Comparison

Unique for iPhone vs SJ

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

Head to head
About

Unique for iPhone

Create unique analog synth sounds with a wide sonic spectrum. Explore classic and gritty tones with versatile oscillators, filters, and built-in effects. Features a unique Vowel Filter for distinctive vocal-like textures.

Highlights
  • Multiple oscillator waveforms
  • Analog filter types
  • Vowel Filter with formant stringing
  • LFO and envelope modulation
  • Recordable XY field and sequencer
  • Dual effect units
  • Audio Unit v3 support
Currently charting
Read full description

“Unique sounds like syrup with dirt kicked into it. If Bootsy Collins, Roger Troutman and Daft Punk would have met up in Studio 54 to create a soft-synth, for sure something like Unique would have come out of it…” Sound & Recording Mag Unique was made for fun and vibes: Analogue sound, intense modulation and a killer set of features, delivering an amazing sonic spectrum that’s full of character: Classy sounds, powerful, warm… sometimes gritty. Each of the 2 oscillators offers a selection of 5 waveforms: sawtooth and pulse waves are here, along with noise, triple saw and triple FM waves. There's also an additional sub-oscillator strapped into the master section for added oomph. The internal controllers will bring in the dynamics: an LFO and an envelope, there's a recordable XY field & a sequencer. Use these to modulate any knob – a simple long tap will do. The sound springs to life when it hits the filter section. Needless to say, analogue high-pass, low-pass and band-pass varieties are in place, along with a comb filter. Standards aside, the actual intention behind this project, the Vowel Filter, also became its outstanding feature: string together two or four vowel formants and play them back in a multitude of ways. Once you’ve built your sound, there’s tons of sound polish in two chained multi-effect units. Features • Sawtooth, Triple Saw, Pulse, Triple FM, Noise with tonal Filter, Sub Sine • 5 Filters with 5 Modulators each • Duophone Arpeggiator • Vowel Filter • Two Effect Sections • Audio Unit v3 • Ableton Link Kit • MIDI Learn & Host Automation • 300 groovy presets by various artists

About

SJ

Features
Read full description

SJ-SQUARE is a Super Jupiter–inspired analog polyphonic synthesizer for iPhone. A warm brown chassis and amber glow meet a hands-on module layout: oscillators, filter, envelopes, LFO, and effects — built for playing, not menus. FEATURES • Multi-oscillator panel with wave, octave, and level controls • Filter with resonance, envelope intensity, and key tracking • Filter envelope & amp controls for expressive shaping • LFO, OSC 2 detune / live layer, chorus, delay, and reverb • Unison (1–4 voices), tempo / tap, and scale snap • Full on-screen keyboard with octave shift & range minimap • MIDI input support for external controllers • Built-in presets ready to play • Landscape-optimized performance UI Craft rich pads, biting leads, and stacked unison tones. Tweak cutoff and envelopes in real time, then perform with the keyboard or your MIDI gear. From the maker of KG-SQUARE, JP-SQUARE, and DX-SQUARE — hardware-inspired synth apps for musicians who love hands-on sound design.

Screenshots

Unique for iPhone4 screens
SJ1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SJ at $0.49 against Unique for iPhone's $4.99. SJ also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). Unique for iPhone's advantage is chart position (#179 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.5). On ads, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Unique for iPhone costs $4.99 and SJ $0.49 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Unique for iPhone ships an update monthly, SJ fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Unique for iPhone versus SJ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUnique for iPhoneSJ
Price$4.99$0.49 — better
Rating3.8 (27 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews44.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings27 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#179 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better26.5
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSugar Bytes GmbHKouki Yoshimoto

In-app purchases

None

Unique for iPhone

No in-app purchases

None

SJ

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Unique for iPhone free?
Unique for iPhone costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SJ free?
SJ costs $0.49, with no in-app purchases.
Do Unique for iPhone or SJ have ads?
Neither Unique for iPhone nor SJ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Unique for iPhone or SJ?
Unique for iPhone ships an update monthly, and SJ fortnightly. Most recently, Unique for iPhone was updated on November 2, 2026 and SJ on November 5, 2026.

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