Here are the best free delay VST plugins online that can be used with FL Studio, Reason, Ableton Live, and other VST-supported music software.
This round-up of free delay plugins includes a rundown of features, screenshots, and videos.
What Is A Delay Plugin? Delay plugins are used to alter the sound of an audio signal by delaying it. The delay time can be set to any value. A delay effect is when you hear something after it has happened, like an echo. The delay effect can make music sound more atmospheric, or it can be used for instruments, drums, and vocals.
Best Delay VST Plugins
- Rubbadub
- ATK Stereo Universal Delay
- Hysterisis
- Lagrange
- Spaceship Delay VST
- Delayizer
- Retro Delay
- Fusion Delay
- Liquid Delay
- Speculumfree
- TAL-Dub III
- Voxengo Tempo Delay
- Violent Delay
- YSD-dELAY
- WatKat
- TAL-Dub
- kHs Delay
- Sanford Delay
- Valhalla Super Massive
- GDelay
Adding a delay effect to a simple sound can give it more texture and make it sound more unique. I’ve downloaded and tested hundreds of the best free VST plugins, and here are some top free delay VST plugins.
Tutorial: How to Install VST Plugins | What Is Delay
Instructions: Click the links below to visit each delay plugin. Look around each website for the download link or button. Do not install any suspicious software.
1. Rubbadub
Rubbadub is a delay vst effect plugin designed with versatility in mind.
As a dub delay, it can be tempo-synced and offers a state variable filter in the feedback line. At the lowest extremes of delay line lengths, Rubbadub becomes a through-zero flanger with a variety of modulation options.
Time is split up into three modes (H, M, L) to provide precise control over delay effects, and even finer control is possible with the command key.
When modulation is pushed to the limit, your sound becomes a rubbery gelatinous substance that defies description. Controls: Feedback, depth, time, rate, mix, cutoff, resonance, mix, shape, and delay mode types.
Features
- Tempo-synced dub delay
- State variable feedback filter
- Fine control with command key
- Wide range of modulation options
Pros
- Versatile delay effects
- Precise time control
- Creative sound transformation
- Multiple control parameters
Cons
- May be complex for beginners
- Requires experimentation for best results
Rubbadub | PC & Mac
2. ATK Stereo Universal Delay
ATK Stereo Universal Delay is a dual stereo delay plugin based on the Audio Tool Kit.
Features
- Delay Left & Right
- Bend Left & Right
- Adjust Left and Right Channels
- Adjust Delay Mode
ATK Stereo Universal | PC & Mac
3. Hysterisis
Hysteresis is a free glitch delay plugin that creates robotic artifacts and abstract musical malfunctions. Hysteresis features a creative delay effect with a stutter, low pass filter, and modulation effects thrown into the feedback signal path.
Process anything from drums and percussion to synth lines and sound effects. On top of creating incredibly wild signal mutations, it can also be used to generate classic delay effects.
Features
- Tempo-synced feedback delay
- Reversible stutter feedback effect
- Feedback path low pass filter
- Rate division/multiplication modulation
- Over 100 designer presets
- Cross-platform compatibility
- User-friendly interface
- Digital delay feature
Hysteresis | PC & Mac
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4. Lagrange
Lagrange is a unique stereo delay system producing otherworldly echoes using granular techniques, where each grain is from a different point in the delay buffer.
- Immersive stereo with clear early reflections
- Feedback control for droning soundscapes
- Short delay for metallic chorus effects
Lagrange | PC & Mac
5. Spaceship Delay VST
It can be used as a typical delay for mixing vocals, adding some depth to drums, guitars, synth sounds, and a more creative effect, thanks to the attack control, even as a looper thanks to the freeze switch and the very long maximum delay sizes.
The Spaceship Delay plugin is free and available in VST, AU, and AAX formats. This delay VST plugin is a favorite of mine from the list for its clean interface and great features.
- Delay time in MS and subdivisions
- Feedback control up to 110%
- Tap tempo functionality
- Modulation on delay and filter frequencies
- Threshold-based attack control
- Modeled spring reverb
- Advanced filtering with various filters
- Delay line and saturation modeling
- Bit crusher and tube preamp simulation
- Creative “Freeze” switch
- Post-effect filters, tremolo, phaser
- Three delay modes: Single, ping pong, stereo
Spaceship | PC & Mac
6. Delayizer
Delayizer is a modulated delay unit featuring a chorus section.
