The 11 Best Distortion Plugins of 2024 For Monster Sound

Distortion plugins are essential tools in a music producer’s arsenal, allowing you to add character, grit, and warmth to your tracks. 

They can help you transform clean digital sounds into captivating tones that have an analogue edge and add depth/complexity to any instrument.

Plus, they give you the power to create everything from subtle enhancements to more extreme, genre-defining effects, which is awesome.

If you know the best options, that is, which is exactly why we’re breaking down the very best distortion plugins available right now (both free & paid). 

All of the following best distortion plugins contain standout features/functions, like:

• Multi-band distortion for precise frequency control ✓
• Analog emulation for rich, warm tones ✓
• Extensive modulation options for dynamic effects ✓
• Bit-crushing for adding digital edge ✓
• Real-time visual feedback for precise adjustments ✓
• Customizable effect chains for tailored sound design ✓
• Stereo widening to enhance spatial dimension ✓
• Intuitive interfaces for quick, efficient workflow ✓
• Unique randomization features for unpredictable textures ✓
• Much more that deems them the best distortion plugins around ✓

After reading this article, you’ll know the absolute best distortion plugins that all deliver professional-grade results and elevate your productions to new heights. 

This way, you’ll be able to sculpt your sounds with precision and creativity, like a true professional. 

And, with these best distortion plugins at your disposal, your tracks will always stand out with the perfect balance of grit, subtle warmth, and character.

So, let’s dive in, starting with the best free distortion plugins…

#1. Mangler by Unison Audio (Free)

Mangler by Unison Audio is a powerful hybrid distortion plugin that offers a unique combination of effects designed to transform your audio in a major way. 

It features four main controls: 

• Mangle
• Destroy
• Bite
• Expand

Each provides a super distinct processing capability.

Mangle introduces a custom hybrid effect that blends distortion and compression, so you can achieve everything from subtle harmonic warmth to intense textures. 

Destroy ramps up the intensity with analog-style distortion 一 delivering gritty, face-melting tones that are perfect for transforming drums, bass, and synths.

Bite adds digital bit-crushing, giving your sounds a sharp, edgy quality that’s ideal for creating lo-fi or more experimental effects. 

Expand controls the stereo width, letting you spread your sound across the stereo field for a wide, immersive experience. 

Plus, Mangler’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to apply complex effects quickly, while maintaining precise control over each parameter, which is key.

It’s perfect for adding a unique, aggressive character to your tracks without getting bogged down in complicated settings.

Honestly, it’s on par with even the retired greats (just think Camel Audio).

Download Mangler Now

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• Hybrid effect combining distortion and compression
• Analogue-edge saturation/distortion for gritty, aggressive tones
• Digital bit-crushing for sharp, lo-fi effects
• Stereo widening for an expansive sound
• Very versatile plugin, perfect for music production
• One of the best distortion plugins/free distortion plugins available

#2. Sound Doctor by Unison Audio (Free)

Sound Doctor by Unison Audio is an innovative FX Chain Generator that allows you to create complex, style-specific effect chains with ease. 

It comes preloaded with a variety of presets designed for all different styles, from lo-fi to dreamy, giving you the flexibility to quickly find the right sound for your track. 

You can easily mix and match effects modules like distortion, reverb, and modulation with just a few clicks, giving you professional-quality processing with minimal effort. 

If you need to quickly enhance the overall sound of your music without diving into detailed settings, this is one of the best distortion plugins around.

Packed with a range of effect modules, Sound Doctor is versatile enough to handle everything from bass and chords to drums and vocals. 

Each module can be customized and saved as part of a preset for future use 一 giving you the ability to create creative effects chains that fit your specific needs. 

Plus it comes with a sick expansion pack that adds 250 additional presets, further extending its innovative potential. 

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced producer, Sound Doctor can help you achieve polished, professional-grade effects on each and every track.

Download Sound Doctor Now

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• FX Chain Generator for creating complex effects
• Preloaded presets for styles like lo-fi and dreamy
• Versatile across various audio sources: bass, chords, drums, vocals
• Optional expansion pack with 250 additional presets
• Very versatile plugin, perfect for music production
• One of the best distortion plugins/free distortion plugins available

#3. Softube Saturation Knob (Free)

Softube Saturation Knob is an intuitive and powerful plugin that adds analog warmth and distortion to your audio with mind-blowing ease. 

The single-knob control allows you to adjust the amount of saturation applied to the signal, ranging from subtle harmonic enhancement to full-blown distortion. 

What sets it apart is the three-position toggle switch labeled “Keep High,” “Neutral,” and “Keep Low,” which lets you decide which part of the frequency spectrum is most affected. 

