Comparison

GeoShred Play vs SynthShred

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

Head to head
About

GeoShred Play

This app offers a unique musical playing surface that allows anyone to create music without hitting a wrong note. It features a diatonic keyboard and supports backing tracks, with options for purchasing additional instruments and upgrading to advanced features.

Highlights
  • Diatonic playing surface
  • Physically modeled guitar
  • Support for backing tracks
  • Inter-App Audio and Audiobus support
  • Optional instrument purchases
Features
Read full description

GeoShred Play Version 7 With In-App Purchases for GeoSWAM and Naada instruments on devices running iOS 13 or later. With GeoShred Play, everyone can shred. Play with confidence on GeoShred’s innovative diatonic playing surface, where every key can fit the scale. Slide your finger in any direction and let the music flow with expressive vibrato, seamless fretless playing, and GeoShred’s groundbreaking intelligent pitch rounding. GeoShred Play is the play-only version of the award-winning GeoShred musical instrument for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. It is a great way to get started with GeoShred, giving you access to the expressive GeoShred performance surface and the ability to play GeoShred Pro presets. GeoShred Play can also be upgraded** to the functionality of GeoShred Pro, adding powerful features including preset editing, AUv3 plug-in support, MIDI/MPE, and setlist editing. GeoSWAM and Naada instruments are also available as In-App Purchases. GeoShred’s expressive performance surface with “almost magic” pitch-rounding algorithms is coupled with physics-based models of musical instruments. It is a fusion of Jordan Rudess’ performance concepts and moForte’s powerful modeled guitar and effects technology, based on the physical modeling research of Dr. Julius O. Smith III of Stanford/CCRMA. Awards • 2nd Place Winner, 2022/2025 MIDI Innovation Award for Software • Gold Medal Winner, 2019 Denny Award • Winner, 2019 Guthman New Musical Instrument Award • Winner, 2017 Electronic Musician Editor’s Choice Award GeoShred Play Features • Fluidly expressive playing surface • Built-in physically modeled guitar • Diatonic keyboard mode where every key is in the scale • Backing track support • 3D Touch on supported devices • Inter-App Audio and Audiobus support • Play GeoShred Pro presets • In-App Purchases for GeoSWAM and Naada instruments • Upgrade path to the functionality of GeoShred Pro GeoSWAM and Naada instruments can be performed from the GeoShred keyboard, MPE controllers, conventional MIDI controllers, and wind controllers. Praise for the GeoShred family of apps “GeoShred is brilliant - it’s a real instrument.” — Eddie Jobson “A fantastic new invention which is going to revolutionize the way music is played, expressed and learned!” — Patrick Moraz “That’s just nuts. You’re the best guitarist-without-a-guitar of all time.” — Joe Satriani “GeoShred is a breakthrough musical instrument for the iPad.” — Craig Anderton, Harmony Central We are dedicated to delivering the highest level of musical instrument experience for our customers worldwide. If you enjoy GeoShred Play, please leave a review on the App Store. Questions? Contact us at support@moforte.com Minimum Requirements iOS 13 or later is required for the GeoSWAM and Naada instruments. * Due to App Store limitations, previously purchased individual instrument IAPs cannot be applied to the purchase of a collection IAP. ** The Pro upgrade is to the functionality of GeoShred Pro. The app remains GeoShred Play, but gains all Pro features and becomes functionally identical to GeoShred Pro

About

SynthShred

This app is a virtual musical instrument offering a vast library of sound presets, including pianos, guitars, and synths. It provides customizable guitar tunings and a selection of musical scales with root key adjustments for easier playing. Enjoy expressive sound shaping with built-in effects and multiple playing modes.

Highlights
  • 139 sound presets
  • 29 guitar tuning presets
  • 14 musical scales
  • Diatonic surface option
  • Monophonic and Polyphonic Mode
  • Reverb and Echo effects
Read full description

SynthShred is musical instrument containing 139 sound presets including piano, guitars, ethnic instruments, chromatic percussions, strings, pipes, synth pads, reed instruments, brass, organs, ensemble, bass, synth leads and many more. SynthShred comes with 29 guitar tuning presets including standard guitar, all fourths, drop tunings, open tunings, major minor tunings and many more. SynthShred also contains 14 mostly used musical scales including Major, Minor, Harmonic Minor, Pentatonic and many more. SynthShred provides the ability to change the root key for the the selected scale to be in the key every time. The diatonic surface option will remove the notes from the surface that are not part of the scale. It's easier for the player to be in key. SynthShred features includes: - Expressive physical guitar surface - Monophonic and Polyphonic Mode - Diatonic surface - Adjustable string and fret counts - 139 sound presets - 29 unique guitar tuning presets - 14 commonly used scales - Modulation slider - On screen Reverb and Echo effects controls - Sustain button for acoustic instruments Available for iPhone, iPad and iPods for free. Minimum Requirements: iOS 9.0 or later.

