Comparison

mood vs VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave

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

Head to head
About

mood

This app offers a personal interpretation of a legendary analog synthesizer, providing immense sonic ability and a captivating sense of discovery. It includes a wide array of features expected in a top-tier iOS instrument app, allowing for deep sound design and musical exploration.

Highlights
  • Audiounit v3 support
  • Audiobus and Inter-App Audio
  • Sample WARP and FM Module
  • Multiple Oscillators
  • VCF Filter Ladder
  • Mono or Polyphonic modes
  • MIDI and Ableton Link support
Features
Read full description

mood - A personal interpretation of the legendary Analog Synthesizer by Eugenio Giordani Jordan Rudess says: The Mood synth has immense sonic ability. It has captivated my imagination and sense of discovery.  In usual apeSoft form, it also has all the features that one expects in a top notch IOS instrument app. Features: ° Audiounit v3 ° Audiobus and Inter-App Audio Sender/Filter ° Audiobus 3 MIDI support ° Share Presets and Samples between App and AUv3 ° iOS Universal ° 3 Oscillators ° Noise Generator with own envelope ° Sample WARP ° FM Module ° Input Source Processing ° VCF Filter Ladder 24db per octave ° ADSR VCA ° Mono or 16 voices Polyphonic ° Keyboard Tracking and Control ° Keyboard Ribbon Style ° XLFO 7 shapes + Sequencer ° Classical/Vintage Reverberator ° Stereo Delay ° Ring Modulator ° Distort Output ° Full Parameters MIDI/LFO/Accelerometer mapping ° Presets Interpolation Pad ° MIDI Clock and Ableton Link ° Record to .wav file ° AudioCopy/Audioshare/Open In... etc...

About

VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave

This app creates unique synth sounds by recording classic synths to VHS tape and then resampling them. It offers a vast library of presets and effects to achieve lo-fi, retro vibes for various music genres. An AUv3 plugin and standalone app are included.

Highlights
  • VHS-recorded and resampled synths
  • Over 280+ presets
  • Standalone app and AUv3 plugin
  • VCR sound effects
  • VCR FX section for customization
  • Free expansion pack included
Features
Read full description

VHS Synth features synths recorded with a VCR, then resampled. Perfect for Synthwave, Hip Hop, Indie, Rock, Movie Soundtracks, Lo-Fi, Ambient, Vaporwave, Retro Pop, and more. Create instant lo-fi and cool retro vibes. Press a key. Elevate your music. Includes over 280+ Presets by Jakob haQ, Red Sky Lullaby, The GarageBand Guide, DJ Puzzle, Sound of Izrael, DJ Montra, Marc Hupkens, AnalogMatthew, JEC, Da Fingaz, Brian Funk, and more. "BEST Lo-Fi instrument I’ve ever played, seriously good sounds!" - The SoundTest Room "VHS Synth is a Retrowave dream!" - iPad Loops "Turns Your iOS Device Into An 80s Time Machine" - Synthtopia Classic Synths were recorded to VHS Tape with a VCR, then re-sampled. "VHS Synth is the ULTIMATE Retro Synth App" - The GarageBand Guide FEATURES: • Standalone app + iOS AUv3 Plugin • Over 280+ presets to inspire you • Compressed to under 140mb to save space • VCR Sound Effects (Buttons, Tape Hiss, More) • VCR FX section to customize the sounds • FREE Expansion Pack: OP-1 recorded with a VCR ++ iPhone & iPad version included for one low price Real analog feel and dirt. Vintage hardware was recorded into a VCR and then re-sampled. Subscribe to access to premium app features; subscription details are the following: - Length: weekly or yearly - Free trial: only on selected subscriptions - Your payment will be charged to your iTunes Account as soon as you confirm your purchase - You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal from your Account Settings after the purchase - Your subscription will renew automatically, unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - The cost of renewal will be charged to your account in the 24 hours prior to the end of the current period - When canceling a subscription, your subscription will stay active until the end of the period. Auto-renewal will be disabled, but the current subscription will not be refunded - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when purchasing a subscription Terms & Conditions: [https://magic-cake-e95.notion.site/VHS-Synth-80s-Synthwave-Terms-Conditions-150cf6557a0880aca270f4f8ccee8d3e?pvs=4](https://www.notion.so/VHS-Synth-80s-Synthwave-Terms-Conditions-150cf6557a0880aca270f4f8ccee8d3e?pvs=21) Privacy Policy: [https://magic-cake-e95.notion.site/VHS-Synth-80s-Synthwave-Privacy-Policy-150cf6557a088019bec6ccb33ae5bb09?pvs=4](https://www.notion.so/VHS-Synth-80s-Synthwave-Privacy-Policy-150cf6557a088019bec6ccb33ae5bb09?pvs=21) * NOTE: This app has no official affiliation with AudioKit Pro, LLC. It was built using the free AudioKit source code.