• Keep High 一 Focuses saturation on the low and mid frequencies, leaving the high frequencies intact
• Keep Low 一 Applies saturation predominantly to the high and mid frequencies, preserving the lows.
• Neutral 一 Applies saturation evenly across the entire frequency range, giving you maximum flexibility for different sound sources.

The Saturation Knob is especially effective on vocals, guitars, and drums, where it can bring out that one-of-a-kind subtle warmth often associated with analog hardware. 

Plus, its simplicity makes it a go-to for quickly adding depth and character without overwhelming your mix, which is great.

And when we’re talking analog emulation, it’s top-notch 一 offering a thick, full-bodied tone that glues tracks together in a way that is both subtle and super powerful. 

Whether you’re enhancing individual tracks or adding cohesion to a mix bus, the Saturation Knob is one of the best distortion plugins (free) around, hands down.

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• Single-knob control for saturation intensity
• Three-position toggle switch: “Keep High,” “Neutral,” “Keep Low”
• Excellent for adding analog warmth to vocals, guitars, and drums
• Ideal for gluing tracks together in a mix
• Very versatile plugin, perfect for music production
• One of the best distortion plugins/free distortion plugins available

#4. Temper by Creative Intent (Free)

Temper by Creative Intent offers a unique blend of traditional saturation and phase distortion for endless creative possibilities.

Its core lies in its variable saturation stage, which can deliver anything from subtle warmth to harsh distortion (depending on how it’s set, of course). 

The phase distortion section is also solid…

It introduces an epic harmonic complexity to the sound with textures that are difficult to achieve with standard distortion plugins. 

Temper also includes a resonant low-pass filter that allows you to sculpt the tone of the distortion.

As well as a feedback path that intensifies the distortion by feeding the output signal back into the input gain 一 creating a more aggressive sound.

Temper is all about its seven main controls:

• Saturation 一 Adjusts the overall intensity of the effect.
• Curve 一 Manipulates the waveform entering the saturation stage.
• Cutoff 一 Adjusts the frequency of the low-pass filter to control which part of the signal is being distorted.
• Drive 一 Boosts the signal before it hits the saturation stage, adding even more intensity to the effect.
• Feedback 一 Introduces a portion of the output signal back into the input, creating a more complex and aggressive sound.
• Mix 一 Enables you to blend the wet/dry signal.
• Output 一 Adjusts the overall volume of the processed signal, ensuring that your levels remain consistent even after heavy processing.

Together, these controls make Temper an exceptionally versatile option for both subtle enhancements and radical sound design.

Plus its visual interface provides real-time feedback, so you can analyze exactly how each little adjustment affects the overall sound, which is great if you’re a beginner.

Overall, it’s one of the best distortion plugins (free) for both detailed sound design and more straightforward distortion tasks.

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• Combines traditional saturation/distortion with phase distortion
• Seven controls for precise sound shaping: Saturation, Curve, Cutoff, Drive, Feedback, Mix, Output level
• Resonant low-pass filter and feedback path for tonal sculpting
• Visual feedback for precise control over distortion
• Very versatile plugin, perfect for music production
• One of the best distortion plugins/free distortion plugins available

#5. Krush by Tritik (Free)

Krush by Tritik is a unique bitcrusher and distortion plugin that combines both digital and analog effects to create some pretty impressive textures.

It features a “Drive” control for adding analog-style distortion, which can be paired with the “Crush” and “Downsample” controls to introduce digital degradation and aliasing effects. 

The “Filter” section includes both low-pass and high-pass filters with resonance controls so you can shape the tonal balance of the distortion however you want.

Krush also includes a powerful modulation section with four modulators that can be assigned to almost any parameter for some sick dynamic sound design possibilities.

Krush’s interface is designed to be both intuitive and flexible, with the “Mix” control allowing for blending the wet and dry signals.

It makes it very easy to apply subtle effects or full-on destruction (which is my fav).

Krush is super effective on drums, synths, and basses, where its combination of analog warmth and digital ‘harshness’ can add unique character and grit. 

Whether you’re creating lo-fi textures, adding bite to synth leads, or pushing your drums to the edge, Krush is one of the best distortion plugins in the game.

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• Drive control for an analog feel
• Crush and Downsample controls for digital degradation
• Low-pass and high-pass filters with resonance
• Powerful modulation section for dynamic effects
• Very versatile plugin, perfect for music production
• One of the best distortion plugins/free distortion plugins available

#6. Audio Damage – FuzzPlus3

Audio Damage FuzzPlus3 is a digital emulation of a classic vintage fuzz pedal, offering a straightforward yet powerful way to add gritty distortion to your tracks. 

