Distortion

Best Alternatives To ProCo RAT2

Filter-based distortion. Usable from overdrive to fuzz with the single Filter control.

Reference price: £79Options from: £35Best tone match: 88%

The best alternatives to the ProCo RAT2, ranked by tone similarity:

  1. Wampler Dracarys Distortion — £189, 88% tone match. High-gain boutique with exceptional note clarity.
  2. TC Electronic Dark Matter — £69, 85% tone match. Very close to RAT voicing at similar price. Less history.
  3. Boss DS-1 — £49, 78% tone match. Brighter, more aggressive. Less tonal range.
  4. Joyo Splinter Distortion — £35, 75% tone match. British voiced distortion. Different character but comparable utility.
⭐ Top Pick

TC Electronic Dark Matter

£69 · 85% tone match · budget

Very close to RAT voicing at similar price. Less history.

💰 Best Value

Joyo Splinter Distortion

£35 · 75% match

All Alternatives at a Glance

AlternativePricevs ProCo RAT2Tone MatchBest For
Wampler Dracarys Distortion£189+£11088%mid
TC Electronic Dark Matter£69-£1085%budget
Boss DS-1£49-£3078%budget
Joyo Splinter Distortion£35-£4475%budget
BudgetBest value — gets the job done
Boss DS-1£49
Tone Match78%
Save £30

Brighter, more aggressive. Less tonal range.

Alternatives to Boss DS-1
Joyo Splinter Distortion£35
Tone Match75%
Save £44

British voiced distortion. Different character but comparable utility.

Alternatives to Joyo Splinter Distortion
TC Electronic Dark Matter£69
Tone Match85%
Save £10

Very close to RAT voicing at similar price. Less history.

Alternatives to TC Electronic Dark Matter
MidSignificant step up in quality
Wampler Dracarys Distortion£189
Tone Match88%
+£110 more

High-gain boutique with exceptional note clarity.

Alternatives to Wampler Dracarys Distortion

ProCo RAT2 Alternatives — Common Questions

The best alternative to the ProCo RAT2 is the Wampler Dracarys Distortion (88% tone match at £189). High-gain boutique with exceptional note clarity.

The best budget alternative is the TC Electronic Dark Matter at £69 (85% tone match). Very close to RAT voicing at similar price. Less history.

Pedals that sound similar to the ProCo RAT2: Wampler Dracarys Distortion (88% match, £189); TC Electronic Dark Matter (85% match, £69); Boss DS-1 (78% match, £49); Joyo Splinter Distortion (75% match, £35).

Yes — the TC Electronic Dark Matter is available for £35 and achieves similar tone characteristics.