Screenshots

mood4 screens
VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave at Free against mood's $12.99. VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave also leads on iOS requirement (14.5 vs 17.0). mood's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). On ratings volume, update cadence 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

VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave is free to download; mood costs $12.99 up front. VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. mood asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

mood holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 87 and 132 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of mood's written reviews are positive against 51% of VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

mood ships an update every 3 weeks, VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
mood versus VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermoodVHS Synth | 80s Synthwave
Price$12.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (87 ratings) — better4.0 (132 ratings)
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews — better51.1% of reviews
Number of ratings87132 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.014.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB167 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperapeSoftAudiobus Pty Ltd

Customer experience

mood

All ratings87 ratings
Positive90.8%
Neutral3.4%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews63 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral7.9%
Negative6.3%

VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave

All ratings132 ratings
Positive72.7%
Neutral5.3%
Negative22.0%
Written reviews88 reviews
Positive51.1%
Neutral11.4%
Negative37.5%

User reviews

mood

From 87 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎶 Great sound quality
  • 🎵 Warm and punchy tones
  • 🎹 Excellent Minimoog emulation
  • 💡 Versatile sound design capabilities
  • 🎛️ Deep modulation options (LFOs)

Room to improve

  • 📱 Poor AUv3 interface
  • ⌨️ Unhideable keyboard in AUv3
  • 🎛️ Cramped controls in AUv3
  • 🎛️ Too many pages/flipping in AUv3
  • 🎛️ No birds-eye overview in AUv3

VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave

From 132 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎵 Excellent lo-fi and retro 80s sound quality
  • 🎹 Extensive library of high-quality presets
  • 💰 Affordable pricing (at original purchase)
  • 🎨 Intuitive and clean interface design
  • 🔊 Versatile sounds for multiple genres

Room to improve

  • 💸 Aggressive subscription model for previously purchased app
  • 🔄 Conversion from AudioKit broke existing projects
  • 📊 User data tracking added without clear benefit
  • 🚫 Removed access to previously purchased presets/banks
  • 😠 Lack of developer communication about changes

Bugs and requests

mood

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Filter FM does not work properly at audio rates
  • App intercepts GarageBand audio output file
  • App mutes notes during playback in BeatMaker3
  • Some presets require audio files that are missing
  • Note hangs and crashes in AUM
Show 2 more
  • Sample playback quality is low and cannot be disabled
  • Filter can get smeary especially when using polyphony

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add MPE Support
  • Update for iPadOS 26 compatibility
  • Option to show/hide keyboard in AUv3
  • Option to show/hide keyboard partially in AUv3
  • More LFOs and envelopes
Show 5 more
  • Modern VCF/VCA envelope options (e.g., loop, delay, hold)
  • Dark mode option
  • More presets
  • Favorite mode for presets
  • Polyphonic granular sample section

VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • GarageBand compatibility broken after updates
  • App not recognized in Logic Pro after updates
  • Inconsistent sound quality across different registers
  • Patch/preset settings not retained after closing DAW
  • Audio Unit Extension crashes in GarageBand
Show 6 more
  • Duplicate track sounds different from original
  • Display shows 'Welcome' instead of loaded patch
  • Thin black keys difficult to hit on keyboard
  • Missing top C key on keyboard
  • Sounds inconsistent when exported from GarageBand
  • App disappears from projects after ownership change

Requested features

7 requests
  • Mac OS version for DAW compatibility
  • Velocity sensitivity settings for keyboard
  • Pitch bend and modulation wheels with actual functionality
  • Better keyboard design with proper key sizing
  • Improved UI layout to reduce wasted space in AUv3 mode
Show 2 more
  • Access to original synth parameters instead of sample-based playback
  • Direct routing to IAA output for FL Studio Mobile

In-app purchases

None

mood

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave

Subscriptions4
  • Weekly premium7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Weekly premium$4.997 Days
  • Yearly premium$9.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Yearly premium7 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is mood free?
mood costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave free?
VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, mood or VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave?
mood is rated higher. mood averages 4.7 out of 5 from 87 ratings, while VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave averages 4.0 from 132 ratings.
Do mood or VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave have ads?
VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave shows ads; mood does not.
Which is updated more often, mood or VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave?
mood ships an update every 3 weeks, and VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave every 2 weeks. Most recently, mood was updated on October 14, 2026 and VHS Synth | 80s Synthwave on October 7, 2026.

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