Screenshots

GeoShred Play3 screens
SynthShred4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SynthShred at Free against GeoShred Play's $9.99. SynthShred also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). GeoShred Play's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 55%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

SynthShred is free to download; GeoShred Play costs $9.99 up front. GeoShred Play sells 33 one-off in-app purchases and SynthShred sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GeoShred Play holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 518 and 206 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of GeoShred Play's written reviews are positive against 55% of SynthShred's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GeoShred Play ships an update every 2 weeks, SynthShred every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
GeoShred Play versus SynthShred: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGeoShred PlaySynthShred
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (518 ratings) — better4.4 (206 ratings)
Positive reviews90.5% of reviews — better54.7% of reviews
Number of ratings518 — better206
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size829 MB141 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperWizdom Music LLCYugal Sharma

Customer experience

GeoShred Play

All ratings518 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral1.9%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews169 reviews
Positive90.5%
Neutral4.7%
Negative4.7%

SynthShred

All ratings205 ratings
Positive84.4%
Neutral6.8%
Negative8.8%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive54.7%
Neutral7.5%
Negative37.7%

User reviews

GeoShred Play

From 518 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Incredibly expressive and responsive
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use interface
  • 🎨 Vast sound library and customization options
  • 💡 Useful for both beginners and professionals
  • 🎸 Realistic and high-quality instrument emulation

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔋 High battery consumption on mobile devices
  • 💰 Some users find the pricing a bit high

SynthShred

From 206 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Incredible app for musical exploration
  • 🎶 Great tool for learning and making music
  • 👍 Smooth and soft playing
  • 🎵 Best music appreciation
  • 💡 Underrated app with good sounds

Room to improve

  • 👎 No in-app purchases
  • 🔇 Sound muted in the app
  • 💸 Shameful theft/knock-off
  • 🚫 Logic for iPad issue (AUv3 not working)
  • 📉 Limited usefulness without AUv3/IAA

Bugs and requests

GeoShred Play

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when playing multiple simultaneous notes
  • Compatibility issues with certain iOS devices
  • Inconsistent behavior when using the app with other DAWs

Requested features

4 requests
  • More tutorial and learning resources
  • Improved MIDI integration and compatibility
  • Expanded sound library with more instrument types
  • Ability to save and share custom presets

SynthShred

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • Sound is muted only in this app
  • Doesn't show up as available audio unit in Logic/GarageBand
  • Notes not sliding on the pad, sound individual notes
  • Issue with sustain option: some instrument notes never stop
  • Pop up to go pro comes up every minute
Show 6 more
  • No sound at all
  • Bug where trying an instrument makes the app stop making any sounds
  • Bug where some notes randomly sound modulated with pitch shift / vibrato
  • When a “Try Free” option is chosen for a patch the entire app goes silent
  • Asked for payment again after uninstalling and reinstalling
  • No restore purchase button

Requested features

20 requests
  • Add MIDI support
  • Add AUv3 support
  • Add IAA support
  • Add sliding option
  • Add velocity touch sensitivity
Show 15 more
  • Add pitch bend function
  • Add legato types
  • Add transpose button
  • Add dual tune mode
  • Add record option to wav
  • Add simple metronome with tempo
  • Improve slide feature smoothness
  • Improve mid wheel effect
  • Add chords/notes option
  • Add auto accompaniment & sound mixing
  • Add recording
  • Add manual, tutorial & support
  • Add feature to change note name font
  • Make a simpler version for iOS 8 & later
  • Add fretless patches to pro version

In-app purchases

33 purchases

GeoShred Play

One-time33
  • GeoBassTrombone$10.00
  • GeoClarinet$10.00
  • Naada Dizi$10.00
Show 30 more
  • Naada Nadaswaram$10.00
  • GeoOboe$14.99
  • Naada Saraswati Veena$14.99
  • GeoTrumpet$14.99
  • GeoBassFlute$14.99
  • Pro Features Upgrade$14.99
  • GeoCello$14.99
  • GeoTenorSax$14.99
  • GeoFlute$14.99
  • GeoViolin$14.99
  • Naada Carnatic Violin$14.99
  • Naada Cello$14.99
  • Naada Acoustic Guitar$14.99
  • Naada Bansuri$14.99
  • Naada Rudra Veena$14.99
  • Naada Erhu$14.99
  • Naada Bass$14.99
  • GeoViola$14.99
  • GeoPizzBass$14.99
  • Naada Pan Flute$14.99
  • Naada Duduk$14.99
  • Naada Viola$14.99
  • GeoSWAM Collection II$40.00
  • Naada Collection III$50.00
  • GeoSWAM Collection I$74.99
  • Naada Collection 1$74.99
  • Naada Collection I & II$80.00
  • GeoSWAM Collection I & II$119.99
  • Naada Collection I & II & III$179.99
  • Naada Collection I & II & III & IV$259.99
1 purchases

SynthShred

One-time1
  • Full Upgrade to SynthShred Pro$3.99

Questions

Is GeoShred Play free?
GeoShred Play costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is SynthShred free?
SynthShred is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, GeoShred Play or SynthShred?
GeoShred Play is rated higher. GeoShred Play averages 4.8 out of 5 from 518 ratings, while SynthShred averages 4.4 from 206 ratings.
Do GeoShred Play or SynthShred have ads?
Neither GeoShred Play nor SynthShred shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GeoShred Play or SynthShred?
GeoShred Play ships an update every 2 weeks, and SynthShred every 4 days. Most recently, GeoShred Play was updated on October 26, 2026 and SynthShred on October 26, 2026.

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