Comparison

VOLT Synth vs Continua

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

Head to head
About

VOLT Synth

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
Read full description

VOLT is a virtual analog synthesizer designed to create classic synth sounds while emphasising expressive play. With full support for multidimensional polyphonic expression (MPE) - VOLT is a great companion to any Seaboard player. Overview: * Polyphonic Virtual Analog Synthesizer * Expressive synth engine with MPE, poly-, channel aftertouch & 4D touch keyboard * 5 Keyboard Layouts (Classic, Uniform, String, Scale & Chord) * Built-in stereo effects * 100+ fine tuned factory presets * Supports ROLI Seaboard, LinnStrument, Geoshred and others out of the box * Standalone operation with support for USB audio interfaces, wired, network & bluetooth MIDI * Audio Unit v3 Extension * Inter App Audio support * Audiobus support * Ableton Link Synth Voice: * Variable waveshape * Variable pulse-width (on all waves) * Detunable sub & noise source * SEM style state-variable filter * LFO per voice * Dual ADSR * Poly drive (per voice distortion) * 8x Polyphony / Unison * Detune / Slop * Pan Spread * Arpeggiator Effects: * 3x stereo effect units * Vintage Chorus * Digital Delay (syncable) * Epic Reverb Input/Expression: * MPE MIDI hardware including but not limited to ROLI Seaboard Rise, Seaboard Block, Lightpad Block * MPE MIDI software including but not limited to Geoshred, Geoshred Control * Regular MIDI keyboards featuring channel or poly aftertouch, pitch- and mod wheels * Onscreen 2D Touch Keyboard (supports slide and glide) * Plain MIDI Input Presets: * Factory bank including 100+ expressive presets ready to play out of the box * Preset Management with Templates & Categories * Shared User Presets between Standalone and AUv3 versions * Preset Export & Import via Files.app, Airdrop etc. * iCloud Drive Support Connectivity: * Standalone * AUv3 Instrument * Inter-App Audio Instrument * Audiobus Instrument

About

Continua

This professional synthesizer for iPad offers a unique morphing sound design experience. Explore a vast sonic palette with versatile oscillators and continuously shifting filters. Deep modulation capabilities and an innovative patch evolution system allow for highly expressive and evolving musical textures.

Highlights
  • Morphing filters
  • Versatile oscillators
  • Deep modulation routing
  • Interactive patch evolution
  • Full MPE support
  • AUv3 plugin compatibility
Read full description

Continua is a professional synthesizer for iPad, built around a single idea: everything should move. Three oscillators with five modes each — Virtual Analog, Additive, Supersaw, Supersquare, and IXA — give you a palette that runs from warm analog warmth to aggressive digital textures to sounds that have no easy name. Stack 64 sine waves. Detune five sawtooths simultaneously. Explore phase modulation borrowed from a synthesizer most people have never heard of. The oscillators are just the beginning. Continua's filters don't switch between types — they morph between them. Low pass becomes band pass becomes high pass in a continuous sweep, with resonance and two- or four-pole slope selectable at any point. Two filters running in series or parallel, each one a moving target. Modulation is where Continua earns its name. Nearly every parameter is a destination. Every knob can receive up to five simultaneous modulation sources — envelope generators, flexible multi-point envelopes, four shapeable LFOs, sample and hold, and a random source that gives each voice its own personality. Right-click any knob to connect a source. The routing is as deep as you want it to be. New in version 1.2: the Genetics panel lets you evolve your patches through an interactive mutation tree. Start with any sound, explore branches of subtle variations, and drill down into whatever catches your ear. The arpeggiator adds eighteen patterns — from standard ascending runs to Brownian motion and probabilistic rests — all synced to your DAW tempo. Four new oscillator modes expand the raw material available from the ground up. Full MPE support means Continua responds to every dimension of expression from a Linnstrument, Osmose, Roli Seaboard, or any MPE controller. Or play it with a standard keyboard and automate everything else. Works as an AUv3 plugin in Logic Pro, AUM, Cubasis, Drambo, Garage Band, and any AUv3-compatible host. iPad only.

Screenshots

VOLT Synth4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Continua at $9.99 against VOLT Synth's $19.99. Continua also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3). VOLT Synth's advantage is ratings volume (193 vs 13) and device support (3 vs 1). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

VOLT Synth costs $19.99 and Continua $9.99 up front. VOLT Synth sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Continua asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for VOLT Synth against 4.6 for Continua. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VOLT Synth has 193 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of VOLT Synth's written reviews are positive against 55% of Continua's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VOLT Synth ships an update every 2 weeks, Continua every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
VOLT Synth versus Continua: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVOLT SynthContinua
Price$19.99$9.99 — better
Rating4.6 (193 ratings)4.6 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.9% of reviews — better55.1% of reviews
Number of ratings193 — better13
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size92 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKai ArasAudio Damage, Inc.

Customer experience

VOLT Synth

All ratings193 ratings
Positive89.6%
Neutral4.1%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive62.9%
Neutral14.5%
Negative22.6%

Continua

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews49 reviews
Positive55.1%
Neutral26.5%
Negative18.4%

Bugs and requests

VOLT Synth

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • 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
Show 13 more
  • Crashes with iCloud Drive for patch storage on iOS 13
  • Preset scroller not accessing sounds
  • Stability issues on iOS 12
  • UI issues in AU mode on iPhone
  • No sound after last update
  • Presets not loading
  • AUv3 UI lacks preset selection slot
  • Preset saving crashes app
  • Digital readout under controls obscured by finger
  • Latched key graphic disappears
  • Legato mode doesn't work with aftertouch
  • Pitch bend limited to 12 steps
  • Global pitch bend setting disappeared

Requested features

7 requests
  • 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
Show 2 more
  • Improve envelope snappiness
  • Improve modulation routing options

Continua

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

VOLT Synth

One-time3
  • Dub PackFree
  • haQ attaQ paQ$3.99
  • Red Sky Lullaby Pack$3.99
None

Continua

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VOLT Synth free?
VOLT Synth costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Continua free?
Continua costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, VOLT Synth or Continua?
Continua is rated higher. VOLT Synth averages 4.6 out of 5 from 193 ratings, while Continua averages 4.6 from 13 ratings.
Do VOLT Synth or Continua have ads?
Neither VOLT Synth nor Continua shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VOLT Synth or Continua?
VOLT Synth ships an update every 2 weeks, and Continua every 4 weeks. Most recently, VOLT Synth was updated on September 20, 2026 and Continua on September 7, 2026.

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