope with correlation and balance meters, and a Routing panel with Mono check, M/S input, Swap and polarity flips. Zero latency, 32 factory presets, light and dark themes. $9.99 to own, or included in RysUpSuite.
RysUpImager is a one time $9.99 purchase you own forever. It is also included in RysUpSuite, which bills $119.88 a year and covers every current and future paid Rys Up plugin while it stays active. Prefer no commitment? Suite is $14.99 month to month. Compare everything on the RysUpSuite page.
2. iZotope Ozone Imager
Price on October 13, 2026: Free
iZotope gives Ozone Imager away. You get a Width control, Stereoize modes I and II for turning mono into stereo, and three vectorscope views in a resizable window. iZotope calls the free version a sampling of Ozone: the full module lives in Ozone 12 Standard at $219 and Advanced at $499. Ozone Imager alternatives.
3. Polyverse Wider
Price on October 13, 2026: Free
Wider is the classic free one knob widener, built with Infected Mushroom. It spreads a mono source up to 200% using all pass and comb filtering, and Polyverse says it stays mono compatible. Version 2 added Low Bypass and a Mono check. VST2, VST3, AU and AAX. Polyverse Wider alternatives.
4. Waves S1 Stereo Imager
Price on October 13, 2026: $129
Three plugins in one product: S1 Imager for width, asymmetry and rotation, S1 Shuffler for bass width, and the MS Matrix utility. Full price was $129 on October 13, 2026, with a timed $39.99 sale running. Also in Waves Essential and Ultimate subscriptions. Waves S1 alternatives.
5. Leapwing StageOne 2
Price on October 13, 2026: $249
A width and depth plugin with 3 bands and adjustable crossovers, mono spread, Center Gravity and Phase Recovery. Depth is its standout: directionally optimized reflections that push sounds back. AAX Native, VST3 and AU with a 30 day trial. StageOne 2 alternatives.
6. NUGEN Audio Stereoizer
Price on October 13, 2026: $129
Stereoizer widens with three independent algorithms, IID, ITD and Linear Width, and NUGEN puts mono compatibility front and center, with a Collapse output to mono check and a stereo frequency display from 20 Hz to 22 kHz. AAX, VST3, AU and AudioSuite in 64 bit.
7. Brainworx bx_stereomaker
Price on October 13, 2026: $50
A mono to stereo upmixer from Brainworx. It builds a virtual S channel you can solo, adds 0 to 300% width and a Hi Damp knob to keep the expansion warm, and stays mono compatible. $50 regular, also in Plugin Alliance CORE and PRO subscriptions, with a 14 day trial.
Every stereo imager side by side
| Plugin | Price | Bands | Main controls | Metering | Formats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RysUpImager | $9.99 | 1 or 4 | Width, Rotation, Center, Bass Width, Spread, Mono Below | Vectorscope, correlation, balance | Mac AU, VST3, AAX. Win VST3, AAX |
| Ozone Imager | Free | Not listed | Width, Stereoize I and II | Three vectorscope views | Not listed |
| Polyverse Wider | Free | Full band | Width to 200%, Low Bypass | Width display | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Waves S1 | $129 | Full band | Width, Asymmetry, Rotation, Shuffler | Stereo display, output meters | macOS and Windows |
| StageOne 2 | $249 | 3 | Width, Depth, Mono Spread, Center Gravity | Width visualizer | AAX, VST3, AU |
| Stereoizer | $129 | Band limited | IID, ITD, Linear Width | Stereo frequency display | AAX, VST3, AU, AudioSuite |
| bx_stereomaker | $50 | Full band | Width 0 to 300%, Hi Damp, S solo | Not listed | Not listed |
"Not listed" means the official product page we read did not state it. It is not a claim the feature is missing.
What to look for in a stereo imager
Mono safety first. Clubs, phones and smart speakers still sum to mono. A widener that sounds huge in headphones and hollow in mono is a problem, so look for a Mono check and a correlation meter.
Bands beat one knob. Lows want to be narrow and highs can go wide. Multiband width lets you do both on the same bus.
Fix the lean before you widen. Rotation and center controls straighten a mix that sits off to one side. Neither free tool on this list advertises them.
See it. A vectorscope and a balance meter turn width from a guess into something you can read.
Recording choices matter too. If you are still deciding how to track, read record vocals in mono or stereo and how to make vocals wider.
Questions producers ask
What is the best free stereo imager? Ozone Imager and Polyverse Wider are both free and both solid at single band width. When you need bands, rotation or bass width, RysUpImager is $9.99.
Do stereo imagers cause phase problems? Pushing the sides up can lower the mono sum. That is why RysUpImager keeps Spread mono safe, offers Mono Below and puts a Mono check in Routing.
Should I use an imager on the master? Gently. Keep the lows narrow, open the top a little and check mono before you print.
The $9.99 stereo imager
Four bands, rotation, center, bass width, Spread, Mono Below and a live vectorscope for $9.99. Or get it inside RysUpSuite with every other paid Rys Up plugin.
RysUpImager is a one time $9.99 purchase you own forever. It is also included in RysUpSuite, which bills $119.88 a year and covers every current and future paid Rys Up plugin while it stays active. Prefer no commitment? Suite is $14.99 month to month. Compare everything on the RysUpSuite page.
Keep comparing: Ozone Imager alternatives, Polyverse Wider alternatives, Waves S1 alternatives, StageOne 2 alternatives and the side by side comparison page. More mix bus tools are in the mix bus finisher roundup and the vocal doubler roundup. The whole catalog lives on the Rys Up plugin lineup.
Sources. Prices and features were read from official vendor pages on October 13, 2026: iZotope Ozone Imager, Polyverse Wider, Waves S1 Stereo Imager, Leapwing StageOne 2, NUGEN Audio Stereoizer, Brainworx bx_stereomaker. Sale prices move often, so treat every competitor price here as a dated snapshot. Taxes and regional pricing can differ at checkout.
After choosing an imager, learn how to read its vectorscope and correlation meter. The workflow checks the vocal, stereo effects, and mono fold so the next width move serves the song.