Delayizer | PC
7. Retro Delay
Retro Delay is a flexible all-around delay effect in VST format. It has the character and sound of a vintage delay unit but features many modern options. Besides delays, it can produce a wide range of modulation, chorus, flanger, and phaser effects.
- Separate left/right delay lines
- BPM synced or manual timing
- Forward or backward delays
- X-feedback feature
- Ping-pong delay effect
- Negative feedback for effects
- Short delays for phaser/flanger
- Integrated automatic limiter
- 4 LFO modes
- LFO inversion for channels
- 24dB/oct resonant feedback filter
- Multiple filter modes
- Saturation effect
- Saturate and limit controls
- Old-school spring reverb
- Size, color, mix controls
- Optional mono mode
- Creative fading delays
- Adjustable fade-out time
- Pitch bend for delay changes
Retro Plugin | PC
8. Fusion Delay
Fusion Delay is a unique unit that offers a wonderful acoustic dispersion effect, ideal for trance, house, dub, and other modern genres of electronic music.
Acoustic dispersion offers musicians a new option for creating interesting delay processing. You will not have much luck finding a similar effect unit at your local music store.
Fusion Delay is designed to create syncopated and evolving delays to any signal. What makes Fusion Delay special and unique is the Plasma section that can be fused with the built-in delay signal chain.
The Fusion Delay is the only delay Plugin to use sonic “Acoustic Dispersion” effects. Acoustic dispersion is the phenomenon of a sound wave separating into its component frequencies as it passes through a medium.
The “Plasma” section utilizes acoustic dispersion modeling technology. It can be fused (mixed) with the “Delay” section by using the “Fusion” controls.
Fusion Plugin | PC
9. Liquid Delay
Liquid Delay is a re-creation of a Modulated Delay effect found in high-end studios. Modulated Delay is a delay effect where the stereo delay signal is subsequently modulated to create additional sonic interest (e.g., pitch fluctuation, frequency fluctuation, or volume fluctuation).
In Liquid Delay, the stereo delay signal is processed with a flange effect and a filter. The filter is connected to a programmable step Low-Frequency Oscillator (LFO) for added dynamics.
Liquid Delay allows musicians to experiment with the Haas effect and the Doppler effect (e.g., a rotating speaker relies on these scientific principles).
The Liquid Delay has its own little tricks up its sleeve due to how the signal chain is internally routed. Like its cousin, the Liquid Verb, Liquid Delay is designed to inspire knob tweaking and experimentation. They both complement each other to provide even more sonic punch.
- 128 user presets
- Midi automation
- Echo
- Modulator- Flange type effect
- 24 db filter
- Step LFO
Liquid Plugin | PC
10. Speculumfree
Speculumfree is a free delay/comb filter effect plugin. Speculum’s state can be switched between delay and comb filter. The resulting sound is fed through a resonant low pass filter.
The delay rate can be finely adjusted through the divide function. This gives the speculum the ability to produce flanging, chorus, and phasing effects when automated.
Speculumfree | PC & Mac
11. TAL-Dub III
TAL-DUB III is an easy-to-use delay device with some special features.
It has no tape delay emulation and has its own sound. It has an alias-free saturation stage, a non-linear 6dB low pass, and a 3dB high pass filter included in the device’s feedback path.
An input drive knob allows adjusting the saturation level. Pop-up menus show the current values of volume, delay time, and feedback knobs. A tab button allows adjusting the delay for live sessions.
- Up to 4-second delay time
- Nonlinear 6dB low-pass filter
- 3dB high-pass filter
- Adjustable alias-free saturation
- Dual-channel delay x2
- Synced delay time options
- Value pop-ups (dB, ms, feedback)
- Saturation level LED-meter
- Tab button for delay
- MIDI learn for knobs
- Infinite delays with the feedback knob
TAL-Dub III | PC & Mac
12. Voxengo Tempo Delay
Tempo Delay is a multi-mode stereo delay plugin for professional music production applications. Tempo Delay is based on tempo, incorporating filter and tremolo sections with separate controls for each stereo channel.
Instead of a single “delay length” control, this plugin features separate “delay,” “repetition period,” and “delay panning” controls, which allow you to create evenly sounding “ping-pong” stereo echoes.
