You simply need a valve-pre emulator for both clean and distorted. I’ve tried all the above mentioned and I’m happiest with the performance of Amplitube. Only think better than that is getting a real valve rig and miking it with a U87i or something like that (again with valve pres). Ignore this and you’ll find the sound to be thin and cold, breaking apart digitally on the transients.
Too much distortion ruins tone, and it’s a real insensitive trapping. But plenty of artists still do it. If that’s you’re thing then go for a DI, Dist2 and a few filters. But if you want soulful warm analogue guitar in there, start thinking about saving up for a pro signal chain.