Dragonfly Reverb is a free bundle of reverbs (effects that add reverberation to a sound and create a sense of space) distributed by Michael Willis. It includes four types: Hall, Room, Plate and Early Reflections, so you can set up reverb for vocals and instruments at no cost. This page covers how to get it, its features and how to use it, based only on what could be confirmed on the official pages.
Disclosure: this site uses affiliate programs. The fact that each product is free, and its features and formats, were checked on the makers’ official pages around 2026-10-16. Terms of distribution can change, so please check the official page before you download.
How to get Dragonfly Reverb
- Open the Dragonfly Reverb official site (free) and click “Download” in the top menu.
- The download page (a GitHub releases page) opens. Choose the file for your OS: a “dmg” file for Mac, a “zip” file for Windows. Windows has 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
- Open the downloaded file and install it.
- In your DAW (recording and production software), rescan your plug-ins, then load it on a track insert (the slot where you put an effect) or on a send.
The official download page has no screen asking you to register or create an account.
What kind of product is it?
Dragonfly Reverb is a set of free audio effects. The official site says it works on Linux, MacOS and Windows. The license is GPL 3.0 (a type of license that lets anyone use the software and keeps the inside open), and the source code is public. There is also a page for donating to the developer, but no payment is needed just to use it.
Features of the 4 reverbs (per the manufacturer)
- Dragonfly Hall Reverb: A reverb with stereo input and stereo output. It is mainly for concert halls, and also includes presets that represent smaller rooms, studios and chambers (per the manufacturer).
- Dragonfly Room Reverb: A reverb with stereo input and stereo output. It centers on presets for various rooms, with a few presets for halls and effects as well (per the manufacturer).
- Dragonfly Plate: A plate reverb with mono input and stereo output. You can choose from 3 algorithms: Simple (a thin plate), Nested (a thick plate) and Tank (a method based on a paper by Dattorro) (per the manufacturer).
- Dragonfly Early Reflections: An effect that extracts only the “early reflections” (the first sounds bouncing off the walls) used in Hall and Room. There is no long reverb tail after them. You can choose the reflection pattern (per the manufacturer).
In Hall and Room, three sliders (Dry for the original sound, Early for the early reflections and Late for the reverb tail that follows) set the volume balance. There are also knobs such as Size (the size of the space), Width (the stereo spread) and Predelay (the time before the reverb starts) (per the manufacturer). Switching presets does not move the sliders, so you can set the volume balance first and then compare presets (per the manufacturer).
Who it suits
- People who want to try hall, room and plate reverb for free, all in one go.
- People who want a first reverb for vocals in songs. Plate is a type that is often used as a standard reverb that blends well with vocals.
- People who want to learn how reverb works by thinking of “early reflections” and the “later reverb” separately.
- People looking for a reverb that works not only on Windows and Mac but also on Linux.
Tips for using it
- With reverb, it is basic to start with a small amount. To avoid upsetting the balance of the original sound, a common approach is to use a send (a way of sending a copy of the sound to a separate track) to a track dedicated to reverb.
- Setting a little Predelay leaves a gap before the reverb starts, which may keep the words of the vocal from being buried.
- A larger Size makes the reverb smoother, but its onset becomes slower (per the manufacturer). For fast-tempo songs, it seems good to try a smaller size first.
- Using Low Cut and High Cut (filters that remove low and high frequencies) to tame muddy lows or harsh highs makes the reverb easier to organize in the mix.
- Comparing Hall, Room and Plate on the same song to find the space that suits its mood is also a good method.
Notes before you download
- Supported OS: Linux, MacOS and Windows. For Mac there are Intel and Universal (including Apple-made chips) files, and for Windows there are 32-bit and 64-bit files (official download page).
- Supported formats: The official repository’s classification lists VST and LV2. Please check the contents of the download to see whether your DAW can load the format.
- Display: OpenGL 3.0 or higher is required to show the control screen (official).
- Where to get it: Always download it from the official site or the official releases page.
Link to the official site: Dragonfly Reverb official site (free)
FAQ
Q. Is it really free?
The official site describes it as “free audio effect plugins”. The official pages do not mention a paid version.
Q. Can I use it for commercial songs?
The license is GPL 3.0. Please check the LICENSE in the official repository for the detailed terms.
Q. Do I have to install all 4?
It is distributed as a bundle, so they are installed together. You only need to use the ones you need. Starting with Hall or Plate will probably make the differences easy to hear.
Related articles
- Free plug-ins for DTM: a roundup
- Reverb comparison (ranked on the same criteria, paid products included)
For free options
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