Often overlooked by beginner players, the best compressor pedals are fantastic utility pedals that should be on every player’s pedalboard. Granted there are always more exciting sounds and textures to get into like reverbs and delays, but if you’re looking to vastly improve your tone, then a compressor pedal can be a serious game changer.
Apart from EQ, compressors are probably the most powerful utility pedals available. Once you understand how they function, they can be used to make your licks pop, add punch to your guitar tone, and have your distortions shaking the earth. Many experienced players use one as an 'always on' tone-enhancer, and if you're primarily a clean or low-gain player, you’ll find adding one to your setup invaluable.
We at Guitar World are always on the quest for a better tone, so we've rounded up our pick of the best compressors on the market today. If you want to know more about the complex topic of compression, make sure you check out our buying advice section, which features loads of great advice from the experienced writing team here.
The quick list
As well as being great value for money, the Keeley Compressor Plus is quite simply one of the most complete compressor pedals out there, and an industry standard for guitarists.
With its Multi-Dimensional Processing, the Boss CP-1X is the best way to get multi-band compression on your 'board, delivering a transparent effect that only compresses overtones.
The 4th edition of the JHS Pulp 'n' Peel adds a parallel overdrive circuit, making it an even better compressor pedal. It's got a host of features that make it one of the most versatile.
If you're looking for an 'always-on' compressor pedal, the Wampler Ego makes a case as one of the best out there. It keeps your tone totally transparent and uncolored.
If you want a compressor that doesn't cost the earth, the TC Electronic HyperGravity is excellent value for money and gives you plenty of functionality to go along with it.
If you want the flexibility of a studio-style compressor on your pedalboard, it doesn't get much better than the Origin Effects Cali76, which delivers a hiss-free, 1176-style comp in a box.
Best overall
Robert Keeley’s most popular stompbox has been updated to make it all the more tweakable. Mercifully, it’s still intuitively laid out. There’s now a release switch to set the appropriate attack for humbucker and single-coil pickups.
A blend control dials in how much of the compressed signal you want – fully counter-clockwise you’ve got a half-and-half blend, and turned fully clockwise it is all squashed quack.
It puts you in control of the peaks in your guitar playing. A tone control lets you compensate for the high-end and harmonic response you sometimes lose with compression. Tone-wise, the Compressor Plus is exceptional, and it’s insanely good value for money, making it our top pick for best compressor pedal.
Best multi-band
Boss has always made excellent compressors, but the CP-1X takes their stompbox squash further with the use of Multi-Dimensional Processing (MDP) to preserve your fundamental tone. It only compresses overtones so that your signal remains as transparent as possible.
The control panel, meanwhile, is typically well laid out, with controls for compression, ratio and attack enabling you to dial in exactly what you want from the unit, and a level knob for controlling your output.
There’s even a Knight Rider-esque gain-reduction indicator to let you know how much compression you’re running at any given time. It is also low noise, and runs on 9V that internally converted to 18V, giving it plenty of headroom.
Best for rock
The fourth generation of Josh Scott’s Pulp ’n’ Peel compressor welcomes a dirt switch to the enclosure that toggles on and off a parallel overdrive circuit. This introduces a little overdrive to proceedings, with a trim pot on the side of the pedal lets you control how much gain. That’s a nice option to have.
Elsewhere, there’s a blend control for finding the right balance of attack and clarity, and a tilt EQ that can darken or brighten your processed tone. Set it at noon and it’s bypassed. As you’d expect from JHS, the Pulp ’n’ Peel has a meticulous build, with little touches such as switchable buffered/true-bypass and balanced XLR output with ground lift to kill.
Best dynamic compressor
The Ego Compressor belongs to that select band of compression units you can set and leave always on as a tonal sweetener and one-pedal support group for your playing. The layout gives you complete control over your compression, with the all-important blend control on hand to dial in the level of squash you need.
Brian Wampler says the Ego was designed to compress and do all the things compressor pedals do, but also to keep your tone uncolored, transparent and ultimately dynamic. Five knobs may seem like overkill, but once you’ve set the Ego you can forget about it, and you might never switch it off.
Best budget option
The HyperGravity Multiband features a three-way switch that lets you select three different modes of compression. You can have a super-transparent Spectra compression, a more squishy Vintage compression to go with your Brad Paisley tab book, or you can upload one from TC Electronic’s extensive TonePrint library. You can also do this wirelessly via your phone.
Elsewhere, this is just an excellent compressor, operating at the nexus between digital and analogue. You can switch between true- or buffered bypass, there is a familiar menu of controls for dialing in your compression and it is built tough.
Best studio-style
Compressor pedals can be a little noisy, but not the Cali176. Its transistors are biased for high-current operation and make for a hiss-free studio-quality stompbox that houses a ’60s-style FET compressor in a compact enclosure.
Inspired by the Universal Audio 1176 Compressor/Limiter, the Cali176 has a discrete Class A circuit that delivers a highly musical compression that does the job of a compressor without killing dynamics. This is transparent, boosting sustain and saucing your tone with a little studio magic - so much so, that this pedal is on our best bass compressor pedals list too.
Under the hood you’ve got premium components such as MELF resistors and film and tantalum capacitors. The build is such that there’s no space for a battery, but that’s a welcome trade-off.
More options...
If the very idea of Fender building your go-to stompbox compressor is kinda novel, and if the controls on offer feel a little unfamiliar – with drive and recovery knobs joining the wet/dry blend control – then the tones should sound reassure you… The Bends offers OTA-based circuitry that places it in the lineage of the MXR Dyna Comp et al.