It features three main controls: 

• Fuzz
• Filter
• Output

The Fuzz control adjusts the amount of distortion applied to the signal, ranging from mild overdrive to intense, full-on fuzz. 

The Filter control is a resonant low-pass filter modeled after the MS-20 analog synthesizer’s filter, which can be used to tame the high frequencies or to shape the tonal balance of the distortion.

FuzzPlus3 also includes a self-oscillating feedback loop that can be adjusted with the “Feedback” control to add an extra layer of chaos and unpredictability to your sound.

This is something that listeners are really drawn to, so if you can nail it, that’s epic.

It’s perfect for guitars, synths, and drums, where its classic fuzz character knob can bring out the raw, aggressive qualities of the source material. 

Despite its simplicity, FuzzPlus3 offers endless tonal possibilities 一 making it a versatile tool for both subtle enhancements and extreme sound design. 

If you’re looking to add vintage fuzz to your tracks, FuzzPlus3 delivers an authentic, analog feel with modern digital innovation (the perfect balance if you ask me).

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• Fuzz control for adjusting distortion intensity
• Resonant low-pass filter modeled after the MS-20
• Self-oscillating feedback loop for added chaos
• Simple interface with powerful sound-shaping capabilities
• Very versatile plugin, perfect for music production
• One of the best free distortion plugins/ available

#7. FabFilter Saturn 2 (Premium)

FabFilter Saturn 2 is a multi-band distortion and saturation powerhouse, offering unparalleled flexibility and depth for sound shaping (one of my personal favs).

It features up to six bands, allowing you to apply different types of distortion and saturation to specific frequency ranges independently. 

Each band can be processed with its own distortion style, chosen from a wide selection that includes: 

• Subtle tape saturation
• Warm tube overdrive
• Aggressive guitar rig/amp simulations

The real power of Saturn 2, however, lies in its extensive modulation section, which allows you to animate almost any parameter within the plugin.

This, of course, includes XLFOs, envelope generators, envelope followers, MIDI sources, and much more for unmatched flexibility.

Saturn 2 also comes with a sick set of tone-shaping tools, including per-band dynamics, mid/side processing, and an impressive crossover system. 

The dynamics control lets you compress or expand each band individually, which adds yet another layer of control to your sound design. 

Mid/side processing allows you to apply distortion differently to the center and sides of your stereo field 一 creating width and space in your mix. 

Saturn 2’s visual interface is not only sleek but highly informative, with real-time feedback that makes it easy to see how your changes affect the sound.

It makes it one of the best distortion plugins for both mixing and creative sound design.

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• Multi-band distortion with up to six bands
• Extensive modulation section with XLFOs, envelope generators, and more
• Per-band dynamics and mid/side processing
• Wide spectrum of saturation/distortion styles
• Very versatile plugin, perfect for music production
• One of the best distortion plugins available

#8. Soundtoys Decapitator (Premium)

Soundtoys Decapitator is a highly regarded analog saturation plugin, known for its ability to add warmth, grit, and character to any audio source. 

It emulates the sound of five classic analog hardware units and lets you play around with endless saturation tones and feels.

The five models (A, E, N, T, and P) each bring a distinct flavor to the table, inspired by legendary analogue gear like: 

• The Neve 1057
• Ampex tape machines
• Telefunken preamps

Decapitator’s “Punish” button cranks up the drive to maximum, pushing the saturation into heavy distortion territory, which makes it perfect for more aggressive styles.

Decapitator also includes a set of tone controls that allow you to further shape the color of the saturation. 

The “Low Cut” and “High Cut” filters let you trim the frequency spectrum to focus the distortion where it’s needed most, while the “Tone” knob adjusts the overall brightness or darkness of the sound. 

The “Mix” knob enables you to blend the dry and wet signals, so you can have parallel processing capabilities right within the plugin, which is awesome.

Decapitator’s analog emulation is revered for its authenticity 一 providing a thick, warm sound that can make even the dullest, most basic tracks come alive. 

It’s especially favored for use on drums, bass, vocals, and mix buses, so just keep that in mind, but it’s solid all the way around.

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• Five analog saturation models based on classic hardware
• “Punish” button for extreme distortion
• Low and high cut filters with tone control for fine-tuning
• Mix knob for easy parallel processing
• Incredibly versatile plugin, perfect for music production
• One of the best distortion plugins available

#9. Output Thermal (Premium)

Output Thermal is a multi-stage distortion plugin that literally redefines what you can achieve with saturation and distortion effects.

It features an interactive, XY-controlled interface that allows you to manipulate up to four multi-stage distortion modules simultaneously.

So it’s really all about a visually intuitive way to explore complex sound design. 

