guitarix
Free, open-source virtual guitar amp and effects rack for Linux, built on the JACK audio system.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Linux
Is guitarix free?
Yes, free and open source
- License:
- GPL-2.0
Checked on guitarix's site Nov 8, 2026
Switch from guitarix to
All 2
Neural Amp ModelerOpen source
Guitar RigPrice (Pro): $199
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 2
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About guitarix
guitarix turns a Linux computer into a guitar amplifier. You plug your guitar into a sound card, and the app runs the signal through a modelled amp plus a rack of effects you can fill with more than 25 built-in modules, from a noise gate to flanger, phaser and auto-wah. It runs on the JACK audio server, so its output can be routed into a DAW such as Ardour or into other JACK programs, and the amps and effects also ship as an LV2 plugin suite for loading directly inside a host. On a well-tuned Linux system the latency is low enough to play live. It is aimed at Linux guitarists who want a free rig without leaving their platform; it is packaged by most distributions and on Flathub. The project is free software under the GPL, with no paid edition. There are no official Windows or macOS builds, and the interface and amp models are more modest than commercial suites.
Best for: Linux guitarists who want a free amp and effects rack that plugs into JACK and LV2 hosts.
Pros and cons
What works
- Completely free and open source under the GPL
- More than 25 built-in effects modules alongside the amp section
- Works as a standalone JACK app and as LV2 plugins inside a DAW
- Packaged by most Linux distributions
Why people leave
- Linux only, with no official Windows or macOS builds
- Needs a working JACK setup, which can be fiddly for beginners
- Far fewer amp and cabinet models than commercial suites
guitarix vs Neural Amp Modeler and Guitar Rig
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | guitarix | Neural Amp Modeler | Guitar Rig |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Open source | Open source | Paid |
| Verified price | — | — | $199 |
| Free plan | Free app | Free app | No |
| Open source | Yes | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Linux | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
Top guitarix alternatives
See all 2- 1Neural Amp Modeler68.8
Also free and open source, with far more realistic captures of real amps, for Windows and Mac.
- 2Guitar Rig64.8
A polished commercial suite with many more amps and effects, if you can move to Windows or Mac.
Why people left guitarix
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
No switching stories yet. If you moved away from guitarix, review the app you switched to and tell us why.
Reviews
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guitarix: common questions
What is guitarix?
guitarix: Free, open-source virtual guitar amp and effects rack for Linux, built on the JACK audio system. Best for linux guitarists who want a free amp and effects rack that plugs into JACK and LV2 hosts. Available for Linux.
Is guitarix free?
Yes. guitarix is free, open-source software.
Is guitarix open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at brummer10/guitarix.
What platforms does guitarix run on?
guitarix is available for Linux.
What are the best alternatives to guitarix?
The highest-ranked guitarix alternatives right now are Neural Amp Modeler and Guitar Rig. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
guitarix vs Neural Amp Modeler: what's the difference?
Both guitarix and Neural Amp Modeler are free and open source. Only guitarix runs on Linux. Only Neural Amp Modeler runs on Windows and macOS.