# ROTOR vs Alien Box

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ROTOR at 43% against Alien Box's 0%. ROTOR also leads on rating (3.2 vs 1.3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 38 months). Alien Box's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $7.99). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

ROTOR costs $7.99 and Alien Box $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ROTOR holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 1.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ROTOR has 31 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of ROTOR's written reviews are positive against 0% of Alien Box's.

ROTOR ships an update monthly, Alien Box every 38 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ROTOR | Alien Box |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | **[3.2 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rotor-tangible-music-synth/id1110719747/reviews)** | [1.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-box/id1235647874/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **31** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **42.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 38 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 61 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 10.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Reactable Systems SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/381127669) | [Aleksandar Mlazev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1093798140) |

## What reviewers say

### ROTOR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rotor-tangible-music-synth/id1110719747)

Transform your device into a comprehensive music performance suite. Experience tangible music control with optional physical controllers, bringing a unique interactive element to your sound creation. Seamlessly sync and harmonize audio, and integrate with other music apps for a powerful live performance setup.

**Highlights:** Tangible music control with physical pucks, Modular synth with instruments, effects, and controllers, Automatic real-time key detection and time stretching, Audiobus and Ableton Link integration, MIDI control input, Live recording capabilities, Multi-touch control panels

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Alien Box

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-box/id1235647874)

This audio effect plugin creates a unique sound with increased sustain and gentle, LFO-modulated vibes. It functions as an AUv3 effect for hosts like GarageBand or as a standalone app for real-time audio input processing.

**Highlights:** Unique sound enrichment, LFO modulated vibes, Complex resonator system, AUv3 plugin for hosts, Standalone app mode, Gain, Vibe, Depth, Reverb controls

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ROTOR free?

ROTOR costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Alien Box free?

Alien Box costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ROTOR or Alien Box?

ROTOR is rated higher. ROTOR averages 3.2 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while Alien Box averages 1.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do ROTOR or Alien Box have ads?

Neither ROTOR nor Alien Box shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ROTOR or Alien Box?

ROTOR ships an update monthly, and Alien Box every 38 months. Most recently, ROTOR was updated on November 6, 2026 and Alien Box on November 2, 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.*