Alien Box vs Shaper
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Alien Box
This audio effect plugin creates a unique sound with increased sustain and gentle, LFO-modulated vibes. It functions as an AUv3 effect for hosts like GarageBand or as a standalone app for real-time audio input processing.
- Unique sound enrichment
- LFO modulated vibes
- Complex resonator system
- AUv3 plugin for hosts
- Standalone app mode
- Gain, Vibe, Depth, Reverb controls
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Alien Box is a completely new kind of audio effect that you have never heard before. It makes the sound big and slightly increases the sustain while adding gentle vibes to it. The vibes are LFO modulated and the effect is using very complex resonator system inside. It is modulation effect and you can compare it to flanger, phaser or chorus but it is not like any of them… The app is an Audio Unit Effect AUV3 and can be used inside GarageBand or other AU host apps as an effect plug-in. Alien Box can also run as a stand alone app adding effect to the audio input so you can play your guitar, bass or synth directly three the app if you have the connector to do so. Alien Box controls: - Gain - you can use it increase the gain and sustain - Vibe - main tone and background vibes balance - Depth - controls the modulations depth - Reverb - adds reverb to the background vibes
Shaper
This professional-grade subtractive synthesizer allows for crafting a wide range of dynamic sounds with an intuitive interface. It features an advanced modulation matrix, configurable LFO graphs, and classic analog filters, plus eight built-in effects. Supports MIDI and AUv3 for seamless integration with mobile DAWs.
- Advanced modulation matrix
- Configurable LFO graphs
- Drag-and-drop modulation assignment
- Classic analog filter
- Eight built-in effects
- MIDI and AUv3 support
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Shaper is a professional-grade subtractive synthesizer built for mobile. The app offers a comprehensive set of features for crafting a wide range of dynamic sounds. Its intuitive interface is thoughtfully designed to provide a seamless and inspiring creative experience. Feature highlights: - Advanced modulation matrix - Fully configurable LFO graphs - Intuitive drag-and-drop modulation assignment - Amazing-sounding classic analog filter - Eight additional built-in effects: Bitcrusher, Chorus, Delay, Groove Delay, Distortion, Filter, Phaser, and Reverb - MIDI and MIDI learn support - AUv3 support; works seamlessly with Logic Pro, GarageBand, AUM, Cubasis, and any mobile DAW that supports Audio Unit Learn more (features, reviews, and manual): https://autumnrock.dev/shaper/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shaper at 64% against Alien Box's 0%. Shaper also leads on rating (4.4 vs 1.3) and ratings volume (18 vs 3). Alien Box's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $9.99) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence, 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
Alien Box costs $2.99 and Shaper $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Shaper holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shaper has 18 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Alien Box's written reviews are positive against 64% of Shaper's.
Alien Box ships an update every 38 months, Shaper every 24 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Alien Box | Shaper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 1.3 (3 ratings) | 4.4 (18 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 63.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 18 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 38 months | Every 24 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aleksandar Mlazev | Autumn Rock Software Development |
Customer experience
Alien Box
Shaper
In-app purchases
Alien Box
No in-app purchases
Shaper
No in-app purchases
