Comparison

Esspresso vs RingsFX

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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 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

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

RingsFX4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Esspresso costs $9.99 and RingsFX $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Esspresso ships an update every 9 months, RingsFX fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Esspresso versus RingsFX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEsspressoRingsFX
Price$9.99 — better$14.99
Rating3.5 (16 ratings)4.9 (27 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1627 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKlevgrand Produkter AB4Pockets.com

Customer experience

Esspresso

All ratings16 ratings
Positive56.3%
Neutral12.5%
Negative31.3%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral13.3%
Negative46.7%

RingsFX

All ratings26 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Esspresso

No in-app purchases

None

RingsFX

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Esspresso free?
Esspresso costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is RingsFX free?
RingsFX costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Esspresso or RingsFX?
RingsFX is rated higher. Esspresso averages 3.5 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while RingsFX averages 4.9 from 27 ratings.
Do Esspresso or RingsFX have ads?
Neither Esspresso nor RingsFX shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Esspresso or RingsFX?
Esspresso ships an update every 9 months, and RingsFX fortnightly. Most recently, Esspresso was updated on October 7, 2026 and RingsFX on October 20, 2026.

Other comparisons