Comparison

GeoShred vs SynthMaster 2

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

Head to head
About

GeoShred

This app is a fluidly expressive musical instrument for multi-touch devices. It offers a unique performance surface with advanced pitch rounding and physical modeling of various instruments. Expand your sonic palette with a wide range of purchasable instrument add-ons.

Highlights
  • Fluidly expressive playing surface
  • Physically modeled guitar and effects
  • Extensive in-app instrument purchases
  • AUv3 plugin support
  • MIDI/MPE IN/OUT support
  • Support for world scales and temperaments
Features
Read full description

GeoShred Pro Version 7 With in-app purchases for GeoSWAM and Naada instruments on devices running iOS 13 or later. Imagine a new kind of musical instrument, an instrument that lets performers fluidly express multiple independent voices. An instrument with continuous pitch control that also helps players precisely land on the right note in any temperament. GeoShred Pro is an award-winning, deeply expressive musical instrument for multi-touch devices. Its innovative performance surface features “almost magic” pitch-rounding algorithms and is coupled to physically modeled instruments and effects. GeoShred Pro also supports AUv3, MIDI In/Out, MPE, and 3D Touch. It combines Jordan Rudess’ groundbreaking performance concepts with powerful physically modeled guitar and effects technology based on the research of Dr. Julius O. Smith III of Stanford/CCRMA. GeoShred’s expressive control surface can also be used to play external synthesizers. 300,000 artists in over 120 countries perform with GeoShred, with a strong global community that includes many musicians in India. Awards include: • 2nd Place Winner, 2022/2025 MIDI Innovation Award for Software • Gold Medal Winner, 2019 Denny Award • Winner, 2019 Guthman New Musical Instrument Award • Winner, 2017 Electronic Musician Editor’s Choice Award GeoShred Pro Version 7 Features • Send/Connect support so GeoShred for iOS/iPadOS can control GeoShred Studio for macOS • A fluid, expressive playing surface with finger vibrato, slide, and intelligent pitch rounding • Built-in physically modeled guitar • Physically modeled effects including Distortion, Wah, EQ, VCF, Flanger, Phaser, Chorus, Tremolo, Reverb, Sympathetic Resonator, Echo Looper, Multi-Tap Echo, Amp and Cabinet Modeling, Modeled Feedback for Guitar, and VCF effects • In-app purchases for 22 Naada instruments: Bansuri, Bass, Bass Clarinet, Carnatic Violin, Cello, Dizi, Duduk, Erhu, Gaohu, Guan, Nadaswaram, Pan Flute, Pipa, Rudra Veena, Sarangi, Saraswati Veena, Sarod, Shehnai, Sitar, Suona, Viola, and Zhonghu • In-app purchases for 11 GeoSWAM instruments: GeoViolin, GeoFlute, GeoTenorSax, GeoCello, GeoClarinet, GeoOboe, GeoTrumpet, GeoBassTrombone, GeoBassFlute, GeoViola, and GeoPizzBass • AUv3 plug-in support with parameter automation • iCloud preset synchronization • MIDI/MPE In/Out support • MIDI configuration presets • Customizable control surface mapping to physical MIDI controls • Diatonic keyboard mode, where every key is in the scale • Support for world scales and temperaments, including Indian ragas, Arabic scales, and Balinese scales • 3D Touch support on compatible iPhones • Backing tracks • Built-in arpeggiator • Easy preset sharing via email or iCloud The GeoSWAM and Naada instruments can be performed from the GeoShred keyboard, MPE controllers, conventional MIDI controllers, and wind controllers. Praise for the GeoShred Family of Apps “GeoShred is brilliant—it’s a real instrument.” — Eddie Jobson “A fantastic new invention which is going to revolutionize the way music is played, expressed and learned! ‘GeoShred’ is one of the foremost best musical inventions I’ve had the pleasure to experience in recent years. Definitely 5 stars out of 5! GIGANTASTIVISSIMO…..R…A…Z!!!!!” — Patrick Moraz “That’s just nuts. You’re the best guitarist without a guitar of all time.” — Joe Satriani Our Commitment We are dedicated to providing the highest level of musical instrument experience for our customers worldwide. If you enjoy GeoShred, we would greatly appreciate your positive review on the App Store. If you have any questions, we would love to hear from you at: support@moforte.com Minimum Requirements iOS 13 or later is required for AUv3, iCloud, and GeoSWAM and Naada instruments. * Note: Due to App Store limitations, previously purchased individual instrument in-app purchases cannot be applied toward the purchase of collection in-app purchases.

About

SynthMaster 2

This powerful software synthesizer offers a vast array of sound design capabilities, including multiple oscillator modes, extensive modulation options, and a wide selection of filters. Explore over 1000 factory presets or create your own unique sounds. Available as a standalone app or AUv3 plugin.

