Both plug-ins are based on the same core technology, but they are designed for different users and use cases. While smart:limit provides all the parameters you’d expect from a professional limiter plug-in (and more!), pure:limit is made for users who don’t have the time or nerves to tweak a lot of parameters.
There are hundreds of ways of finding the right level and dynamics for a mix. Some of them work – a lot of them don’t. Experienced professionals often excel in tweaking limiters and other tools to tame peaks and balance out the dynamics of a mix, whereas users less experienced (or less interested) in the nitty-gritty-details of limiting often shy away from giving their tracks this very important final polish. Therefore, pure:limit is a tool that brings two worlds together: under the hood, the plug-in is driven by our award-winning limiting algorithms and AI processing designed to deliver pro-grade results, but on the outside, the tool comes with a very approachable and simple user interface.