5 Chorus Pedals Under $100

Last Updated on March 30, 2024 by Justin

I’ll be reviewing my best chorus pedals under 100 that I’ve used over the years as well as in recent times. Along with a few more honorable mentions that are well worth mentioning.

One thing is for sure, there are a ton of chorus pedals out. Both are expensive as well as cheap. With that in mind, especially as a newcomer to effects, or perhaps chorus in general, it can be very hard to digest the sheer amount of selection when it comes to these pedals.

1) Corona Chorus Mini by TC Electronics

As for as affordable chorus pedals go, you don’t get much better than the Corona by TC electronics. There are a few reasons why this is my best chorus pedal. The biggest reason of all is due to a feature included in this pedal called, “Toneprint”.

Essentially, this allows you to upload a wide array of chorus sounds to your Corona mini via USB cable. Thus, giving you an exceptionally large bank of chorus sounds to choose from. The only thing with Toneprint is that it does not allow you to store patches or sounds. However, I think this is a minor issue, especially for a chorus pedal with that many sounds to choose from.

• Sound: All the sounds on this pedal are of very good quality. This includes pretty much most of the patches available on Toneprint. However, they are of course all digital chorus sounds. But, this should not put you off. I know there are plenty of top guitar players that use this very Corona mini-chorus pedal. such as Stephen Carpenter from the band, Deftones. As well as John Konesky from Tenacious D.
• Build Quality: With all TC pedals, you’re pretty much guaranteed a well-built pedal. After all, that is what they’ve become known for. I like that the switch is quiet yet sturdy on this unit. I generally prefer the Boss pedal switch system but that’s just a preference.https://guitarpickzone.com/best-chorus-pedal-under-100/
• Features: The biggest feature is one that I have already mentioned. And that has to do with the Toneprint feature. This feature alone made this pedal my best cheap chorus pedal. I mean, you don’t get more versatile than the ability to be able to load endless chorus sounds.
• Size: Ironically, the size of this chorus pedal is actually a feature in itself. It is called the Corona mini for a reason. And that reason literally is because it is a small pedal. So you actually get so much bang for your buck with such a small chorus pedal.
• Controls: This TC pedal, which happens to be my best affordable chorus pedal comes with three controls. Which is generally more than most chorus pedals. One controls the speed of the chorus effect. The second controls the overall volume of the chorus effect. And lastly, the final control allows you to mess with the depth of the chorus effect. Having these three controls lets you easily and intuitively create a wide range of chorus sounds.

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2) Joyo Analog Chorus

Now, in my opinion, Joyo makes some of the greatest affordable pedals of all time. In fact, if you come across my personal pedalboard, you’ll notice it is littered with Joyo pedals.

That is because they are clones of great pedals already out there, at insanely affordable prices. For that reason, I’ve had a slight obsession with buying these.

The Joyo analog chorus pedal is a clone of the Boss Chorus CE-2. The Boss would have taken this very spot. However, it failed to meet the criteria of this list.

• Sound: The sound of this pedal is my favorite chorus sound ever. It is most likely my favorite because it has been heard in all of my favorite music and used by some of my favorite guitarists.
• These include the chorus sounds from the ’80s by guitar players such as Johnny Marr and Robert Smith from the Cure. This pedal is a bit of a one-trick pony in terms of sound. But, it is my favorite one-trick-pony sound of all time!
• Build Quality: For pedals that are made in China, these hold up exceptionally well. And this Joyo chorus is no exception. I can testify that I’ve gigged with my Joyo pedals all over the world and they’ve been stomped on constantly for two years and they still work (touch wood). Whilst not as rugged as the Boss pedal it is cloned after, it still offers sturdy metal housing.
• Size: The Joyo chorus pedal is decent in size. Not quite as bulky as a Boss pedal, but not quite as small as a mini pedal. So I’d say the size is very average. Nothing much to say about sizing here as it is regular stompbox sizing.
• Controls: This cheap chorus pedal by Joyo only has two controls. One which controls the speed of the effect. As well as one that controls the depth. These are the exact controls found on the Boss CE-2.  Whilst you can’t control the volume of the effect, it’s still a legendary chorus sound in my opinion.

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3) MXR Micro Chorus

I must be honest, I am quite a sucker for simple guitar gear. And what I mean by simple is, the fewer knobs the better. I like to maintain this mentality when it comes to my amplifiers. As well as my effects pedals. I feel that this mentality allows for much less “choice paralyzes”.

For that reason, I’ve added the MXR micro chorus to the list. Also, I am a very big fan of MXR pedals in general. This one is a chorus made by one of the best pedal manufacturers. That is of course once again just my opinion.

