# RoughRider3 — Studio Compressor

> Advanced audio compressor plugin with sidechain and HPF controls. (iPhone/iPad app by Audio Damage, Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roughrider3/id1496058931 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Audio Damage, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1248448317)
- Category: Music
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 76 App Store ratings · 23 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 11.0 · 5 MB
- Released: 2020-01-27
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roughrider3/id1496058931/reviews.md

## What is RoughRider3?

With almost a quarter million downloads, the free Rough Rider compressor from Audio Damage is one of the most popular plugin effects on the planet. 

RoughRider3 expands on the original RoughRider and RoughRider2. New features: 

• External Sidechain Input in hosts
 that support it. (Currently only AUM)

• Sidechain HPF control (works on both normal operation and external sidechain, for removing the low end from the compression algorithm.)

• Input and Output level controls, for easier level tuning.

• FULL BANDWIDTH control removes the warming features and high end attenuation from the original RoughRider, for a cleaner sound. 

All this in addition to the original RoughRider compression you know and love. RoughRider3 installs both an AUv3 and a standalone with Inter-App Audio.

## Key features

- External Sidechain Input
- Sidechain HPF control
- Input and Output level controls
- FULL BANDWIDTH control
- AUv3 and Standalone
- Inter-App Audio support

## Recent user reviews (10 of 23)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roughrider3/id1496058931/reviews.md

### 5/5 — The best overall compressor

*2026-05-15*

I feel like I’ve bought them all. I’m sure I have at least 6 or 7 comps. This is the one I keep coming back to. It’s free and probably the easiest comp to use.

### 5/5 — Top

*2026-04-01*

Faut juste bien savoir régler mes c’est excellent ça rajoute du volume correcte et remplace tout les Eq possible c’est une Eq déjà travaillé juste à régler correctement le volume

### 5/5 — The BEST FREE compressor

*2026-03-27*

Great Quality! I perform live with it every time and pretty happy about this plugin! Thank you!

### 4/5 — Bugs

*2024-09-09*

Weird bugs happening. Haven’t an atualization? The SC ACTIVE got turned off while was in use. Was playing the song and I was working on EQ when stopped showing the levels of frequency of the instrument which was been worked.

### 5/5 — The best plug-in, period.

*2024-02-26*

True story

### 5/5 — Use it on every session

*2022-05-08*

If you’re using GarageBand you’ll know that the included compressor is all but useless. I got this after seeing someone use it on YouTube and it has fundamentally changed the way I record; recording, mixing, and mastering a record entirely in GarageBand for iOS wasn’t really realistic until I discovered this compressor.
It’s good for vocals, great for drums, and absolutely amazing on final mixes in the mastering stage. Put an EQ boost in front of it and an EQ cut behind it and hear how sensitive and accurate this thing is. I need to look into the sidechain feature, it does something but I’m not sure what, as GarageBand doesn’t actually support side-chaining... But other than that, I’ve become very well acquainted with this compressor and I consider it a good friend. Part of the family even. If you need a compressor and don’t want to spend $20, don’t worry-Roughrider3 has got you COVERED. For real, I don’t know why this thing doesn’t have 100k reviews.

### 5/5 — Some crash in iPadOS 15

*2022-03-08*

It sometimes crash when the Bluetooth connected (auto )to a music player,

### 5/5 — Crush anything

*2021-11-26*

Great plug-in. I’ve been using on my main Daw since version 1.

### 5/5 — The best auv3 compressor. You need it too!

*2021-11-05*

This is just the best! Thank you so much for the app. I’ve run into one problem though - the side chains function. It’s not exactly clear how it works cuz it doesn’t allow you to choose a bus to control the modulated signal. So…it does nothing?

### 5/5 — Compression

*2021-10-19*

It compresses.
It can be both 
transparent 
and coloured.
It has side chaining.

It’s free.

Setting the standard 
on the iOS platform.

It’s great.

Thank you Audio Damage.

Gravitas from the AB Forum

## Frequently asked questions about RoughRider3

### What does RoughRider3 do?

RoughRider3 is an audio effect plugin that provides advanced compression capabilities. It expands on previous versions with features like external sidechain input, a sidechain high-pass filter (HPF) control, and adjustable input/output levels for precise audio manipulation.

### What are the key new features in RoughRider3?

New features include an external sidechain input (currently supported in AUM), a sidechain HPF control to manage low-end frequencies in compression, input and output level controls for easier tuning, and a FULL BANDWIDTH control for a cleaner sound by removing warming features and high-end attenuation.

### Is RoughRider3 free to use?

Yes, RoughRider3 is a free application. It has achieved a significant number of downloads, indicating its popularity and accessibility within the audio production community.

### What platforms and formats does RoughRider3 support?

RoughRider3 installs as both an AUv3 plugin and a standalone application. It also supports Inter-App Audio, allowing it to be used with other compatible audio applications on iOS devices.

### Who is RoughRider3 designed for?

This app is designed for musicians, producers, and audio engineers who use mobile devices for music creation and audio processing. Its advanced features make it suitable for those seeking professional-grade compression tools.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 3.0.1 — 2020-02-13

Aspect ratio fixes for the "long and skinny" plugin view modes in GarageBand and Cubasis 3.

### 3.0.0 — 2020-01-27

No release notes.

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## More apps by Audio Damage, Inc.

- [Grind Distortion](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grind-distortion/id1249816007)
- [Eos 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eos-2/id1252122327)
- [Dubstation 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dubstation-2/id1253069666)
- [Replicant 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/replicant-2/id1261900553)
- [Pumphouse](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pumphouse/id1270238019)
- [Axon 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/axon-2/id1289090729)

All apps by Audio Damage, Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/1248448317

## Related topics

[audio unit](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/audio-unit) · [compressor plugin](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/compressor-plugin) · [sidechain compressor plugin](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/sidechain-compressor-plugin) · [rough rider 3](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/rough-rider-3) · [rough rider](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/rough-rider) · [auv3](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/auv3) · [auv3 compressor](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/auv3-compressor) · [lrc5](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/lrc5) · [audio plugin](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/audio-plugin) · [lrc7](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/lrc7) · [audio compressor](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/audio-compressor) · [simgot](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/simgot) · [audio unit extensions](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/audio-unit-extensions)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*