Viking Synth vs Decent Sampler
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Viking Synth
This app emulates a classic monophonic analog synthesizer with advanced DSP technology. It features three variable wave oscillators, dual ladder filters, an LFO, and two modulation busses for versatile sound design. An intuitive interface and extensive preset library make it ideal for creating thick bass and rich lead sounds.
- Three continuously variable wave oscillators
- Dual ladder filters (Lowpass/Highpass)
- Multi-wave LFO
- Two modulation busses
- Intuitive user interface with expandable controls
- 228 presets including Bass, Lead, and Synthwave
- State-of-the-art DSP for authentic sound
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Viking Synth is an authentic emulation of a classic monophonic analog synthesizer. It has three continuously variable wave oscillators, two ladder filters with a Dual Lowpass or Highpass/Lowpass configuration, a multi-wave LFO, and two modulation busses. Viking Synth uses state of the art DSP technology to accurately reproduce the sound of the hardware. You get a desktop quality plug-in at an iOS friendly price. Viking Synth is an Audio Unit Extension Instrument (AUv3) that works as a plug-in inside host apps. Just open up your favorite host that supports Audio Unit Instruments and select it from the list of available Audio Units. Compatible with GarageBand, Cubasis, Auria, BeatMaker, AudioBus, AUM, Modstep, and more. The user interface of Viking Synth is designed for quick and intuitive control. Knobs and sliders expand during tweaking and are designed so the current value isn't hidden below your finger. The six pages divide the synth into logical sections that can be accessed quickly. The filter display acts as an XY pad for controlling cutoff and resonance. Simply double tap a knob or slider to reset it to its default value. Presets Viking Synth comes with 228 presets in the categories Bass, Bright Lead, Electro Bass, FX, Percussive Lead, Soft Lead, and Synthwave. The synth excels at thick bass and rich lead sounds. The 50 Electro Bass and 50 Synthwave presets were designed by renowned sound designer eXode. Presets work perfectly with GarageBand, Cubasis, and AUM. Oscillators At the heart of Viking are three adjustable wave oscillators. The continuously variable waveform knob gives the oscillators a unique sound that can’t be achieved with the fixed waveforms found in most synths. A noise oscillator provides three types of noise, one specifically modeled after the hardware. Modulation Two modulation busses and an LFO provide flexible modulation capabilities. All of the options hidden deep in menus on the hardware are immediately accessible with one tap. Filters The filters are classic transistor ladder filters modeled meticulously. Two DSP varieties are available allowing for either reduced CPU load or soft clipping plus three additional overdriven modes. The number of poles is adjustable for a wider range of filter sounds. Compare Viking to other synths: – Viking’s oscillators are free running, not sampled, wavetable based, or generated from a zero point – Viking’s oscillators use advanced techniques to avoid aliasing – Viking’s oscillators have instability, which is controllable through the tuning drift control – Viking’s nonlinear filter uses circuit modeling and provides soft clipping
Decent Sampler
This music app lets you use professional-quality sample libraries on your mobile device. It supports Decent Samples libraries and SFZs, and can be used within other music production apps as an AUv3 plugin.
- Use professional sample libraries
- Supports Decent Samples libraries
- Supports SFZ files
- AUv3 plugin compatibility
- Standalone app functionality
- New libraries added weekly
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Did you ever wish you could use professional quality sample libraries on your mobile device? Now you can! The Decent Samples plugin is a sample player that allows you to use your favorite Decent Samples sample libraries on the go (as well as SFZs). Many of the most popular Decent Samples releases are available through the app with more being added every week. Because it's also an AUv3 plugin, you can use it from within GarageBand or with AUM.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Decent Sampler at Free against Viking Synth's $3.99. Decent Sampler also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). Viking Synth's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 58) and review sentiment (69% vs 52%). On rating, ratings volume, ads 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
Decent Sampler is free to download; Viking Synth costs $3.99 up front. Decent Sampler sells 58 one-off in-app purchases. Viking Synth asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Viking Synth against 4.6 for Decent Sampler. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 42 and 52 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Viking Synth's written reviews are positive against 52% of Decent Sampler's.
