Patch Base vs AudioKit Digital D1 Synth
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Patch Base
This app allows users to visualize, edit, and organize patches for a wide range of hardware synthesizers. It offers real-time parameter editing, patch bank management, and the ability to create random or initial patches. Users can also test sounds with an on-screen keyboard.
- Visualize synth patches
- Real-time parameter editing
- Manage patch banks
- Create random patches
- On-screen keyboard for sound testing
- Extensive synthesizer support
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Patch Base is a collection of patch editors and librarians for new and vintage synthesizers, enabling easy visualization, editing, and organization of patches. * See what patches on your synth look like * Edit the parameters of your synth in real time, while you play * Manage your patch banks directly from the app * Save patches in Patch Base, and back them up using iCloud * Access your patch files on your computer via iCloud Drive * Create random patches, and "init" patches as starting points for new sounds * Play your synth for sound testing using the on-screen keyboard Patch Base currently has editors for the following synthesizers, with more to come: * Access Virus C, Virus TI, Virus TI Snow * Akai Miniak * Alesis Micron * Behringer Deepmind 12 * Casio CZ-1, CZ-101, CZ-1000, CZ-3000, CZ-5000 * Clavia Nord Lead 2, Nord Lead 2X * DSI Mopho, Mopho Keyboard, Evolver, Evolver Keyboard, Tetra * E-mu Proteus/1, Proteus/2, Proteus 2000, Proteus 1000, Orbit-3, Virtuoso 2000, Xtreme Lead-1, Mo'Phatt, Planet Earth * Ensoniq ESQ-1, SQ-80, and ESQ-M * Korg Volca FM, Volca FM2, Minilogue, microKORG, MS2000, MS2000R, MS2000B, MS2000BR, DW-8000, EX-8000, Prophecy * Novation Circuit, Bass Station II * Oberheim Matrix-1000, Matrix-6, Matrix-6r * Roland JD-Xi, JV-1080, JV-2080, JV-1010, XP-80, XP-60, XP-50, XP-30, D-50, D-550, D-05, D-110, D-10, D-20, D-5, JV-880, JV-80, XV-5080, XV-3080, XV-5050, XV-2020, Alpha Juno-1, Alpha Juno-2, MKS-50, JD-800, JD-990, JX-8P, JP-8080 * Waldorf Blofeld, Micro Q * Yamaha DX7, DX7II, TX7, TX802, TX816, TX81Z, DX100, FB-01, FS1R, TG33, DX200, TG77, SY77, DX21, DX11, Reface DX The app is free for download and to try out, ensuring that the app works with your hardware setup. For full access to all editor features, each editor is available as an individual In-App Purchase, or via an All Access subscription. ** Unlock Every Editor with All Access ** Patch Base now offers the All Access subscription, giving you access to every editor that Patch Base offers for a single subscription price. You can subscribe on a monthly or annual basis. Subscription payment is charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of subscription purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can turn off auto-renewal and manage your subscription at any time from your iTunes Account Settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://coffeeshopped.com/patch-base-privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://coffeeshopped.com/patch-base-terms-conditions
AudioKit Digital D1 Synth
This app is a virtual analog and PCM synthesizer for iPad, inspired by the digital synthesizers of the 80s and 90s. It offers a vast library of presets, advanced synthesis features, and built-in effects for creating rich, retro-inspired sounds.