Highlights
  • Multiple oscillator modes (Basic, Additive, Wavetable, Vector)
  • Extensive modulation architecture
  • 6 filter categories
  • Import custom wave files
  • 1000+ factory presets
  • Standalone app and AUv3 plugin
Read full description

KV331 Audio is proud to announce the availability of their award winning software synthesizer SynthMaster 2.9 on iOS platform. As being the first app developed using KV331 Audio’s new cross-platform UI framework, SynthMaster 2 runs as a standalone app or AUv3 plugin on iPads with iOS 11 and above. SynthMaster 2 supports native resolutions of various iPad devices. User interfaces are provided for 9.7, 11 and 12.9 inch iPads in 4 different skins (Blue, White, Dark, Proto). Separate interfaces are provided for the AudioUnit plugin as well. SynthMaster 2 comes with 1000 factory presets designed by world class sound designers such as BigTone, Nori Ubukata, NatLife and Yuli Yolo. Thanks to the comprehensive preset browsing features, users can easily filter presets by author name, bank name, instrument type or preset name and find the sounds that they are looking for. There’s also an IAP Shop, which lets users purchase additional sounds: 1. "Desktop Presets Upgrade": This IAP adds all factory presets in SynthMaster 2.9, increasing the total preset count to 2000. 2. "All Expansions Bundle": This IAP adds all current 38 SynthMaster preset expansion banks. Sound Engine: At the heart of SynthMaster 2’s powerful sound engine lies its oscillators, modulators, and filters. Oscillators: The oscillators can operate in 4 different modes to generate sound: 1. In Basic mode, the oscillator plays single cycle waveforms or samples. With the Oscillator Unison turned on, up to 8 voices per oscillator can be played. 2. In Additive mode, 8 Basic oscillators can be stacked up to create richer tones. 3. In Wavetable mode, the oscillator can play wavetables with up to 256 frames. 4. In Vector mode, 4 Basic oscillators are mixed in 2 dimensions. Modulators: Modulators are simply basic oscillators that can be added to other oscillators or modulate other oscillators’ or modulators’ phases. By connecting modulators to other oscillators or modulators, complex FM tones can be synthesized. Importing Wave Files into SynthMaster: While designing sounds, users can easily import wave files into SynthMaster 2. SynthMaster 2 can categorize those files into waveforms, wavetables or multi samples and import them accordingly. Filters: Once the sound is generated by the oscillators it goes through SynthMaster’s filters, which can operate in 6 different categories: Digital, VAnalog, Ladder, Diode Ladder, State Variable and Bite. Custom distortion can be applied before or after the filters as well. Modulation Architecture: SynthMaster 2 features a comprehensive modulation architecture with a wide range of modulation sources: 1. MIDI controls 2. Macros controls 3. 4 ADSR envelopes per layer 4. 4 Multisegmented envelopes per payer 5. 4 LFOs per layer 6. 4 Sequencers per layer 7. 4 Keyscalers per layer There’s real-time visual feedback that lets users see how modulation sources and targets are changing when a note is being played. This is extremely helpful when designing sounds with SynthMaster 2. New modulations can be created easily by dragging and dropping a modulation source onto a knob or slider control. Users can easily see which controls are modulated by a modulation source by clicking on that source. Controls that are being modulated by that source will display modulation amounts. By long pressing a control, the modulation amount can be edited without the need to go through the mod matrix. Arp/Sequencer: SynthMaster features a comprehensive arpeggiator / sequencer with 32 steps. Users can easily create sequences by recording steps one by one. Effects: Each of the 2 layers in SynthMaster has 5 insert effect slots. 13 different types of effects can be instantiated in any of those slots. There are also 2 global effect send busses which can be used to create more complex effect routings.

Screenshots

GeoShred4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SynthMaster 2 at $14.99 against GeoShred's $24.99. GeoShred's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (91% vs 68%). On rating, update cadence, 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

GeoShred costs $24.99 and SynthMaster 2 $14.99 up front. GeoShred sells 24 one-off in-app purchases and SynthMaster 2 sells 32 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for GeoShred against 4.8 for SynthMaster 2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.4K and 451 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of GeoShred's written reviews are positive against 68% of SynthMaster 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GeoShred ships an update every 2 weeks, SynthMaster 2 every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
GeoShred versus SynthMaster 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGeoShredSynthMaster 2
Price$24.99$14.99 — better
Rating4.8 (1.4K ratings) — better4.8 (451 ratings)
Positive reviews90.7% of reviews — better68.5% of reviews
Number of ratings1.4K — better451
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS15.015
Further details — not scored
Size865 MB918 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperWizdom Music LLCKV331 Audio

Customer experience

GeoShred

All ratings1,402 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral1.6%
Negative2.4%
Written reviews525 reviews
Positive90.7%
Neutral2.7%
Negative6.7%

SynthMaster 2

All ratings407 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews111 reviews
Positive68.5%
Neutral16.2%
Negative15.3%

