Are you in the market for a delay pedal that can give your sound an entirely new dimension?
Delay pedals are the most talked about type of guitar effects pedals on the market right now. They provide players with a unique take on space and time while naturally enhancing their sound.
When looking for a top-notch delay pedal, you have a few key questions to ask yourself.
Should I go for an analog delay pedal or digital delay pedal?
Should I get one with multiple delay types or one that is more specialized?
The thing is, most of us believe that great delay pedals come at a hefty price, which simply isn’t the case. We’re hoping that we can help find you a delay pedal that won’t break the bank, as there are a few hidden gems out there that you may not have expected!
Top 5 Best Affordable Delay Pedals Compared
 |  |  |  |  | |
| Brand | Joyo | Mooer | Donner | Caline | Behringer |
| Size (inches) | 4.13 x 1.77 x 3.98 | 1.75 x 4.25 x 2.25 | 4.7 x 3 x 2.5 | 5.12 x 1.18 x 2.76 | 2.66 x 2.13 x 4.84 |
| Delay Types | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Controls | Mix, Mode, Time, Feedback | Level, Feedback, Time | Echo, Feedback, Time | Level, Delay, Repeat | Repeat, Echo, Intensity |
| Tap Tempo | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| True Bypass | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
The Joyo D-Seed is the perfect example of an incredible delay pedal that doesn’t require you to drop a ton of cash right off the bat.
The D-Seed features four different delay types and has an interesting setup with two channels, making it easy to switch between delay types during your performance. Want to make sure your delay sits in time with your song? The tap tempo footswitch will help you do just that!
Bottom Line: With four different delay types and a unique two-channel setup, we’re surprised that this delay pedal isn’t priced higher! It is easily one of the best cheap delay pedals on the market, perfect for beginners and intermediate guitarists alike!
Some people love their digital pedals, and we’re not surprised. While analog pedals have warmth, digital pedals have control. This is why we decided to include the Mooer Reecho.
It provides users with three different delay types to choose from. Ironically enough, one of those presets is ‘analog.’ We assume they wanted to give the purists something to talk about. It does pretty well too! The other presets, ‘RealEcho’ and ‘TapeEcho,’ also sound pretty incredible.
Priced in the mid-range of budget delay pedals, you get a fair amount of flexibility with the Mooer Reecho. Beyond the three presets, there are controls for the level, feedback, and time, allowing you to dial in the perfect delay for your song.
All of this comes in a unit that is small enough to fit on just about any tiny pedalboard. Plus, miniature pedals don’t come as stylish as the Mooer Reecho. With a sleek, bright-white design, you’ll have guitarists asking you,
“Hey, what is that thing?”
You can then explain to them that you got a sweet delay pedal on the cheap!
Bottom Line: The Mooer Reecho is not only great for those who want something small in size but also perfect for those looking for a bit more control over their sound. With built-in presets, it presents an opportunity for new guitarists to dial in sounds without the guesswork.
Donner Delay is another wonderful low-cost pedal. It is perfect for someone who is looking for a more compact option, as not all of us have 20’ pedalboards! With a bright yellow design and a nuclear symbol, you know that this thing means business.
Just like the other models on this list, this pedal does just what you need it to without any crazy bells or whistles. We love the fact that it doesn’t alter your tone in any way, leaving you with a transparent effect so that you can retain the natural tone you worked so hard to craft. It comes with a few simple controls, including echo, feedback, and time.
With the pedal being a bit cheap, the controls aren’t as linear as you would expect. You may have to get used to adjusting it to get the sounds that you desire. We just love how they were able to fit these controls on such a tiny interface.
Even with how small the pedal is, it’s surprisingly strong. You could easily take this little thing on tour without any issues.
Bottom Line: While Donner isn’t the most well-known pedal manufacturer out there, they make some quality pieces of hardware that are ideal for people on budgets. The Donner Delay is also small enough to work for someone without tons of pedal real estate.
If you’ve never heard of Caline pedals, you’re not alone. They’re an unknown Chinese brand that just so happens to design a few value-based pedals with excellent sound. Their Blue Ocean Delay is a wonderful example.
It may just be one of the cheapest delay pedals on the market that is actually usable. It also does an excellent job of providing you with a decent range of delay types.
With a pedal so cheap, you wouldn’t expect to obtain that analog warmth that we see with high-end delay pedals. The thing is, it delivers just that! Of course, if you’re looking for a sound that is a bit more eccentric with traces of digital modernity, it can give you that too!
With low prices come sacrifices of course, and when it comes to the Caline Blue, that sacrifice is the hardware. When you compare the chassis, jacks, and switches with those of larger, higher-quality brands, it isn’t nearly as durable.
With that said, you can certainly take it on the road, though you may just need to be a bit more careful.
Bottom Line: The Caline Ocean Blue has a few drawbacks, but when you weigh the positives against the negatives, it is a good cheap delay pedal for the money. It’s the perfect option for someone who is just getting into the world of delays and wants to experiment a bit before spending the big bucks.
Okay, we lied. We have one more pedal on our list that is even cheaper than the Caline! How is that possible? We’d probably have to break into the Behringer factory to find out. Plus, what is a budget pedal list without a pedal from Behringer on it? Behringer has long been known for providing players with quality pedals at insanely low prices. The VD400 packs a powerful sound into a small stompbox unit, and the critics love it.
Compared to tape delay gear, it is a wonderful budget alternative. It includes a unique analog delay sound that can be controlled via echo, rate, and intensity parameters. Of course, these controls are lined up on a plastic interface, which may be one of the reasons why this pedal comes at such a low cost. With that said, the build quality is pretty decent.
It comes with a fairly clean sound that is free from the annoying hiss we get from many cheap pedals, though some have shown it to be a bit unreliable after heavy use. With that said, you can get this thing for the cost of a good dinner, and if that isn’t enough to persuade you, we don’t know what is.
Bottom Line: The Behringer VD400 is the cheapest pedal on our list, and maybe the cheapest delay pedal on the market. Even so, it has a solid sound that budget guitarists everywhere enjoy!
What’s the Delay?
You’ve been trying to save up for an expensive delay pedal for far too long now. Have you ever considered getting a budget delay pedal to save some hard-earned cash? Many of these pedals will give you just what you’re looking for, so why does the price matter?
The answer is that the price DOESN’T matter. If it sounds good, it is good.
If we had to pick a favorite from our list, it would be the Joyo D-Seed . It provides the most control in a large pedal form that is easily adjustable for on-stage performance. Plus, it looks downright pro.
We hope that we’ve inspired you to get your own budget delay pedal. The time to add a whole new dimension to your sound is now, so don’t delay on that delay!
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