There isn’t one universally best flash for “general macro.” The right setup depends on what you shoot and how you work.

For field macro, especially insects, a small speedlight with a good diffuser is a very common and practical choice because it balances portability, convenience, and softer light. Community replies specifically mentioned a compact Godox speedlight plus a diffuser as a popular nature-macro setup.

For still subjects like mushrooms or plants, off-camera flash can be more flexible because you can place the light where you want and shape shadows more deliberately.

Ring lights aren’t automatically a bad choice either: if you like the convenience but dislike ring-shaped highlights or flat lighting, diffusion and simple masking/filtering modifications can soften and alter the look.

So the main takeaway is: choose based on use case, not the idea that one flash type is best for all macro. If you want one versatile starting point, a standard or compact speedlight with a diffuser is a sensible place to begin, then adapt later if your work leans more toward studio-style still life or specialized insect shooting.