In this section of our free VST plugins directory, we’re taking a look at the best freeware distortion effects in VST and AU plugin format for digital audio workstations on PC and Mac.

Everybody loves distortion. No matter what style of music you make or what kind of sound design you do, distortion is universally used in a way that few other audio tools are. You can use it to warm up sterile digital tracks and give them a more analog feel, add grit and grind to guitars or vocals, or beef up drum tracks to make snare drums cut through the mix better. The applications are pretty much endless.

While distortion plugins used to be somewhat one-dimensional, they have come a long way and have gotten a lot more elaborate. It used to be that gain and volume were pretty much the only parameters that distortion plugins offered, but those days are gone. Now distortion plugins fall into many categories: multi-band and phase distortions, bitcrushers, hardware preamp emulations, dynamic distortions, you name it.

So if you are looking for some new ways to play with distortion, give some of these plugins a shot. Your tracks have a lot to gain.

FuzzPlus 3 by Audio Damage (MacOS, Windows)

While many of the options on this list lean more toward saturation and straight up distortion, the FuzzPlus 3 sits directly in fuzz territory, as the name implies. It offers a low-pass filter, Audio Damage’s take on the same found in the Korg MS-20 synthesizer. You can even feed the processed signal back into the “circuit” for more creative options.

The FuzzPlus 3 sports a sleek interface with five simple control parameters. You can set the specific Frequency and Resonance (the amount of frequency boost) of the filter section, the amount of Distortion, and at the output section – the amount of Feedback and Output Level. Visually, there is a spectrum analyzer that shows you the amount of clipping of the waveform of the signal. It is not extremely accurate, but it does give you a general visual representation of how your signal is being affected.

FuzzPlus 3 is a terrific option for sonic annihilation, and while its usefulness is a bit esoteric, it can add some unique flavor to your tracks. If sonic annihilation is your thing, be sure to check out the amazing Rough Rider compressor which was also developed by Audio Damage.

More info: FuzzPlus 3 (VST/VST3/AU/AAX)

Krush by Tritik (MacOS, Windows)

If you’re looking for something more extreme, then try Krush, a multi-faceted bitcrusher. It offers three simple controls to set the type of distortion – Drive, Crush, and Downsample. Drive adds a more traditional distortion, and this parameter applies pleasant amounts of saturation throughout its entire range. Crush sets the bitcrusher controls and can sonically annihilate any signal, while the Downsample control is excellent for creating chaotic 8-bit sounds. There is also a Filter section that features low-pass and high-pass options with controls for frequency and resonance.

The second row of parameters offers modulation controls for the distortion and filter settings, as well as a waveform selector and Rate option. You can sync the modulation to the tempo of your session as well, taking out some of the guesswork. Finally, there are dry and wet sliders to set the overall balance. For electronic styles and sound design, this plugin absolutely crushes it.

More info: Krush (VST/AU)

Temper by Creative Intent (MacOS, Windows)

Throw any preconceptions you have of distortion away! As the only phase distortion on this list, Temper is a bit confusing at first glance. Based on a phase distortion algorithm, it can do what nothing else on this list can – much more than traditional clipping.

The flavor of distortion is set with three controls – Curve, Drive, and Saturation. The Drive knob goes from -10 to 10. With the gain set to zero, there is no distortion at all. At any other setting, the plugin applies a different flavor of distortion that is determined by how the Saturation and Curve controls are set. The Cutoff control sets the frequency of the low-pass filter, and the Resonance controls emphasis. Temper also adds a bit of harmonic excitement.

Showing dry and wet signals simultaneously, the spectrum analyzer gives a solid visual representation of what the plugin is doing to your signal. You might not find much use for it on guitars or a drum buss, but it can do great things for electronic instruments and styles of music.

More info: Temper (VST/AU)

SGA1566 by Shattered Glass Audio (MacOS, Windows)

The SGA1566 is a hardware preamp emulation, and its design is a take on a two-stage 12AX7 tube preamp. It can add a lot of life and fatten up tracks recorded digitally or through solid-state gear. The plugin is excellent for use on pretty much any mix element, from vocals to bass, as well as a tool for subtle saturation on busses and the master channel.