User reviews

GeoShred

From 1.4K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎸 Expressive and responsive playing surface
  • 🎨 Vast array of high-quality instrument sounds
  • 🎶 Excellent for creating music with great expressiveness
  • 🎹 Intuitive and easy to use for both beginners and professionals
  • 🎚️ Highly customizable with deep editing capabilities

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive for some users, especially with additional in-app purchases
  • 🤔 Steep learning curve for some users
  • 🔌 Occasional issues with stability and crashes
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate menus and settings for some users
  • 🔇 Some users desire more dry/unprocessed instrument sounds

SynthMaster 2

From 451 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Best synth on iPad
  • 👍 Delicious sound
  • 👍 Tremendously powerful synth
  • 👍 Great synth with complex possibilities and great sound(s)
  • 👍 Perfeito

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Auswahl der Modulationsquellen funktioniert nicht richtig
  • 🐛 Echt schlecht
  • 🐛 Broken Preset System for a powerful synth
  • 🐛 Please fix the OSC behavior on Square and Saw
  • 🐛 Preset issues

Bugs and requests

GeoShred

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Inconsistent performance and note retention issues when used with other apps
  • Occasional crashes and freezes, especially after updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • More classic acoustic and electric guitar sounds
  • Improved scale and mode selection interface
  • Ability to save and load custom presets
  • Support for external MIDI controllers and keyboards
  • Recording and looping capabilities within the app

SynthMaster 2

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Presets not loading correctly
  • Modulation not working after loading project
  • Skin resets to default
  • App crashes frequently

Requested features

2 requests
  • Pitch bend/glide for imported samples
  • Integration with AUM audio mixer

In-app purchases

24 purchases

GeoShred

One-time24
  • GeoBassTrombone$10.00
  • Naada Duduk$11.00
  • Naada Carnatic Violin$14.99
Show 21 more
  • Naada Sitar$14.99
  • GeoClarinet$14.99
  • GeoOboe$14.99
  • GeoCello$14.99
  • GeoViolin$14.99
  • GeoTenorSax$14.99
  • GeoFlute$14.99
  • GeoTrumpet$14.99
  • GeoPizzBass$14.99
  • Naada Bansuri$14.99
  • GeoBassFlute$14.99
  • GeoViola$14.99
  • Naada Collection III$50.00
  • GeoSWAM Collection II$59.99
  • GeoSWAM Collection Classic$74.99
  • Naada Collection 1$74.99
  • Naada Collecton IV$89.99
  • GeoSWAM Collection I & II$119.99
  • Naada Collection I & II$119.99
  • Naada Collection I & II & III & IV$173.99
  • Naada Collection I & II & III$179.99
32 purchases

SynthMaster 2

One-time32
  • BigTone Tableworks Vol.2$1.99
  • Burak Yeter Synth Sounds Vol1$1.99
  • Aiyn Zahev Expansion 1$1.99
Show 29 more
  • BigTone Tableworks Vol.1$1.99
  • Michael Kastrup Expansion$1.99
  • EDM Stars Volume 1$1.99
  • Nori Ubukata Pop Hits Vol.4$1.99
  • Rob Lee EDM Expansion Vol.2$1.99
  • Alonso Sound Future Rave$1.99
  • Nori Ubukata Pop Hits Vol.1$1.99
  • BigTone Techno Bits Vol.1$1.99
  • Club Sequences Vol.1$2.99
  • Historical Synth Giants Vol.3$2.99
  • Dawn of Electronic Music Vol.2$2.99
  • Nori Ubukata Art Rock Basics$2.99
  • BigTone Analog Basics 02$4.99
  • BigTone Analog Basics$4.99
  • BigTone Signature Sounds Vol.1$4.99
  • NU Sounds of the World$4.99
  • Historical Synth Giants Vol.4$4.99
  • Historical Synth Giants Vol.1$4.99
  • Historical Synth Giants Vol.2$4.99
  • Japan Vintage$4.99
  • NatLife Future Bass Sounds$4.99
  • Danyella EDM Expansion Vol.1$4.99
  • Dawn of Electronic Music Vol.1$4.99
  • Dawn of Electronic Music Vol.3$4.99
  • Rob Lee EDM Expansion Vol.3$4.99
  • Natlife Disco Funk$4.99
  • Insigne Essentials 4 Clubbin$4.99
  • Desktop Presets Upgrade$9.99
  • All Expansions Bundle$49.99

Questions

Is GeoShred free?
GeoShred costs $24.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is SynthMaster 2 free?
SynthMaster 2 costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GeoShred or SynthMaster 2?
GeoShred is rated higher. GeoShred averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while SynthMaster 2 averages 4.8 from 451 ratings.
Do GeoShred or SynthMaster 2 have ads?
SynthMaster 2 shows ads; GeoShred does not.
Which is updated more often, GeoShred or SynthMaster 2?
GeoShred ships an update every 2 weeks, and SynthMaster 2 every 3 weeks. Most recently, GeoShred was updated on October 2, 2026 and SynthMaster 2 on September 23, 2026.

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