# FFTWave vs Spectrolite

The clearest difference is rating: Spectrolite at 4.8 against FFTWave's 4.3. Spectrolite also leads on ratings volume (51 vs 15). FFTWave's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spectrolite sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. FFTWave asks for nothing beyond the download.

Spectrolite holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 51 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of FFTWave's written reviews are positive against 83% of Spectrolite's.

FFTWave ships an update every 15 months, Spectrolite every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FFTWave | Spectrolite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fftwave/id1080227446/reviews) | **[4.8 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrolite/id1480240180/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **51** |
| Positive reviews | 76.9% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | **Every 8 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Eisaku Nozu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1080227445) | [Waxing Wave](https://appshunter.io/developer/392942046) |

## What reviewers say

### FFTWave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fftwave/id1080227446)

Visualize sound from your microphone as a waveform and spectrum analysis. Identify frequency characteristics, detect peaks, and analyze howling with pinch-to-zoom gestures. Ideal for sound adjustment and analysis.

**Highlights:** Microphone waveform display, Spectrum analysis via Fourier transform, Frequency characteristic checking, Peak detection and hold, Pinch zoom gestures, Howling analysis

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Spectrolite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectrolite/id1480240180)

This app visualizes sound in real-time using various spectrogram types. Explore detailed audio data with intuitive touch controls and adjustable parameters. An optional purchase unlocks advanced measurement tools.

**Highlights:** Real-time spectrogram visualization, Constant-Q, linear, and mel frequency scales, Full human hearing frequency range, Intuitive touch panning and zooming, Adjustable gain, Q, and other parameters, Pro version: grids, scales, spectrum view, tap-to-measure

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FFTWave free?

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

### Is Spectrolite free?

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

### Which has better reviews, FFTWave or Spectrolite?

Spectrolite is rated higher. FFTWave averages 4.3 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Spectrolite averages 4.8 from 51 ratings.

### Do FFTWave or Spectrolite have ads?

Neither FFTWave nor Spectrolite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FFTWave or Spectrolite?

FFTWave ships an update every 15 months, and Spectrolite every 8 months. Most recently, FFTWave was updated on October 4, 2026 and Spectrolite on September 23, 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.*