You don’t need to spend a fortune to get a great tone. Some of the best guitar amps under 100 dollars can still deliver serious sound, especially when you’re just looking to plug in and play.
Best Guitar Amps under $100 | Best Guitar Amps under $100 Product Image | Product Title | *GEARANK | **Sources | Check Prices |
 | 92 | 5050+ | |||
 | 92 | 13925+ | |||
 | 92 | 1425+ | |||
 | 90 | 1025+ | |||
 | 92 | 5350+ |
*Gearank = Rating score out of 100.
**Sources = Number of gear owner and user opinions analyzed for these product Gearank Ratings.
Research Process: How Gearank Works
I picked up a budget amp mostly because it was compact enough to squeeze into my apartment setup. But the tone surprised me; it had a musical quality that made late-night playing feel like real guitar time, not just a quiet compromise.
With prices constantly creeping up, it’s good to know there are still some high-quality guitar amps under the $100 mark. Whether you’re after something portable for travel or just need a solid practice rig that doesn’t shake the walls, the best amp under 100 isn’t just about saving money, it’s about finding gear that gets the job done without making you feel like you’re settling.
Sure, these cheap amps won’t give you stadium-level volume, and you won’t get built-in reverb tanks or oversized speakers, but what you do get is usability, convenience, and tone that works. Especially for practice sessions, small spaces, or beginner setups, that matters more than flashy features.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through a handful of the best budget guitar amp options out there today. From well-known brands like Fender, Blackstar, Boss, and Marshall to newer players like NUX, these amps prove you can still get quality gear without stretching your wallet. Let’s dig in and find one that fits your sound and your space.
The Best Guitar Amp Under $100
Blackstar Fly 3
The Blackstar Fly 3 delivers surprisingly rich tones and impressive versatility for such a tiny, battery-powered amp. Its compact size and built-in delay make it the best little amp for practicing anywhere
Pros:
- Great mobility
- Organic sounding overdrive and delay
- Variable amp voicing via Blackstar’s ISF knob
- Easy-to-use interface
- Low volume
- Clean tone is a bit lacking
- No USB recording
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The Fly 3 is a battery-powered, 3-watt, small amp. It is designed to be a portable amp – a solid state practice amp that you can take anywhere while still being able to produce good Blackstar quality tones.
It’s compact and light at just 2 lbs, which makes it super easy to carry around, and since it runs on 6 x AA batteries, you can play it wherever you go.
At 3-Watts and with small 3″ speakers, there’s not much to expect in terms of volume. But sound quality is still good even with this volume limitation.
Its quieter sound actually makes the Fly 3 the best cheap guitar amp for use in hotels or apartments. It gives your electric guitars great tone without disturbing other tenants.
What makes it a market favorite is its ability to provide great-sounding cranked amp tones at room-friendly volume levels. And it’s not just limited to generic overdrive, it lets you change the voicing of the amp from American to British amp flavors via Blackstar’s ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) knob.
You can think of this knob as a combination of tone control and amp voicing switch, similar to modelling amps but much simpler. So you get a wide range of tones without the complications of buttons and menus.
Note that you won’t be getting good-sounding clean tones with this amp, so if that is what you’re looking for, then this is not for you. It would’ve been nice if it had USB connectivity, so you could easily record your practice or riff ideas, but there’s only so much you can expect at this price. It is still quite impressive compared to other solid state amps.
To make your lead lines sound more interesting, you can use its built-in “tape” delay, which models the more “organic” tone of vintage delay devices.
There is also an optional power adapter that you can buy, so you can use it without batteries when a power outlet is accessible.
The Blackstar Fly 3 is as versatile as modeling amps while being superbly portable. Guitarists will find it hard to make excuses to skip practice. And for such a small amp, it delivers great-sounding tones.
- Power Rating: 3-Watts
- Speaker Size: 3”
- Effects: Overdrive, Delay
- Controls: Gain, Volume, Overdrive Switch, EQ, Delay Level, Delay Time
- Inputs/Outputs: ¼”, AUX-In, Headphone
- Weight: 2 lbs
- Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth): 6.6” x 5” x 4”
Fender Frontman 10G
The Fender Frontman 10G offers classic Fender clean tones with easy-to-use controls and a robust build. It’s an ideal amp for beginners or anyone seeking simple, reliable practice sessions.
