# Seaboard 5D vs Poly 2

The clearest difference is rating: Poly 2 at 4.8 against Seaboard 5D's 3.4. Poly 2 also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 44%) and ratings volume (686 vs 124). Seaboard 5D's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 weeks) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Seaboard 5D sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Poly 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Poly 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Poly 2 has 686 ratings behind it against 124, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Seaboard 5D's written reviews are positive against 84% of Poly 2's.

Seaboard 5D ships an update every 5 days, Poly 2 every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Seaboard 5D | Poly 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (124 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seaboard-5d/id1173937855/reviews) | **[4.8 (686 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/poly-2/id1477029326/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 124 | **686** |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **84.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 170 MB | 153 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ROLI Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1011132018) | [James Milton](https://appshunter.io/developer/581503621) |

## What reviewers say

### Seaboard 5D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seaboard-5d/id1173937855)

Transform your iOS device into a touch-responsive musical instrument. Explore expressive sound shaping through five dimensions of touch, offering a unique playing experience for musicians of all levels. Expand your sonic palette with diverse soundpacks and connect wirelessly to MIDI controllers.

**Highlights:** Five Dimensions of Touch (Strike, Glide, Slide, Press, Lift), Continuous 'keywave' playing surface, On-screen macro controls and XY Touchpad, Diverse built-in and expandable soundpacks, MIDI over Bluetooth connectivity, MPE (Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression) Mode

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hybrid Acoustic | $3.99 | one-time |
| Expressive Electronic | $3.99 | one-time |
| Synthetic Leads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Excellent sound quality and instruments
- 🎹 Expressive 3D Touch keyboard controls
- 💰 Free app with quality features
- 📱 Works well with Seaboard hardware via Bluetooth
- 🎨 Beautiful and intuitive interface design

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏸️ No updates in 7-9 years (abandoned app)
- 🔌 No Audiobus or Inter-App Audio support
- 📱 Poor responsive design on newer devices (iPhone 15/16 Pro Max)
- 🐛 Bluetooth connection crashes frequently
- 💾 Cannot record or export audio

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when connecting to Bluetooth
- Black screen on launch
- UI elements too small on newer iPhones
- Buttons and text misaligned since iOS 15
- Font rendering issues in preset banks

**Requested features**

- Audiobus and Inter-App Audio (IAA) support
- Audio Unit (AUv3) plugin compatibility
- Recording and audio export functionality
- GarageBand and DAW integration
- Background audio playback support


### Poly 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/poly-2/id1477029326)

This app generates evolving musical patterns and melodies using polyrhythms. It offers extensive sound manipulation with a sampler, multiple effects, and the ability to store numerous configurations. Users can also import their own sounds and integrate with other music production tools.

**Highlights:** Generative polyrhythm sequencing, Up to 8 simultaneous sounds, Sampler with envelopes and filters, Randomize capabilities, Built-in delay, reverb, distortion, and EQ FX, AUv3, Audiobus, and IAA support, Import custom samples

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro mode | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Unique, creative, and powerful tool
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Excellent for ambient, experimental, and generative music
- 🎹 Great for drum grooves and rhythmic patterns
- 💻 Seamless integration with external hardware and software

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔇 Lack of sustain/voice ring-out when transport is stopped
- 📺 Small interface elements can be difficult to use on iPad
- 🔌 Compatibility issues with some third-party apps

**Reported bugs**

- In-app purchase not working for some users
- MIDI connectivity issues with certain apps
- Crashes upon opening for some users

**Requested features**

- Ability to preview samples before importing
- Autoslice/autochop functionality for samples
- Support for larger sample imports and automatic slot filling
- Granulizer effect
- Note repeat and vinyl effects


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Seaboard 5D free?

Seaboard 5D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Poly 2 free?

Poly 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Seaboard 5D or Poly 2?

Poly 2 is rated higher. Seaboard 5D averages 3.4 out of 5 from 124 ratings, while Poly 2 averages 4.8 from 686 ratings.

### Do Seaboard 5D or Poly 2 have ads?

Neither Seaboard 5D nor Poly 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Seaboard 5D or Poly 2?

Seaboard 5D ships an update every 5 days, and Poly 2 every 4 weeks. Most recently, Seaboard 5D was updated on September 8, 2026 and Poly 2 on September 30, 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.*