- 64-voice hybrid digital poly synthesis
- 1GB+ of original samples
- Stand-alone, IAA, and AUv3 support
- Vintage-style arp/step sequencer
- 3 LFOs with fun routings
- Dual independent per-layer filters
- Built-in FX suite
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Epic 64-voice Virtual Analog / PCM iPad Synth Inspired by the Digital Synths of the 80s and 90s - ** TOP 3 iOS MUSIC APPS OF 2018 *** - Music Radar Awards (Computer Music & Future Music Magazine) - * Featured By Apple in "New Apps We Love!" ** "Fans of the D-50, JD-990, 01/W, Wavestation... Rejoice!" - Music Radar FULLY LOADED w/ 500+ presets by Brice Beasley, Matthew Fecher, Red Sky Lullaby, Jakob Haq, Dean Daughters (Electronisounds), Sound of Izrael, Brian Funk, and more DIGITAL D1 is AWESOME: - 64-voice Hybrid Digital Poly Synthesis. - Full 1+ Gigabyte of original samples recorded from analog & fm synths over 30+ years old - Stand-alone iPad Synth, plus IAA & Audiobus - Basic AUv3 Plugin support. Works best with AUM. We're working on upgrading Audio Unit support. - Space-saving Compression - The whole app is under 200mb! - Dual layers per voice. Keyboard splits. Velocity Scaling. - Vintage-style Arp/Step Sequencer that can be routed to specific layers. - 3 LFOs. Fun Routings. LFOs can modify other LFOs. - Dual Independent per-Layer filters - Plus, per-voice Harmonic key-tracked Envelope filters. "Digital D1 Sounds and plays AMAZING!" - The Sound Test Room "Rad retro synth sounds" - Cult of Mac, App of the Week "AudioKit Digital D1 is a beautiful Synthesizer app that recreates the spirit of legendary synths" - Synth Anatomy ADDITIONAL FEATURES: - FX: Glorious Reverb, Phaser, Digital Delay, Distortion, Flanger, Chorus, Crush, and more. - Perfect with a MIDI Keyboard - Ableton Link - All kinds of awesome stuff - The Sound. Oh, the sound. You won't believe it. "Digital D1 synth is pure ‘80s and ‘90s digital lushness" - Computer Music/Music Radar "Beautiful. Lush. Modern and Amazing… An Instant Classic." REQUIREMENTS: Requires newer iPads for best performance. May be slow on iPad 4. IAA is being deprecated by Apple in iOS 13. We're moving to AUv3 as well. Please replace IAA with AUv3 in your projects. GarageBand Audio Unit (AUv3): You can run one instance of D1 as an AUv3 in GarageBand. With a host like AUM, you can run 3 or more instances at once. TROUBLESHOOTING: For iPad 4 - Open the "Settings" button (to the upper left above the keyboard). Turn the buffer to 512 or above. And turn the "CPU Efficient" toggle to on. If still having trouble, try closing other music apps and/or rebooting your iPad. Thanks! - * NOMINATED: Best iOS Music Apps of 2018 ** by Computer Music & Future Music magazine. Subscribe to access to premium app features; subscription details are the following: - Length: weekly or yearly - Free trial: only on selected subscriptions - Your payment will be charged to your iTunes Account as soon as you confirm your purchase - You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal from your Account Settings after the purchase - Your subscription will renew automatically, unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - The cost of renewal will be charged to your account in the 24 hours prior to the end of the current period - When canceling a subscription, your subscription will stay active until the end of the period. Auto-renewal will be disabled, but the current subscription will not be refunded - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when purchasing a subscription Terms & Conditions: [https://magic-cake-e95.notion.site/AudioKit-Digital-D1-Synth-Terms-Conditions-14dcf6557a0880beb991f20561329664?pvs=4](https://www.notion.so/AudioKit-Digital-D1-Synth-Terms-Conditions-14dcf6557a0880beb991f20561329664?pvs=21) Privacy Policy: [https://magic-cake-e95.notion.site/AudioKit-Digital-D1-Synth-Privacy-Policy-14dcf6557a088042b2beee2382f5d62f?pvs=4](https://www.notion.so/AudioKit-Digital-D1-Synth-Privacy-Policy-14dcf6557a088042b2beee2382f5d62f?pvs=21) - * NOTE: This app has no official affiliation with AudioKit Pro, LLC. It was built using the free AudioKit source code.