• Sound: This pedal will deliver around 3 distinctly classic chorus tones (I’ll explain how this works in the “controls” section below). All of the sounds delivered on this high-quality, yet affordable chorus pedal as so warm and lush. Whilst I don’t own this pedal anymore as I once did, I’ll jump at the opportunity to buy one again.
• Build Quality: The MXR pedals are renowned for their build quality and that is maintained in this chorus pedal. The pretty much indestructible metal chassis means these can last a very long time. I know some original MXR pedals from the ’70s that are still in very much working order.
• Size: So this affordable chorus pedal is called the “Micro chorus”. However, despite its name, is not actually micro at all. It is pretty much the same size as any other regular single-stompbox pedal out there. And while it doesn’t beat the Corona chorus in size, it’s should not be a deciding factor unless space on your pedalboard is a real necessity.
• Controls: Now to my favorite part about this pedal. It’s a singular control knob. Despite its ridiculously simple design, this one knob lets you essentially achieve three very distinct, yet classic chorus sounds. The best part about this is you can buy an extra rubber device to put around the knob so you can control the effect with your foot on the fly.

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4) Danelectro Fab Chorus

If the first three chorus pedals are still a little above what you’re expecting to spend. Then, this Danelectro FAB  pedal is by the cheapest chorus pedal I’ve ever come across. However, I’ve played some pretty dreadful chorus pedals that cost a lot more than this one. So when you bear that in mind, you realize that you’re actually getting something great for an unreal bargain.

• Sound: If you’re looking for a simple chorus sound without breaking the bank, then I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with this Danelectro pedal. Whilst I’d say it’s not quite as lush as warm as some of the others on this list, it’s still a very decent sound that can be used in most gigging scenarios.
• Build Quality: The Danelectro pedals are renowned for being enclosed in below-par housing. The whole pedal is pretty much plastic and feels like it could fail on you at the next stomp. These were my thoughts until I actually had a Danelectro FAB distortion pedal on my board for a while and it held up. The thing about the FAB series of pedals is that, whilst the build quality is pretty bad, the actual pedal inside the casing is really good. And this is true for a lot of the pedals in this range, not only the chorus pedal.
• Size: As far as pedals go, the Danelectro FAB chorus is a pretty weird and odd shape. It’s quite rounded in the way it was designed and the 1/4 jack inputs and outputs are on the back of the pedal. This was something that annoyed me a little bit. But, for the price of this chorus pedal, it is insanely hard to complain.
• Controls: The FAB chorus pedal has three controls which are pretty cool for an affordable chorus pedal. The controls allow you to play with the level of the effect, the speed of the effect, and well the depth of the chorus effect.

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5) Biyang Baby Boom Chorus

There are tons of cheap and affordable chorus pedals on the market that are clones and copies of more expensive pedals. The Biyang is a pedal that is its own thing. And, is not a clone or copy of another pedal.

That is what I absolutely love about this Biyang chorus pedal. Don’t get me wrong, my pedal collection is flooded with clones and copies of pedals and I have no such problem with it as a concept.

I’m just trying to give context to understand that this cheap chorus pedal by Biyang is one that can stand on its own.

• Sound: The Biyang sounds absolutely fantastic to my ear. It gives me a nice analog-sounding chorus that is full, thick, and has warmth. It’s quite crazy that this affordable pedal can achieve these tones.
• Features and Controls: This Biynag chorus has two knobs as well as a switch which actually makes this a pretty versatile chorus. Essentially the two controls are comprised of a “blend” as well as “Spread”. The blend knob basically controls the volume of the effect whilst the spread is a synonym for depth (I think).
• Furthermore, this pedal has a switch that lets you toggle between fast and slow chorus speeds. Some might see this as a downside due to the fact that some other pedals have speed knobs which possibly adds more of a wider spectrum of speeds to set.
• Size: the Biyang chorus is pretty much the same size as the MXR and the Joyo. It is pretty much your average stompbox size.
• Build Quality: In terms of the build quality of this pedal, it comes in a metal chassis and seems to be pretty sturdy. The Biyang affordable chorus is a new addition for me so I haven’t put it through the races yet. However, judging by what I’ve seen and used so far, it seems to be of a very decent quality.

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A Brief Intro To Budget Chorus Pedals

Chorus is classified as part of the “modulation” category of guitar pedals. In this modulation category, the chorus is probably up there as one of the most popular modulation effects.

As a guitar player that is heavily influenced by bands from the 1980s. Such as The Cure, The Smiths as well as Joy Division. I love myself a bit of chorus.

I’ve tried quite a few different chorus units over the years from vintage to modern, as well as digital and analog. I feel my experience with these pedals has equipped me with the knowledge to give you a decent review of the top chorus pedals at this price point.

My Top Chorus Pedals: Conclusion

The best way to sum up this cheap chorus pedal comparison is as follows:

• Corona Chorus Mini: If space on your board is a necessity. And, if access to a wide array of chorus tones is necessary for you, then this Corona chorus mini is an affordable choice for you.
• Joyo Analog Chorus: If you’d like to achieve the classic tones from the Boss CE-2, then this is the pedal for you.
• MXR Micro Chorus: If you want a chorus with as few control knobs as possible. Or if you’d like barebones yet high-quality chorus capable of achieving 3 vintage tones then this is the pedal for you.
• Danelectro FAB: If you want to spend as little as possible on a chorus pedal but still want a decent sound, the Danelectro is got you.
• Biyang: If you want an affordable Chinese-made chorus pedal that is not a clone or copy of another pedal, then this is for you.

Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or points about these affordable chorus pedals. If you enjoyed this article, you will enjoy my article, Reverb pedal under 100.