Esspresso vs BLEASS Dragonfly
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Esspresso
This advanced audio effect offers professional de-essing with an intuitive interface. It functions as both a standalone app and an AUv3 plugin, allowing independent control over detection and suppression frequencies for precise sibilance management.
- Standalone app and AUv3 plugin
- Independent detection and suppression frequencies
- Visual frequency response view
- Detector sensitivity gain
- Visual reduction and detector RMS
- Load/save presets
Read full descriptionHide full description
This audio effect is an advanced de-esser with an intuitive user interface, and works both as an AUv3 audio plugin, and as a standalone app. The uniqueness of Esspresso is that the detection frequency range isn’t coupled with the suppressors frequency range. That means you can listen to a specific frequency and compress another one, which is often what you’ll want from a professional de-esser. With a fast and accurate frequency response view, you will easily get full control over annoying S-sounds that ruin the mix. Noteworthy features: • Works both as a standalone app and as an Audio Unit Extension (AUv3) with compliant hosts • Detector sensitivity gain • Visual reduction RMS • Visual detector RMS • Suppressor can work as allpass, bandpass and highpass • Load / Save presets
BLEASS Dragonfly
This audio effect plugin offers a unique approach to tremolo, allowing music producers to add dynamic modulation to synths, vocals, and melodies. It syncs tremolo effects with input frequencies, MIDI notes, or sidechained signals for creative sonic textures.
- Pitch tracking for self or sidechain modes
- MIDI input for precise triggering
- Manual rate and amplitude control
- Adjustable smoothing, stereo, attack, and release
- Wild mode for saturation and waveshaping
- Animated visualization of effect rate
Read full descriptionHide full description
BLEASS Dragonfly is a completely new approach to tremolo effect which brings new sonic possibilities to all music producers. Make your synths, voices or any melody “vibrate” in correspondence with its own frequencies, or with external basses and leads! Just like in Billie Eilish’s song “Xanny”, Dragonfly helps you achieve the same effect as when the voice gets modulated by a heavy bass. BLEASS Dragonfly automatically syncs the tremolo effect applied on a track using various triggers: First, you can use the pitch tracking module on either the input audio track (“self mode”) or a sidechained audio track (“sidechain mode”). You also can use the midi input to trigger Dragonfly with accuracy: the tremolo will automatically sync with the notes’ frequencies. Finally, a manual mode allows you to set a fixed frequency. Then you can finetune your settings by adjusting the fine, factor, smoothness, stereo, attack & release. The “Wild” mode applies a waveshaper to the signal to produce a subtle saturation. The final tremolo effect rate is mirrored by the flapping wings of the Dragonfly. BLEASS Dragonfly is also available for Mac & Windows (AU / VST3) https://www.bleass.com/dragonfly/ ________________________________________________ Technical description: SOURCE stage: - MANUAL: Tremolo rate is set by the Rate knob. Tremolo amplitude is set by the Amplitude knob. - MIDI: Tremolo rate corresponds to the rate of the lowest MIDI note received by the plugin. Tremolo amplitude corresponds to the velocity value of this note. - SELF: Pitch tracking on the input signal gives the tremolo rate. Tremolo amplitude matches the input signal’s amplitude. - SIDECHAIN: Pitch tracking on the sidechain signal gives the tremolo rate. Tremolo amplitude matches the sidechain signal’s amplitude. - SOURCE CHANNEL: Sets the channel to be analysed for SELF and SIDECHAIN modes. - AMPLITUDE: Sets tremolo amplitude in MANUAL mode. - GAIN: Sets the input gain in MIDI, SELF and SIDECHAIN modes. DRAGONFLY stage: - RATE: Sets tremolo rate in MANUAL mode. - FINE: Offsets the detected pitch value by +/- 0.5 semitone in MIDI, SELF and SIDECHAIN mode. - FACTOR: Detected or set rate is multiplied by this factor to give the final tremolo rate. - SMOOTH: Sets the smoothing duration of rate variations. - STEREO: Sets phase difference between left and right channels. - ATTACK: Attack duration of the effect. - RELEASE: Release duration of the effect. - MODE: SIMPLE is a basic tremolo. WILD uses complex waveshaping for warm and saturated effect. - WILDNESS: Sets waveshaping strength in WILD mode. - VISUALISATION: Dragonfly wings are animated to match the rate and amplitude of the effect. Green label on the left indicates the input MIDI note and rate. Blue label on the right indicates the applied MIDI note and Rate. MIX stage: - GAIN: Output gain of the effect. - DRY/WET: Dry/wet balance. NOTE: This is an AUv3 effect which needs a compatible host that ideally offers audio sidechain or MIDI FX routing (such as AUM, Cubasis 3 or Logic)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: BLEASS Dragonfly at 100% against Esspresso's 40%. BLEASS Dragonfly also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.5) and price ($7.99 vs $9.99). Esspresso's advantage is update cadence (every 9 months vs every 24 months). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Esspresso costs $9.99 and BLEASS Dragonfly $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BLEASS Dragonfly holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Esspresso's written reviews are positive against 100% of BLEASS Dragonfly's.
Esspresso ships an update every 9 months, BLEASS Dragonfly every 24 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Esspresso | BLEASS Dragonfly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | $7.99 — better |
| Rating | 3.5 (16 ratings) | 4.8 (17 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 16 | 17 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months — better | Every 24 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Klevgrand Produkter AB | BLEASS |
Customer experience
Esspresso
BLEASS Dragonfly
In-app purchases
Esspresso
No in-app purchases
BLEASS Dragonfly
No in-app purchases









