GClip

2/5 GClip has been around since 2004, and I still keep it installed because it is about as simple and light as a clipper gets. You get a Gain knob, a Clip threshold, a Softness control for the knee, and a 2x oversampling toggle, with a transfer-function graph and a before/after waveform to watch. At zero softness, it is a pure hard clipper, clean and characterless, which is exactly what you want for quick peak taming on a rough mix.

It uses almost no CPU, installs by copying a single file, and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Its age shows in the format support. GClip is VST2 only, with no AU, so Logic Pro users cannot load it without a wrapper, and there is no VST3 or AAX either. Oversampling tops out at 2x, the threshold is shown as a percentage rather than in dBFS, and the interface is basic, but it grew on me over time. Best for: Windows and Linux producers who want an instant, near-zero-CPU hard clipper with no setup.

Hard + soft knee · Windows, macOS, Linux · VST2 only · 2x oversampling · last updated 2024. Verdict: dated and format-limited, but still one of the quickest free hard clippers if your DAW loads VST2.