Pros:
- Classic Fender clean tones
- Straightforward controls
- Old-school aesthetics
- Good low to mid gain overdrive
- Limited voicing options
- Limited controls
- Low-volume use only
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The Frontman 10G packs the iconic Fender amp signature clean tone along with classic aesthetic styling. And it’s all packed into a compact and affordable practice amp. Its continued success is proof that even in this era of amp modeling, there’s still room for good quality old-school amps.
The strength of this amp is its genuine Fender sound (clean tone), based on classic Fender amps. It has detailed highs that work great with many different musical styles. And this makes the amp sound responsive and lively.
I’ve even used these as an acoustic guitar amp, and it does the job well for practice. As expected, it won’t be as clean as dedicated acoustic guitar amps.
And it doesn’t have deep lows, but it has enough to make this a great amp for practice. It would’ve been nice if it had a mid EQ knob to emphasize the highs better.
There’s a button that engages its built-in overdrive. It adds an open and mild-sounding distortion effect that actually sounds good at lower gain settings, viable for blues and even rock.
It gets muddy as you go higher, so if high gain distortion is what you want, then this is not for you.
At 10 Watts and with a 6.5″ speaker, it doesn’t have a lot of headroom, but it is good enough for playing guitar along with your favorite tracks.
It has an auxiliary mini jack for plugging in your media player and it also has a headphone output for silent practice.
All these features are packed inside a closed back cabinet that sports Fender’s old-school combo amp design.
With the Frontman 10G, what you see is what you get. For a guitar amp under 100, this affordable amp gives you the classic Fender look and sound, And it does so with simplistic control options that will not distract you from enjoying your practice.
- Power Rating: 10-Watts
- Speaker Size: 6”
- Effects: Overdrive
- Controls: Gain, Volume, Treble, Bass, Overdrive Switch
- Inputs/Outputs: ¼”, AUX-In, Headphones
- Weight: 8.5 lbs
- Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth): 11” x 10.25” x 5.75”
Marshall MG10G
The Marshall MG10G packs signature Marshall tone into a practice-sized amp with simple controls and a punchy output. Whether you want warm cleans or gritty overdrive, this amp delivers classic rock vibes effortlessly.
Pros:
- Portable
- Classic Marshall Tone
- Takes pedals well
- Limited Power
- No Effects Loop
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The Marshall MG10G is a compact and affordable guitar amplifier with solid-state technology for precise and reliable sound. It offers a range of features, making it an excellent choice for beginners and seasoned players.
One of the MG10G’s most notable advantages is its portability. It weighs just over 10 pounds and’s incredibly lightweight and easy to carry around. Whether practicing at home or on the go, you won’t have to worry about lugging a heavy amp around.
Despite its budget-friendly price, the MG10G delivers that classic Marshall sound many guitarists love. When cranked up, it produces a rich and powerful tone perfect for rock and metal genres. It also features two channels, clean and overdrive, allowing you to switch between different tones easily.
Another great feature of this amp is the contour control knob, which lets you adjust the midrange frequencies to shape your sound to your liking. Additionally, the headphone output allows for silent practice, making it perfect for late-night jam sessions without disturbing others.
The MG10G also comes with an aux input, allowing you to connect external devices such as your phone or MP3 player to play with your favorite tracks. However, it’s worth noting that this amp has some limitations. With only 10 watts of power, it may not be suitable for playing in larger venues or with a band. Additionally, it lacks an effects loop, so if you’re into using effects pedals, consider a different amp. Finally, the 6.5-inch speaker provides decent sound, but it won’t match the fullness of larger amps.
The Marshall MG10G is a solid choice for a versatile and affordable guitar amp. Its lightweight and portable design, classic Marshall tone, and helpful features make it an excellent choice for beginners, home practice, and small gigs.
- Power Rating: 10-Watts
- Speaker Size: 6.5″
- Effects: Overdrive
- Controls: Volume, Contour
- Inputs/Outputs: ¼”, AUX-In, Headphone
- Weight: 10.5 lbs.
- Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth): 12.3″ x 11.65″ x 6.8″
NUX Mighty Lite BT
The NUX Mighty Lite BT combines portability with Bluetooth connectivity and multiple amp models, making it one of the most versatile mini amps around. Its lightweight design and built-in drum machine are perfect for jamming anytime, anywhere.
