# variant vs Ilumino

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: variant at 8.0 against Ilumino's 17.0. On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

variant ships an update monthly, Ilumino every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | variant | Ilumino |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/variantsonic/id1027149718/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 53 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Interval Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/364824624) | [Narcyz Adamus](https://appshunter.io/developer/1092865008) |

## What reviewers say

### variant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/variantsonic/id1027149718)

Experience a unique audiovisual artwork that generates ever-changing music and imagery. Interact by tapping to trigger musical fragments and responsive visuals, or drag to steer the visuals. Build complex combinations of sound and visuals through interactive controls.

**Highlights:** Generative audiovisual artwork, Interactive music generation, Evolving visual imagery, User input for control, Screenshot functionality, Indeterminate audio engine display

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ilumino

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ilumino/id6475326224)

This app transforms ambient sounds into a dynamic visual display of colors and shapes. Customize the experience by adjusting sensitivity and advanced parameters, or connect external devices for deeper experimentation. It offers a unique way to interact with your environment through sight and sound.

**Highlights:** Sound-to-visual conversion, Customizable patterns, Adjustable sensitivity, Advanced parameter tuning, External DAC support, Audio generator testing

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is variant free?

variant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Ilumino free?

Ilumino is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do variant or Ilumino have ads?

Neither variant nor Ilumino shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, variant or Ilumino?

variant ships an update monthly, and Ilumino every 5 weeks. Most recently, variant was updated on November 1, 2026 and Ilumino on October 5, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*