# SoundForest vs Polywave

The clearest difference is rating: Polywave at 4.7 against SoundForest's 4.2. Polywave also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 67%). SoundForest's advantage is ratings volume (447 vs 34) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SoundForest sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Polywave sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Polywave holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SoundForest has 447 ratings behind it against 34, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of SoundForest's written reviews are positive against 80% of Polywave's.

SoundForest ships an update every 2 months, Polywave every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SoundForest | Polywave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (447 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundforest/id1194745290/reviews) | **[4.7 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polywave-wavetable-synth/id1579538271/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **447** | 34 |
| Positive reviews | 67.3% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 89 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Justin Alexander](https://appshunter.io/developer/1194745289) | [Fingerlab](https://appshunter.io/developer/412786610) |

## What reviewers say

### SoundForest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundforest/id1194745290)

Instantly compose music by tapping on unique musical creatures that represent notes. Create hypnotic tunes and build a musical ecosystem with various environments and pitch levels. Explore endless song possibilities with this intuitive mini music maker.

**Highlights:** Instant music loop composition, 160 unique musical elements, 4 distinct musical environments, Adjustable pitch levels, Create quick loops or mini songs, Endless song creation possibilities

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Everything | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Cute and creative visuals
- 🎶 Diverse and fun sound palette
- 💰 Affordable unlock of full features
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🤩 Engaging and entertaining music creation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔌 Ads not working to unlock features
- 💳 In-app purchases not working as expected
- 🔍 Limited ability to delete/modify songs
- 🔊 Audio quality/tuning issues

**Reported bugs**

- Repeated tutorial loops
- Restore purchases button not working
- Compatibility issues on newer devices
- Audio not working with headphones
- Crashes when trying to unlock features

**Requested features**

- Ability to export/share created songs
- Option to create longer/more complex songs
- More themes, environments, and sound options
- Customization and personalization features
- Community features to discover and collaborate


### Polywave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polywave-wavetable-synth/id1579538271)

Create unique, evolving sonic experiences with a novel wavetable sequencer inspired by vintage synths. Draw your own waveforms, explore a vast library, and connect to external keyboards or DAWs. Record your creations directly within the app.

**Highlights:** Wavetable sequencer, Custom waveform drawing, Expansive waveform library, 100+ factory presets, MIDI and Audio Unit support, Live recording module, 8-voice polyphony

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SoundForest free?

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

### Is Polywave free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SoundForest or Polywave?

Polywave is rated higher. SoundForest averages 4.2 out of 5 from 447 ratings, while Polywave averages 4.7 from 34 ratings.

### Do SoundForest or Polywave have ads?

Neither SoundForest nor Polywave shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SoundForest or Polywave?

SoundForest ships an update every 2 months, and Polywave every 3 months. Most recently, SoundForest was updated on October 15, 2026 and Polywave on October 15, 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.*