# Synesthesia vs Cymatica

The clearest difference is rating: Cymatica at 4.7 against Synesthesia's 2.3. Cymatica also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 38%). Synesthesia's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.5). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cymatica sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Synesthesia asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cymatica holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Synesthesia's written reviews are positive against 77% of Cymatica's.

Synesthesia ships an update monthly, Cymatica every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Synesthesia | Cymatica |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synesthesia-music-visualizer/id1046438840/reviews) | **[4.7 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cymatica-music-visualizer/id6748863721/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **27** |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews | **76.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 31 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christian Auzinger](https://appshunter.io/developer/918405870) | [Shridhar Gupta](https://appshunter.io/developer/386865394) |

## What reviewers say

### Synesthesia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synesthesia-music-visualizer/id1046438840)

Experience music through a spectrum of colors, mimicking the sensory phenomenon of synesthesia. Use it as a dynamic mood light, a calming night light, or to visualize the pitches of songs and instruments.

**Highlights:** Music visualization, Mood lighting, Night light functionality, Pitch to color mapping, Microphone access for real-time audio

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cymatica

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cymatica-music-visualizer/id6748863721)

Explore the universe's hidden mathematics by transforming sound into mesmerizing geometric sand patterns. This interactive physics simulation brings scientific principles to life with real-time calculations and haptic feedback.

**Highlights:** Interactive sand pattern simulation, Sound wave visualization, Haptic feedback, Real-time frequency calculations, Adjustable pattern complexity, Pattern saving, Dark mode

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cymatica Pro | $3.99 | per month |
| Cymatica Pro | $19.99 | per year |
| Unlock Sounds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cymatica Pro Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Synesthesia free?

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

### Is Cymatica free?

Cymatica is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Synesthesia or Cymatica?

Cymatica is rated higher. Synesthesia averages 2.3 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Cymatica averages 4.7 from 27 ratings.

### Do Synesthesia or Cymatica have ads?

Neither Synesthesia nor Cymatica shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Synesthesia or Cymatica?

Synesthesia ships an update monthly, and Cymatica every 6 weeks. Most recently, Synesthesia was updated on October 13, 2026 and Cymatica on October 16, 2026.

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