REUs and Direct PhD

For anyone who’s done an REU: did it help you get into a PhD program straight out of undergrad?

I'm interested in a direct PhD (ideally in Comp Sci or HCI), and I am wondering how much weight an REU carries in PhD admissions (especially in cases of a low gpa). Would research experience, a senior thesis, and a small publication/conference help offset a lower GPA?

Would love to hear about people’s experiences- what kind of programs you got into, whether the REU helped directly, and any advice for someone thinking of applying to a direct PhD.