Pros:
- Feature-packed mini amp
- 3-Channels with delay and digital reverb
- Portable and mobile
- Bluetooth compatibility
- For low volume use only
- Gets a bit muddy when cranked too high
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The NUX Mighty Lite BT is as feature packed as it gets for an affordable and portable guitar amp. It lets you switch between 3 channels – clean, overdrive, and distortion.
The overdrive channel in particular is where it really shines, full sounding and dynamic like a tube amp. High gain rock tones from its distortion channel are also quite good, but given its small size, it does get muddy at higher gain settings.
Still, it can be a good metal amp as long as you’re not expecting deep lows. In any case, it’s unfair to expect this to be as pristine sounding as bigger and more expensive tube amps. The clean channel is OK, it has a warm voice that may or may not appeal to you, depending on your preference.
It also comes with two of the most commonly used effects – delay and reverb.
What makes this amp stand out from the competition is the built-in drum loops, drum patterns, and metronome. This makes the Mighty Lite BT a true student-friendly piece of gear. For real-time control over the timing of delay effect and drums, it even comes with tap tempo control.
For the price, this electric guitar amp also lets you wirelessly stream your favorite tracks via Bluetooth. Feature and spec-wise, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that can match it in this price range.
The amp can run on a 9V power supply or via USB connection – which is very convenient given that we all have tons of USB cables available. It can also run on 6 x AA batteries for true mobility.
Note that the Nux Mighty Lite BT is roughly around the same size as the Blackstar Fly 3, so it is also a viable tool for keeping your chops up when on the go.
If you’re looking for a student-friendly mobile guitar amplifier, then definitely check out the NUX Mighty Lite BT.
- Power Rating: 3-Watts
- Speaker Size: 3”
- Effects: Overdrive, Delay
- Controls: Knobs: Gain, Volume, Tone knob, Delay/Reverb | OD/DIST, Drums, Play/Pause, Tap
- Inputs/Outputs: ¼”, AUX-In, Headphone, USB
- Weight: 2.25 lbs
- Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth): 6.5” x 3.9” x 4.9”
Boss Katana Mini 7W
The Boss Katana Mini delivers professional-grade tones and three amp modes in a portable package. With its responsive controls and solid build, it’s a standout choice for players who demand great sound on the go.
Pros:
- Lightweight and Portable
- Versatile
- Battery Powered
- Excellent value
- Limited wattage
- Noisy when batteries are low
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The Boss Katana-Mini, a compact and versatile guitar amplifier, stands out with its unique features. Despite its small size, it delivers a powerful performance. Weighing under 3 pounds, it offers the convenience of running on six AA-size batteries or an optional AC adapter. The analog three-band EQ allows you to shape your tone, and the built-in tape-style delay with controls for level and time adds a unique touch to your sound.
The Katana-Mini, with its three amp character settings: clean, crunch, and brown, offers inspiring tones in a small footprint. The brown setting, in particular, provides smooth hi-gain tones reminiscent of a hot-rodded Boss BD-2w Blues Driver pedal with dynamic response. You can power it with AA batteries, making it great for outdoor use or practice. Priced at a wallet-friendly $99.99, the Katana-Mini offers excellent value for its features and sound quality.
While more than the 7-watt output may be required for larger venues or band rehearsals, the Katana-Mini is perfect for home practice or outdoor performances. Its compact design ensures easy transport, and the built-in tape-style delay adds a touch of ambiance to your sound. Some players might miss having additional tone-shaping controls like midrange adjustment or onboard effects, but the simplicity of the Katana-Mini controls is a pro for others. The Boss Katana-Mini is a phenomenal practice amp, especially for metal, hard rock, and punk genres.
- Power Rating: 7-Watts
- Speaker Size: 4″
- Effects: Delay
- Controls: Volume, Equalizer, Delay
- Inputs/Outputs: ¼”, AUX-In, Phones/Rec Out
- Weight: 2.6 lbs.
- Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth): 7.12″ x 9.06″ x 4.6″
Things to Consider When Buying a Cheap Guitar Amp
There’s a lot more to choosing a low-cost amp than just grabbing whatever fits your budget. Over the years, I’ve found that even cheap amps can surprise you if you know what to look for. And if you’re ready to bump things up slightly, check out this list of the best guitar amps under $200, there’s a lot of value to be found just above the $100 line. But if you’re staying under that price point, here are a few key things that can help you lock in the best budget guitar amp for your playing style and setup.
Power Rating
Amp wattage is often misunderstood. It’s not just about how loud it gets, it’s more about how clean it stays at higher volumes. A 10-watt amp is noticeably louder than a 1-watt one, but it’ll still start to break up earlier than something with more headroom. Most amps under $100 hover around that 10-watt mark, which is great for home practice. They’re not built for gigs, but they’ll give you enough punch to feel your playing without shaking the walls. Keep in mind that at this level, speaker outs are rare, and honestly, beginners don’t need that much power to build solid technique.
Speaker Size
Speaker size plays a big role in your tone. A 12-inch speaker is the sweet spot for balance, but in this price range, you’ll mostly be working with smaller ones, usually 6.5 to 8 inches. Smaller speakers tend to sound brighter and thinner, but for bedroom practice, that’s not a bad thing. In fact, amps like those from Vox lean into that crisp top-end really well. Just don’t expect to run a bass through these, they’re built for guitar, and the lack of low-end response will be obvious if you try. If you need a compact amp for bass, there are dedicated mini bass combos that do the trick.
Tone Shaping Controls (EQ)
Even the simplest amps come with some kind of EQ section. Most of the time, you’ll get a two-band EQ, bass and treble, but that’s enough to shape your sound in a meaningful way. Some models step it up with three-band EQ or digital tone presets. Whether it’s analog knobs or DSP-driven voicings, these tools help you find your sound faster. It may not replace a full-on rig, but having tone control gives your practice more purpose.
Amp Modeling
Amp modeling can be a game changer,cespecially when you’re still figuring out what kind of sound you want. Some budget amps offer basic models that mimic popular amp styles, which is great for exploring different tones without extra gear. The downside is that all those options can be distracting if you’re just starting out. And while most decent modelers cost more than $100 new, you might score one second-hand without breaking the bank.
Built-In Effects
Built-in effects are another bonus you’ll find in many beginner amps. Overdrive and reverb are the most common, and they’re enough to get you playing rock, blues, or ambient textures right out of the box. Just don’t expect the kind of detail you’d get from pedals, these effects are more about convenience than nuance. Still, having a bit of reverb and gain on tap makes a big difference, especially when you’re trying to stay inspired without building a full pedalboard.
Outputs
For practice amps, output options are a big plus. A headphone jack is a must if you live with roommates or practice late at night. Some amps also include a line out for recording or running direct into a PA. A few newer models offer USB recording or even Bluetooth playback, but those tend to push past the $100 mark. Some also come bundled with software for tone editing, which is a nice perk if you like to tweak.
If you think you’ll want more projection down the line, look for an amp with an extension speaker out. It’s rare at this price point, but it’s a helpful feature if you decide to expand your setup without starting from scratch.
Portability
One of the best things about small amps is how easy they are to carry. Most best guitar amps under $100 are compact combo units, so you’re not hauling around a separate head and cab. A few models even run on batteries, which makes them perfect for busking or jamming outdoors. I’ve tossed a little amp in a backpack more than once just to squeeze in some practice while traveling. And if you really want to travel light, a headphone amp might be all you need.
Can a Good Amp Improve the Sound of Cheap Guitars?
Absolutely. A decent amp can breathe life into a low-cost electric guitar. A lot of your tone comes from the amp’s voicing and how it handles harmonics, sustain, and EQ. That said, no amp can fix bad fretwork, intonation issues, or poor construction. If your guitar’s fighting you, even the best amp won’t make it sing. But if the guitar’s solid, even a basic amp can help it shine. And the better you get as a player, the more you’ll be able to shape that tone with your hands. So yes, get a good amp, but more importantly, keep playing and improving.
Best Guitar Amp Under 100 Selection Methodology
The first edition was published in 2018. This current edition was published in 2025.