- Filter section
- Tremolo section
- Delay panning
- Stereo processing
- 64-bit floating-point processing
- Preset manager
- Undo/redo history
- A/B comparisons
- Contextual hint messages
- All sample rates support
- Zero processing latency
Voxengo Temp | PC & Mac
13. Violent Delay
Violent delay is a delay unit featuring a filter, a phaser, and a chorus.
- Delay
- Reverse
- Filter
- Chorus
- Phaser
- Presets
Violent Delay | PC
14. YSD-dELAY
YSD-dELAY is a delay plugin effect with a twist.
- 2 State Variable Filters (for left and right channels)
- 2 Multi LFO’s
- Dry/wet
- Amp
- Simple EQ
- Preset manager with 30 factory presets
- Waveshaper
- Normalizing option
YSD-dELAY | PC
15. WatKat
WatKat is a digital clone of a Wem Watkins Custom Copicat tape echo unit. It sounds very lo-fi, noisy, irregular.
When you turn it off and leave the tape loaded, the tape bends in the capstan’s proximity, which turns into a periodic pitch fall during echo playback.
- Swell: volume control for repeats
- Sustain: repeat quantity control
- Gain 1: left channel input volume
- Gain 2: right channel input volume
- Head 1, 2, 3: select delay sound
- Light CPU and memory usage
WatKat VST Plugin | PC & Mac
16. TAL-Dub
The TAL-Dub is a retro-style audio delay plugin. The plugin can provide a wide range of effects, whether it’s a clean delay or a distorted and resonating never-ending delay effect.
TAL-Dub | PC & Mac
17. kHs Delay
This kHs Delay plugin can be used as a free-running delay effect or as a tempo-synchronized delay with stereo and various feedback options.
Ducking is most notable since it only allows echoed sound to flow when a dry input signal is not present. With this technique, long and heavy delay can be added to the original sound while avoiding clutter. Modify the feedback, duck, pan, and mix of your audio input.
- Simple Interface
- Ping Pong Effects
kHs Plugin | PC & Mac
18. Sanford Delay
The Sanford Delay is a stereo delay effect audio plugin. The delay is easy to use and does the job quickly and efficiently.
- Low CPU utilization
- Filter controls included
- Delays up to one second
- Pan delay for ping-pong effect
- Tempo-synced delay
- Independent left/right channel control
- Lowpass and highpass feedback filters
Sanford Plugin | PC
19. Valhalla Super Massive
Massive delays and reverbs are what Valhalla Super Massive is designed for. You’re in for luscious reverb clouds, otherworldly delays, and sagging feedback waves unlike any other.
There are 14 amazing delays and reverbs in Supermassive.
Valhalla Super Massive | PC & Mac
20. GDelay
GDelay is a free VST audio effect plugin that can be used in music production, broadcasting, and audio editing. The digital delay effect can last up to 2 seconds. There are adjustable feedback, effect, and dry levels. It can be used as an audio insert or send effect.
GDelay | PC / Mac / Linux
21. TAL-Dub-2
The TAL-DUB-II sound engine is an entirely new version of the TAL-DUB-I. Adding vintage distortion to a delayed signal can be achieved through an oversampled 4x distortion stage, but it can also make clean delays.
The low pass filter cutoff and delay sound can be modulated with a sinusoidal LFO. The LFO stereo width can be adjusted. Also included in TAL-DUB-II is a 6dB low pass filter with resonance and a 3dB high cut filter.
Multiple routing options allow for a wide range of configurations. Adjust the left and right channels.
TAL-Dub-2 | PC & Mac
22. CHOW Matrix
CHOW Matrix is an infinitely growable delay effect VST plugin consisting of separate delay lines with feedback, panning, distortion, and more controls. The ChowMatrix AU, VST, VST3, LV2, AUv3, and AAX plugins are available for download.
- 9 Delay Modes
CHOW Matrix | PC & Mac
23. Valhalla Freq Echo
A psychedelic delay plugin combines frequency shifting and audio delay effects. There are subtle chorusing, double-tracking, and flanging effects to create endless echoes. Great Valhalla Delay alternative.
Valhalla Freq Echo | PC & Mac
24. Analog Rack Delay
With the Analog Rack Delay plugin, you get the power of Nembrini Audio’s analog delay algorithms in an easy-to-use package! This significant delay also features a stereo spread circuit and BPM synchronization. Adjust the time, offset, feedback, and mix of an audio signal.