The control scheme is pretty sophisticated, with knobs for Input and Output gain, as well as a Gain knob that controls the amount of drive to the tube section. One of the coolest features is that the Baxandall EQ section can be placed before or after the distortion, adding versatility. SGA1566 is notorious for eating up a lot of CPU. To remedy this issue, there is a switch for high or low performance, but the sound has more fidelity at the higher setting. It can also be run in mono or stereo.

More info: SGA1566 (VST/AU)

Tube Saturator Vintage by Wave Arts (MacOS, Windows)

The Wave Arts Tube Saturator is an authentic digital model of a dual 12AX7 triode hardware preamp. It features a sleek GUI and robust feature set, and while it uses a lot of CPU, it is a fantastic alternative to expensive preamp emulations from companies like Slate and Waves.

As with hardware tube pres, a Drive knob controls the amount of gain, and an Output control sets the level. The EQ section is pre-distortion and allows for control of Bass, Mid, and Treble frequencies. The EQ section can also be bypassed, turning it into a two knob overdrive of sorts. The plugin also sports two toggle switches, one to bypass the EQ section and another to turn on “Fat” mode which simulates changing the bias of the first tube stage to increase gain and saturation.

It’s great for adding color to digital tracks or those recorded with digital or solid-state preamps. It can also add analog saturation to any source. You don’t really have to be judicious with it either, as it pretty much makes any track you use it on better.

More info: Tube Saturator Vintage (VST/AU)

Saturation Knob by Softube (MacOS, Windows)

It doesn’t get any more straightforward than the Saturation Knob from Softube. It is an easy-to-use plugin that will work with pretty much any setup, as it comes in 64 and 32-bit versions in multiple formats. A single knob controls the amount of saturation, and a 3-way toggle switch lets you control which part of the frequency spectrum of your signal is affected by the saturation – Highs, Neutral (changing all frequencies), and Lows.

Saturation Knob is great for adding an analog vibe to sterile digitally-recorded tracks, or when you’re looking for a little warmth and a bit of compression. Throwing it on a vocal can help it sit right in the sweet spot, it can make acoustic guitars cut, and can glue groups of tracks and busses together. The plugin works best as a subtle saturation tool, as there isn’t much gain on tap and the Gain control can get a little smeary around 75%. There is no way to control the output volume, so subtle is the name of the game.

More info: Saturation Knob (VST/AU/AAX/RTAS)

Greed Smasher by Mercuriall (MacOS, Windows)

Mercuriall plugins are known for making high-quality plugin guitar pedals, and the Greed Smasher takes that a step further as it is an emulation of the Mesa/Boogie Grid Slammer overdrive. Like most 3-knob stompboxes, it features controls for Gain, Tone, and Level.

With the Gain low and the Volume up, it provides a great push when used on the front end of amp sims – just like a real overdrive pedal. Mesa/Boogie products are known for having loads of gain on tap, but even with the Gain maxed out it doesn’t seem to lose clarity or focus.

More info: Greed Smasher (VST/AU)

Marauder by AudioParlour (Windows)

Marauder is the only dynamic distortion on this list. The design is based around two gain stages that determine the character of the distortion, with the signal going through a preamp stage and then being fed into two VCAs. A feedback-style compressor controls the envelope, which determines how the signal is distributed between the gain stages.

It is pretty versatile and is right at home on electronic sources like synths and pads. While it does take a bit of fine-tuning to get the right sound for your source, what you can do with it is impressive. In addition to offering many ways to control the effect, the coolest control is the Mix knob. It allows you to blend in the amount of dry vs. wet signal to taste. Dynamic indeed. Marauder’s biggest drawback is that it is only compatible with 32-bit VST plugin hosts on Windows.

More info: Marauder (VST)

If you need more freeware tools for making music, check out our free VST plugins directory! Enjoy using the plugins listed on this page and please consider supporting BPB by sharing this article on Facebook, Twitter, or your favorite forums. Thank you!