The goal of this guide is to feature the best electric guitar amps under 100. So we focused our research and analysis on cheap amplifiers that are rating highly in this beginner-friendly price range. Before you ask about your favorite Boss or Orange amp, note that some highly rated budget options are too expensive to be included in this guide. This includes the popular Orange Crush 12 from Orange Amps, Boss Katana Mini, Vox Pathfinder and other guitar amplifiers priced above $100.
Aside from ratings and popularity, we also considered accessibility. We only feature cheap guitar amps that are readily available from major US retailers. These filters resulted in a list of 29 candidate amps, which is fewer than the previous edition because many amps have increased their prices above the $100 ceiling since the previous edition. We then gathered and analyzed relevant reviews, ratings, and recommendations, including the most recent ones. We ended up with over 54,900 data sources. All these data were then processed using the Gearank Algorithm which gave us the rating scores out of 100 that you see above. Finally, we selected the highest-rated options to recommend. For more information about our methods see How Gearank Works.
About the Author and Contributors
Here are the key people and sources involved in this guide’s production – click on linked names for information about their music industry backgrounds.
Lead Author & Researcher
I used an older version Fender Frontman for many years, and it served me really well. I have since given it to my dad, and it still works without any hitch! These days, beginners have it better with full featured portable amps like the Blackstar Fly 3 and NUX Mighty Lite BT. Not only are they portable, they also sound good and are convenient to use.
Contributors
Alexander Briones: Editing.
Jason Horton: illustrating.
Media / Image Credit
Main/Top Image: Compiled using photographs of the Fender Frontman 10G, Blackstar Fly 3 and Monoprice 611720.
The videos have been embedded in accordance with YouTube’s Terms of Service.
The individual product images were sourced from websites, promotional materials or supporting documentation provided by their respective manufacturers.
More Best Guitar Amp under 100 Dollars – Quality Budget Amps Related Posts
Comments:
8 responses
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The following amps have been removed from the recommended list above due to them no longer being priced below $100:
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We’ve removed the Vox Pathfinder 10 due to a price increase that put it above this guide’s price limit.
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As a result of our August 2020 update, the following amps came off our recommended list above, but you can still see our analysis of them:
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Today we removed the Fender Champion 20 from the recommended list above due to a price increase.
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A combo amp has been redefined since modelling and effects have become pretty much standard. Having Overdrive is no longer considered a combo amp by anyone’s definition/interpretation. Even adding reverb is more old school combo category. And the battery operated amps, essentially a park bench practice amp, those are a different category altogether. That said, the Fender Champion 20 is the only one of this bunch that anyone would classify as a combo amp. The rest of them are basic relics from an era long past. Doesn’t mean they aren’t any good, they’re just practice amps either way. Saying that clean mode/tones are an amps strongest, commended/revered feature is just laughable in 2019, any amp should play clean tones, a Donner DEA-1 10W saves you a few bucks. easily as good as a Frontman 10g and has a 3 EQ vs the Fenders 2 EQ controls.
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A combo amp isn’t defined by effects or signal processing but simply by the fact that they have the amp and speaker combined into a single cabinet.
The other type is an Amp Head which typically doesn’t include speakers – like these.
What you’re talking about sounds more like a description of Solid State Amps, and I would agree that modeling/effects are changing the definition of those.
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As a result of the July 2019 update the following amps came off our recommended list above but you can still read what we have to say about them:
More Guitar Amps
Disclosure
About the Author and Contributors
Here are the key people and sources involved in this guide's production - click on linked names for information about their music industry backgrounds.
Lead Author & Researcher
Alexander Briones
I have been writing about and researching music gear for many years, all while serving as a music director at my local church. I engage in guitar playing and singer-songwriter stints, in addition to mentoring young musicians and teaching guitar and bass.
I used an older version Fender Frontman for many years, and it served me really well. I have since given it to my dad, and it still works without any hitch! These days, beginners have it better with full featured portable amps like the Blackstar Fly 3 and NUX Mighty Lite BT. Not only are they portable, they also sound good and are convenient to use.
Contributors
Alexander Briones: Editing.
Jason Horton: illustrating.
Media
Main/Top Image: Compiled using photographs of the Fender Frontman 10G, Blackstar Fly 3 and Monoprice 611720.
The videos have been embedded in accordance with YouTube's Terms of Service.
The individual product images were sourced from websites, promotional materials or supporting documentation provided by their respective manufacturers.
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