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: AudioKit Digital D1 Synth at 4.8 against Patch Base's 3.4. AudioKit Digital D1 Synth also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 53%) and ratings volume (2K vs 85). Patch Base's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Patch Base sells 31 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and AudioKit Digital D1 Synth sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
AudioKit Digital D1 Synth holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AudioKit Digital D1 Synth has 2K ratings behind it against 85, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of Patch Base's written reviews are positive against 76% of AudioKit Digital D1 Synth's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Patch Base | AudioKit Digital D1 Synth |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.4 (85 ratings) | 4.8 (2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 52.9% of reviews | 76.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 85 | 2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 65 MB | 636 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Coffeeshopped LLC | Audiobus Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
Patch Base
AudioKit Digital D1 Synth
User reviews
Patch Base
From 85 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Intuitive and logical interface design
- 🎛️ Comprehensive parameter editing for supported synths
- 💾 Excellent patch management and librarian features
- 📱 Works seamlessly across iPad and Mac
- 🔄 iCloud integration for patch backup and sync
Room to improve
- 💰 High pricing model ($30 per synth or subscription)
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- ❌ No free trial without subscription commitment
- 📖 Poor documentation and lack of tutorials
- 🔌 Inconsistent MIDI connectivity and configuration
AudioKit Digital D1 Synth
From 2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎨 Excellent sound quality
- 🎹 Versatile and inspiring presets
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💰 Great value for the price
- 🔥 Cutting-edge digital synthesis
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Lack of Audio Unit (AUv3) support
- 🤔 Some presets not easily usable
- 🕰️ Slow loading times in certain DAWs
Bugs and requests
Patch Base
Reported bugs
12 issues- App crashes on iOS 14.2 and other versions
- MIDI buffer full errors with DX7IIFD
- Sysex transfer stalls and timeouts
- Cannot access operators 4-6 on Volca FM
- Algorithm changes crash app
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- Patches randomly deleted after app restart
- MIDI port assignment not persisting
- Unable to send patches to synths
- App hangs during patch transitions
- Unmute function unavailable while editing
- iCloud file synchronization not working
- XV-5080 editor stuck on loading screen
Requested features
13 requests- MFB Dominion 1 editor
- Arturia Microfreak randomizer
- Novation Circuit Tracks support
- Korg Wavestate editor
- Roland MKS-70 and MKS-80 controllers
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- Access Virus Ti2 character section and banks
- Custom randomization options
- Yamaha EX5/r and Motif XF editors
- Prophet 6 support
- Korg Minilogue enhancements
- Undo button functionality
- Pass-through MIDI option
- Dropbox and Google Drive cloud support
AudioKit Digital D1 Synth
Reported bugs
4 issues- Presets not loading correctly
- MIDI note dropouts and latency
- Crashes when used with certain DAWs
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
Requested features
5 requests- Add Audio Unit (AUv3) support
- Improve MIDI integration and responsiveness
- Implement a built-in recording/sampling feature
- Expand preset library with more genres and styles
- Add more sound design controls and modulation options
In-app purchases
Patch Base
- Patch Base: Monthly7 Days trial$5.991 Month
- All Access: Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Casio CZ-101$29.99
- Oberheim Matrix-6r$29.99
- Yamaha DX7$29.99
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- Yamaha TX7$29.99
- Ensoniq ESQ-1$29.99
- Korg Volca FM$29.99
- Korg microKorg$29.99
- Roland JD-Xi$29.99
- Korg Minilogue$29.99
- Roland JV-1080$29.99
- Waldorf Blofeld$29.99
- Roland D-50$29.99
- Roland D-05$29.99
- Roland D-110$29.99
- Novation Bass Station II$29.99
- Yamaha DX100$29.99
- Access Virus TI Snow$29.99
- Yamaha TG33$29.99
- Roland JV-1010$29.99
- Yamaha SY77$29.99
- Roland XV-5050$29.99
- Yamaha TX81Z$29.99
- Oberheim Matrix-1000$29.99
- Korg Volca FM2$29.99
- Oberheim Matrix-6$29.99
- Yamaha DX7II$29.99
- Roland JV-880$29.99
- Yamaha Reface DX$29.99
- All Access$99.99
AudioKit Digital D1 Synth
- Weekly premium$4.997 Days
- Weekly premium7 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Yearly premium7 Days trial$9.991 Year
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- Yearly premium$9.991 Year
- D1 PCM Expansion-01Free
- Platinum Expansion PCM EXP-01Free
Questions
Is Patch Base free?
Is AudioKit Digital D1 Synth free?
Which has better reviews, Patch Base or AudioKit Digital D1 Synth?
Do Patch Base or AudioKit Digital D1 Synth have ads?
Which is updated more often, Patch Base or AudioKit Digital D1 Synth?
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