Analog Rack Plugin | PC 64-bit / Mac
25. Baby Comeback
The Baby Comeback plugin offers delay and ducker effect.
It is a stripped-down version of an award-winning Comeback Kid delay/echoes plugin. A ducker is included, and four flavors of wet signals: Wide, Analog, Saucey, and Cheap. Free Valhalla Delay alternative.
Baby Comeback | PC & Mac
26. OverDubber 2
With OverDubber 2, you can create trippy audio delays out of incoming audio.
Aside from being a stereo delay, OverDubber 2 also has a filter, a big crusher, a pitch shifter, and an automatic stereo pitch LFO.
- Delay Automation
- Includes Panic Button
OverDubber 2 | PC
27. Brigade Delay
The Brigade Delay emulates the functionality and sound of classic analog delays while consuming very little CPU power.
- Bucket Brigade Device delay simulation
- Smooth analog delay time changes
- LFO modulation for Flanger, Chorus, etc.
- Double precision audio processing
- “Hi-fi to hell” quality control system
Brigade Plugin | PC & Mac
28. Cocoa Delay
Cocoa Delay is a free delay plugin with a clean design, is easy to use, and has a warm, lively sound.
The wet signal is given a slight wow/flutter effect by having the delay time drift.
The ducking of the wet level can be adjusted based on the input signal. There are three pan modes: static, ping-pong, and circular.
Cocoa Plugin | PC
29. Echobox D7
Echobox D7 is a free echo and delay plugin. In terms of sound, it sounds like one of two analog tape echos that are revered in music history, AFAIK.
- Delay Time
- Pan
- Repeat Settings
- Delay Level
Echobox D7 | PC
30. NastyDLA
NastyDLA is a chorus echo device with a classic chorus echo sound.
- Chorus
- Color
- Modulation
- Feedback
NastyDLA | PC
31. T-Rex Delay
Using the T-Rex Delay, you can synchronize your delay to the beat.
T-Rex Plugin | PC
32. DLY1
The DLY1 plugin provides feedback delay. Using any plugins, you can create your feedback path inside your host.
DLY1 | PC
33. DLYM – Delay Modulator
The free ‘Delay Modulator’ plugin DLYM uses Imaginando’s powerful processing technology to create flanger and chorus effects.
DRC’s chorus effect inspired DLYM to expand its functionality and make it available for free on PC, Mac, and iOS for DAW applications.
- Analog emulation and dimensional processing
- Six modulation waveforms are available
- Adjustable stereo spread
- Control crossover and cutoff frequency
- Built-in preset and patch manager
- Compatible with AAX, AU, AUv3, VST
DLYM Modulator | PC & Mac
34. Adam Monroe Delay
Adam Monroe’s Delay plugins offer various delay options: Time, Feedback, Mix Knobs, Lowpass, PannerWith, and Pan.
- Low Pass & High Pass
- Panner Width
- Adjust Day Time & Feedback
Adam Monroe Plugin | PC & Mac
35. Bionic Supa Delay
Vintage tape delay with reverb, pitch shift, and filter options is the Bionic Supa Delay.
The tape mode feature adds a warm and different sound to your tracks, while the feedback loop creates creative delays and allows you to add depth to your mix.
In addition to these features, many delay plugins also offer other features, such as more filters, different sound types, and creative delays.
By experimenting with these features, you can take your sound design to the next level and create truly unique tracks.
- Tape Delay
- Filter Effects
- Pitch Shift
- Reverb Controls
Bionic | PC
In conclusion, delay plugins are an essential tool for music producers, and there are many great free options available.
Whether you’re looking for classic sounds, simple delay effects, or creative sound design options, these plugins offer a range of delay types, delay parameters, and cool features.
Tape delay plugin effects are particularly popular for their old-school sound and are worth checking out.
No matter what your go-to delay plugin is, adding depth and echo effects to your tracks is easy with these must-have plugins.
Don’t settle for stock delays when you can have access to some of the best free delay plugins on the market today.
The top paid delay VST plugins include Valhalla Delay, Waves H-Delay, FabFilter Timeless 3, Soundtoys Echoboy, and Comeback Kidby BABY Audio.
I hope you found this list of the best delay VST plugins helpful.
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