Esspresso vs RingsFX
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
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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
RingsFX
This music app emulates a renowned physical modeling synthesizer, offering diverse synthesis techniques and polyphonic capabilities. It allows for real-time parameter manipulation and can process external audio, creating unique sonic textures and rhythms.
- Physical modeling synthesis emulation
- Multiple polyphony modes (Mono, Duo, Quad, True Polyphonic)
- Supports MIDI MPE and velocity sensitivity
- External audio excitation
- Mod Matrix for real-time parameter control
- 7 unique synthesis modes
- 6 mod-able and 6 global effects
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RingsFX is an AUv3 plugin based on the famous Mutable Instruments Rings, one of the most dedicated and fully-featured Physical Modeling Eurorack modules ever created. At its core is a resonator that needs to be 'excited' or 'strummed' by MIDI input, noise, or external audio excitation. RingsFX emulates vibrations of structures simulated by 3 different synthesis techniques that can be plucked or process external signals: Modal Synthesis, Sympathetic Strings, and Inharmonic Strings. Traditionally, Rings was only monophonic but used a unique approach to polyphony that allowed the previous note to 'ring' out and decay while a new note was played. Rings FX provides these same modes (Mono, Duo, and Quad), but expands it with a true Polyphonic mode. RingsFX also expands the capabilities of the original engine by adding support for velocity sensitivity and MIDI MPE mode. The new polyphonic mode allows RingsFX to play up to 12 notes of true polyphony, depending on the settings. Doing so requires RingsFX to use multiple Rings resonators, but the more true polyphony you use, the more processing power it requires. Running in the traditional Monophonic, Duophonic, or Quadrophonic modes may be preferred in order to keep CPU usage under control. RingsFX has 7 modes in total, by combining the 3 basic modes with additional properties such as chords or specially tuned reverbs. The original hardware also had a secret 'Easter Egg' mode, which in RingsFX is simply calling 'Synthesizer' mode, rumoured to be based on one of the early Korg synthesis methods. This mode supported a number of mutable effects which now work on in all resonator modes. RingsFX also has a Mod-Matrix which allows you to combine the built-in LFOs and FEGs to great effect by manipulating parameters and mutable effects in realtime. Finally, RingsFX can be loaded as an AUv3 effect plugin. Set the Exciter Source to 'INPUT', and you can pass any audio through RingsFX and use this audio as an external exciter. For example, it can be used to great affect on a drum beat to create some crazy rhythms. Use the Output Mix to combine the original audio with the synthesised resonator output to create some stunning effects. Features ○ 7 unique synthesis modes. ○ Supports Mono, Duo, Quad and true polyphony. ○ Supports 2 fluid LFO's per note. ○ Up to 4 FEG's per note. ○ External Exciter modes. ○ White noise Pulse Sequencer. ○ Supports 6 mod-able effects and 6 global effects. ○ Mod Matrix ○ Input and white noise filters. ○ Program Manager with drag and drop. ○ Preset Search and Favourites. ○ Easy export and import of banks and presets. ○ Extensive help manual. ○ Web Transfer for backing up to PC/Mac. ○ MPE Support.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: RingsFX at 100% against Esspresso's 40%. RingsFX also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.5) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 9 months). Esspresso's advantage is price ($9.99 vs $14.99). 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 RingsFX $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
RingsFX holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Esspresso's written reviews are positive against 100% of RingsFX's.
Esspresso ships an update every 9 months, RingsFX fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Esspresso | RingsFX |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 — better | $14.99 |
| Rating | 3.5 (16 ratings) | 4.9 (27 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 16 | 27 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Klevgrand Produkter AB | 4Pockets.com |
Customer experience
Esspresso
RingsFX
In-app purchases
Esspresso
No in-app purchases
RingsFX
No in-app purchases









