JUCE is a reasonable comparison, as Elements specifies it wants to be a UI for plug-ins like VST & AU, and JUCE is dominant in the audio plug-in space. But you

JUCE is a reasonable comparison, as Elements specifies it wants to be a UI for plug-ins like VST & AU, and JUCE is dominant in the audio plug-in space. But you're right, JUCE is more than just a UI.