Each module offers a variety of distortion types, including tube, tape, and overdrive, which can be combined and layered for a unique sonic character. 

Thermal also includes an impressive modulation section with LFOs, envelopes, and macro controls, which lets you create dynamic and evolving distortions.

Thermal’s ability to go beyond traditional distortion makes it ideal if you’re looking to push the boundaries of your sound (which you always should be).

NOTE: It also features a powerful EQ and filtering section, which allows you to further shape the tonal balance of your distortion. 

The visual feedback provided by the XY pad helps you see exactly how each parameter is affecting the sound 一 making it easier to dial in complex effects, of course. 

Whether you’re working on subtle harmonic enhancements or extreme sound design, Thermal is one of the more unique best distortion plugins around.

It offers a deep, immersive experience that really lets you get creative when it comes to  experimentation and creativity.

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• Multi-stage distortion with interactive XY-controlled interface
• Great distortion and saturation plugin
• Variety of distortion types, including tube, tape, and overdrive
• Comprehensive modulation section with LFOs and envelopes
• Powerful EQ and filtering section for tonal shaping
• Incredibly versatile plugin, perfect for music production
• One of the best distortion plugins available

#10. Waves Berzerk Distortion (Premium)

Waves Berzerk Distortion is an unpredictable and wild distortion plugin designed to bring unique, characterful distortion to any audio source. 

It features 10 different distortion algorithms, each with its own distinct flavor, from classic analog warmth to digital harshness, so you can get as crazy as you want.

The “Berzerk” button introduces an element of randomness, altering the distortion in real-time to create unexpected and chaotic results. 

It’s a great feature for adding an element of surprise and creativity to your tracks, as it generates new textures and tones that evolve with each press.

Berzerk Distortion also includes a powerful set of tone-shaping controls, such as the: 

• Temperature knob 一 Which adjusts the harmonic balance between warmth and brightness.
• Dynamics control 一 Which allows you to fine-tune the compression characteristics of the distortion. 
• Shape knob 一 Provides additional control over the waveform, letting you morph between different distortion shapes for even more variety. 

Whether you’re processing vocals, drums, guitars, or synths, Berzerk Distortion is one of the best distortion plugins around. 

It’s designed to take your sounds to the edge and beyond, with both control and chaos in equal measure, so it’s perfect.

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• This plugin offers 10 distinct distortion algorithms (each sounds great)
• “Berzerk” button for real-time randomness so you can get creative with each track
• Great for everything from subtle saturation to more extreme settings
• Temperature and Dynamics controls for tonal shaping
• Shape knob for waveform morphing
• Very versatile plugin, perfect for music production
• One of the best distortion plugins available

#11. AudioThing Wave Box (Premium)

AudioThing Wave Box is a dynamic dual waveshaper plugin that offers extensive sound manipulation possibilities through its flexible and powerful design. 

It features two waveshaping stages that can be configured in series or parallel, each with its own set of controls for Drive, Bias, and Offset. 

The “WaveShaper” section allows you to choose from different shaping algorithms, such as: 

• Soft Clip
• Hard Clip
• Foldback
• Sine Fold

It gives you a wide range of distortion textures to work with.

Also, it includes a solid modulation section, with LFOs, envelopes, and MIDI control so you can create mind-blowing sounds all day.

Wave Box stands out for its ability to create both subtle harmonic enhancements and extreme distortion effects, making it suitable for a variety of genres/applications. 

Its sleek interface provides real-time visual feedback of the waveform and a Mix control for blending the dry and wet signals (offering parallel processing capabilities). 

Whether you want to play around with more complex sound design or add grit to your track, AudioThing Wave Box is a digital distortion you can count on.

Standout Features of This Distortion Plugin:

• Dual waveshaper stages with configurable routing
• Multiple shaping algorithms: Soft Clip, Hard Clip, Foldback, Sine Fold
• Comprehensive modulation section with LFOs and envelopes
• Very versatile plugin, perfect for music production and experimental sounds
• Real-time waveform visual feedback with minimal audio issues
• One of the best distortion plugins available

Best Distortion Plugins: Final Thoughts

Choosing the right distortion plugin can seriously elevate your tracks, adding the grit, warmth, and character that make them truly stand out. 

Whether you’re looking for subtle analog warmth or extreme digital destruction, the best distortion plugins we talked about  today will help you get more creative than ever before.

Each one brings something unique to the table 一 ensuring that you have the flexibility and control to shape your sound precisely as you picture it (which is what really matters).

With these best distortion plugins at your disposal, your music can finally have the depth and power it deserves.

Just remember, it’s all a process, so never stop experimenting, trying new techniques, and learning something new every day.

Until next time…