Backlit LEDs on the control knobs let you know what’s what on a darkened stage. Recovery sets the release time of the compression – ie, how long it takes before the compression relaxes – and in conjunction with the drive control enables you to dial in the compression and sustain you want. Blend ensures you have control over how much of your original uncompressed signal is in the mix.
Fender The Bends pedal is built like a tank, with dual audio paths keeping noise to a minimum. The enclosure’s Fender amp jewel light is pretty darn cool too.
One of the OG OTA compressor pedals to make itself a ubiquitous presence on pedalboards worldwide, the Dyna Comp has had a multitude of releases through the years. The Dyna Comp Deluxe retains the classic CA3080 ‘metal can’ integrated circuit, but updates the pedal with a number of smart features that put you in control of the squash and sustain.
Here, the clean control acts as a blend, while an on/off attack button offers a binary choice between vintage slow and more modern fast attack times. The tone control is on-hand in case your signal loses a little brightness.
Whether you’re chasing old-school squish for playing through the Nashville songbook or want something a little more subtle, the Dyna Comp has got you covered.
The Empress Compressor Mk II is probably the only pedal to beat the Cali76 for features and that 'studio' sound. If you're used to studio gear and want that level of flexibility live, or are planning to use the pedal on other instruments, it's a great option.
It's an instrument-level, rather than line-level studio compressor in a handy stompbox format. This makes it a good option if you want a pedal that has all the features of a rack compressor but you're not using a rack mount rig yourself.
In features terms, the visual gain indicator is more of a gimmick than something you'll carefully dial in. The sidechain is a pain to set up but is nevertheless an exciting feature. Because the ratio is at pre-set intervals, you can't do extreme pumping, but it will work for both bass and synths if needed.
Buying advice
What is compression?
Compressors make the quiet louder, and the loud quieter. They were originally used in studios to smooth out signal levels to aid mixing and mastering. Eventually, they found their way into compact pedals as a utility. It's easy to see why, as players can easily run into level issues. They're often used for distorted legato lead parts, shredding and tapping, or clean math rock DADGAD acrobatics.
The most noticeable hallmark of a compressor operating is that the sustain of the guitar increases. This is as a result of boosting the signal as it tails off, which is why not all players leave them engaged all the time. This make-up-gain adds sustain, particularly when stacked with other pedals, and often tips over into dirt. Some comp pedals even have a gain stage of their own to add more dirt.
Is it worth getting a compressor pedal?
There are some situations where a compressor is essential - think rhythmically complex funk or the twangy licks of country. A compressor can also be beneficial if you're a metal player who has a penchant for legato shred - I mean, who doesn't?
Some people find these pedals challenging to use, so let's go through some standard controls found on the best compressor pedals. It should be noted that not every pedal has all of these controls, this is just a general guide to what these terms mean.
Sustain/Compression
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This is probably the most crucial control and the easiest to explain. Sometimes labeled as sustain, compression, or simply comp, this knob controls the overall level of compression your signal receives. The higher the dial, usually the more sustain you will get. Be warned, though, sometimes the more compression you add, the more noise you can add to your signal as well.
Attack
The attack knob simply adjusts how quickly the compressor kicks in. A slower attack will allow a portion of your note to be unaffected. In contrast, a fast attack means the compression is immediate. The Dyna Comp has this as a fast/slow binary choice, while Wampler's Ego and the CP-1X have dials. If your compressor has this control, it's worth playing around with it to get the exact sound you want.
Release/ Recovery
Some pedals will have controls for recovery. This is for adjusting the length of time before your compressed signal relaxes back to normal.
Ratio
This control you see more on studio compressors. Still, it can be found on high-end pedals such as the Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe. Basically, this control adjusts the amount the volume will dip once the compressor kicks in.
Blend
One feature to look out for is a blend control, enabling you to control the mix between your dry, uncompressed signal and the compressed signal. After you've set your compression – how fast the attack, the level of sustain, and so on – adjusting the blend is a convenient way of keeping on top of your squish.
Multi-band
Compressors like the Boss CP-1X are a multi-band effects pedal, meaning they process different frequencies in your signal independently. These can be set up so that your signal is as transparent as possible. Others, such as the Dyna Comp, are primarily voiced after the more squishy late '60s and early '70s compressor, yet are revised to offer a more transparent performance for today's guitarist.
Drive/ Dirt
Lastly, compressors work great with overdrive pedals and valve guitar amps, with the capability of hitting both with some extra decibels, encouraging some sweet breakup. Some, such as JHS's Pulp' N' Peel v4, have a dedicated dirt switch for this purpose.
There you have it, that's what we believe are the best compressor pedals on the market right now. So if you haven't tried one out, we urge you to have a go. We'd bet good money that once you introduce compression to your pedalboard, it's there to stay.
How we choose the best compressor pedals
At Guitar World, our writing team consists of seasoned musicians deeply immersed in the world of guitar gear. With years of playing and rigorous product testing under our belts, we bring a practical understanding derived from real-world experience with musical equipment. Our dedication covers every aspect of the musical journey, from live gigs to studio sessions, forming the foundation for our carefully curated recommendations across various categories.
When it comes to finding the best compressor pedals in the market, our approach is meticulous. We blend practical experience, insights from user reviews, and extensive discussions within our editorial team. This down-to-earth method ensures a thorough evaluation, offering a reliable guide for your next pedal purchase.
As passionate guitarists ourselves, our main aim is to help fellow players discover gear that perfectly fits their needs. We consider factors like budget constraints, features, and the pedal's usability, creating a list that straightforwardly represents the best compressor pedals in today's musical landscape.
Read more about how how we test products and services and how we make our recommendations.
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