Viking Synth ships an update every 4 months, Decent Sampler monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Viking Synth | Decent Sampler |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (42 ratings) — better | 4.6 (52 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.4% of reviews — better | 51.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 42 | 52 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Blamsoft, Inc. | Decidedly, LLC |
Customer experience
Viking Synth
Decent Sampler
User reviews
Viking Synth
From 42 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎶 Great sound quality
- 💡 Versatile sound options
- 💰 Excellent value (free)
- 💻 Lightweight and efficient
- 🎹 Good for learning synthesis
Room to improve
- ❓ Preset issues
- 🔌 Not a standalone app
- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 💾 Settings not saving
- 🤷♂️ Difficult to find/use
Decent Sampler
From 52 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎶 Great sounds and libraries
- 🎹 Powerful sampler for iOS
- 💡 Free sample packs available
- ✨ High-quality instruments
- 🔄 Actively developed with updates
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and instability
- 💾 High RAM and storage usage
- 🔌 Issues with Logic Pro on iOS
- 🐌 Slow download manager
- 🤷♂️ Not working with older iPads
Bugs and requests
Viking Synth
Reported bugs
6 issues- Presets not showing up
- Presets disappear
- App not showing in AUv3 menu
- Settings not saving after iOS 14 update
- Crashes when opening presets browser
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Saved presets not loading
Requested features
5 requests- More subtle drive mode
- Categorized preset browser
- Polyphony option
- Dark mode
- More apps from developer
Decent Sampler
Reported bugs
23 issues- Instant crash on load
- App stopped working after iOS update
- AUV3 crashes out of nowhere
- Unresponsive upon opening
- Server issues for login
Show 18 moreShow fewer
- Instrument remains stuck on a note
- Projects need to be reloaded to show app
- Crash when loading samples
- Failing to load presets when reloading host project
- Adding unwanted temp presets
- Crashing when selecting different samples
- Login prompt won't let paste text
- Can't paste password to login
- Login screen covered by keyboard
- Error 500 when downloading
- Restore Purchases button not working
- Forgotten Password button not working
- Invalid email address for registration
- No URL found when downloading sound packs
- Clicking sounds while using
- Glitching, clicking, and ghost sounds on held notes
- Instrument crashes after a few minutes
- Earthquake pad 02 glitching
Requested features
14 requests- Add user/pass fill from password keeper
- Implement a download manager for multiple instruments
- Allow running within IAA or Audiobus
- Add ability to clear cache
- Fix multi-track support in AUV3
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Add MIDI sequencing
- Add pitch bend functionality
- Add velocity response curve knob
- Add filter stage and more flexible envelope
- Allow disabling iOS auto-lock
- Configure receiving MIDI channel
- Improve preset selection
- Add dark mode
- Support VoiceOver
In-app purchases
Viking Synth
No in-app purchases
Decent Sampler
- Box ViolinFree
- Dave ChoirFree
- Resonator GlockenspielFree
Show 55 moreShow fewer
- Banjo UkuleleFree
- KalimbaFree
- Ukelin$0.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 3$2.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 4$3.99
- Weber 1929 Baby Grand$4.99
- Ramshackle Zither$4.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 5$4.99
- Music Major Sample Library$4.99
- Sawblade Kalimba Library$4.99
- Melodica$4.99
- Distance: Zero$4.99
- Little Church Organ$4.99
- Indie Guitar$5.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 6$5.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 7$6.99
- Paper Drums$6.99
- Relic Keyboard$7.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 8$7.99
- HS-3715 Keyboard$7.99
- Malevolence by Venus Theory$8.99
- Viola Ensemble$9.99
- Indie Bass$9.99
- Metal Cups$9.99
- Phonoharp$9.99
- Violin Ensemble$9.99
- Ethereal Vocals$9.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 10$9.99
- Kalimba by Darel$9.99
- Dangerous Undertones$9.99
- Chroma Vol. 1$9.99
- Luminate$9.99
- Horror Box$9.99
- Tape Violins Sample Library$10.99
- Interlaced Sample Library$14.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 15$15.00
- Decent Sampler Store Item 16$16.00
- Decent Sampler Store Item 19$19.00
- alt.strings$19.99
- Felt & Fog$19.99
- Organic Orchestra$19.99
- Indie Drums$19.99
- Bitscape 95$19.99
- Thyssia by Venus Theory$19.99
- Decent Samples Store Item 20$20.00
- Decent Samples Store Item 24$24.00
- The Void$24.99
- Processed Guitars$24.99
- Decent Samples Store Item 25$25.00
- String Flows$29.99
- 70s Summer Camp Sample Library$29.99
- Decent Samples Store Item 30$30.00
- LoFi VaporTones Ds$33.99
- Decent Samples Store Item 39$39.00
- Chamberlin M1 by Jamie Lidell$49.99







