Comparison

Alien Box vs GRFX

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Unique sound enrichment
  • LFO modulated vibes
  • Complex resonator system
  • AUv3 plugin for hosts
  • Standalone app mode
  • Gain, Vibe, Depth, Reverb controls
Features
Read full description

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

About

GRFX

Transform ordinary audio into unique sonic textures, evolving soundscapes, and rhythmic glitches. This app offers precise control over sound manipulation with a unique pitch controller, multiple LFOs, and a flexible multi-effect chain. Create complex and immersive audio transformations in real-time.

Highlights
  • Granular engine for textures and rhythms
  • Harmonic Triangle pitch controller
  • Multi-effect chain with probabilistic routing
  • Four self-modulating LFOs
  • Real-time audio sculpting
  • AUv3 plugin and standalone app
Features
Read full description

GRFX is a powerful and creative granular effects processor that turns ordinary audio into extraordinary sonic landscapes. Slice your sound into grains and reshape them into evolving textures, shimmering chords, rhythmic glitches, haunting drones, and more. At the heart of GRFX is the Harmonic Triangle – an intuitive 3-way pitch controller that lets you morph simple tones into lush pads, arpeggiated patterns, or abstract gestures. Whether you’re aiming for organic soundscapes or synchronized stutters, GRFX gives you precise control over the flow of grains and modulation. Build complexity with four self-modulating LFOs, a multi-effect chain with probabilistic routing, and an elegant drag-and-drop modulation system. Shape your sound, modulate nearly every parameter, and sculpt immersive audio transformations in real time. Key Features: - Granular engine for creating textures, rhythms, chords, glitches, drones, ambiences, and more - Harmonic Triangle for 3-way pitch control, detuning, and microtonality - Built-in Chord Selector with 32 triads for instant harmonic richness - Grain envelope shaping for plucky, smooth, or abrupt grains - Buffer size, division, sync, and freeze controls - Rhythmic synchronization for tempo-synced effects and patterns - 4 LFOs with self-modulation and drag-and-drop assignment - Modulation panel & view mode for streamlined modulation management - 2 Multi-Effect slots (Filter, Distortion, Delay, Peak EQ, Chorus, Phaser, Bitcrusher, Reverb) with probability-based routing - Dedicated Send FX with Delay and Reverb in series or parallel mode - Flexible mixer section for sculpting wet/dry balance and routing AUv3 Audio Unit plugin – requires an AUv3-compatible host app such as Logic Pro, GarageBand, AUM, or Cubasis. Standalone version included.

Screenshots

Alien Box2 screens
GRFX4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GRFX at 78% against Alien Box's 0%. GRFX also leads on rating (4.6 vs 1.3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 38 months). Alien Box's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $6.99) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

Alien Box costs $2.99 and GRFX $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GRFX holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Alien Box's written reviews are positive against 78% of GRFX's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Alien Box ships an update every 38 months, GRFX monthly. The most recent releases landed on August 14, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Alien Box versus GRFX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlien BoxGRFX
Price$2.99 — better$6.99
Rating1.3 (3 ratings)4.6 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews77.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings311 — better
Update frequencyEvery 38 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS10.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB117 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAleksandar MlazevImaginando Lda

Customer experience

Alien Box

All ratings3 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

GRFX

All ratings11 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative22.2%

In-app purchases

None

Alien Box

No in-app purchases

None

GRFX

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Alien Box free?
Alien Box costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is GRFX free?
GRFX costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Alien Box or GRFX?
GRFX is rated higher. Alien Box averages 1.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while GRFX averages 4.6 from 11 ratings.
Do Alien Box or GRFX have ads?
Neither Alien Box nor GRFX shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Alien Box or GRFX?
Alien Box ships an update every 38 months, and GRFX monthly. Most recently, Alien Box was updated on August 14, 2026 and GRFX on September 9, 2026.

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