# VOLT Synth vs apeMatrix

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: apeMatrix at none against VOLT Synth's 3. apeMatrix also leads on price ($14.99 vs $19.99) and review sentiment (73% vs 63%). VOLT Synth's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

VOLT Synth costs $19.99 and apeMatrix $14.99 up front. VOLT Synth sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. apeMatrix asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for VOLT Synth against 4.7 for apeMatrix. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 193 and 84 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of VOLT Synth's written reviews are positive against 73% of apeMatrix's.

VOLT Synth ships an update every 2 weeks, apeMatrix monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VOLT Synth | apeMatrix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **$14.99** |
| Rating | [4.6 (193 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/volt-synth/id1185984394/reviews) | **[4.7 (84 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apematrix/id1378343729/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **193** | 84 |
| Positive reviews | 62.9% of reviews | **72.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 92 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kai Aras](https://appshunter.io/developer/370820899) | [apeSoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/464660782) |

## What reviewers say

### VOLT Synth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/volt-synth/id1185984394)

This app is a virtual analog synthesizer designed for expressive sound creation. It supports multidimensional polyphonic expression (MPE) and offers a variety of synth voice features, built-in effects, and keyboard layouts. It's compatible with MPE hardware and software, as well as standard MIDI controllers.

**Highlights:** Virtual analog synthesizer, Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression (MPE), Expressive synth engine, Multiple keyboard layouts, Built-in stereo effects, 100+ factory presets, Standalone and AUv3 support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dub Pack | Free | one-time |
| haQ attaQ paQ | $3.99 | one-time |
| Red Sky Lullaby Pack | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Great sounds
- ✨ Intuitive UI
-  MPE integration
- 🎵 Expressive
- 💻 Good for travel

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashing frequently
- ⚠️ Unstable on newer iOS
- 🎛️ Cumbersome sound switching
- 📉 Poor performance
-  unresponsive controls

**Reported bugs**

- No MIDI input after 30 seconds
- Crashing when using multiple AU instances
- Presets disappear after iOS 14 update
- Standalone mode broken on recent iOS
- AU3 not working in Cubasis/NanoStudio 2

**Requested features**

- Two fields for sound forward/backward
- New features and sounds for MPE
- Dedicated strings section in presets
- Randomize function for LFOs/envelopes
- Larger fonts in preset display


### apeMatrix

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apematrix/id1378343729)

This app acts as a powerful host for audio plugins, allowing users to connect and automate various aspects of music creation. It facilitates the integration of favorite FX, MIDI routing, and control over built-in and external plugin parameters.

**Highlights:** Audio Unit and Inter-App Audio support, MIDI and audio routing, Control Manager for parameter modulation, Multiple Matrix grids for plugin hosting, MIDI Patch-bay for routing, High-quality audio processing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VOLT Synth free?

VOLT Synth costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is apeMatrix free?

apeMatrix costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, VOLT Synth or apeMatrix?

apeMatrix is rated higher. VOLT Synth averages 4.6 out of 5 from 193 ratings, while apeMatrix averages 4.7 from 84 ratings.

### Do VOLT Synth or apeMatrix have ads?

Neither VOLT Synth nor apeMatrix shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, VOLT Synth or apeMatrix?

VOLT Synth ships an update every 2 weeks, and apeMatrix monthly. Most recently, VOLT Synth was updated on October 9, 2026 and apeMatrix on October 14, 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.*