Comparison

Alien Box vs shortReverse II

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

shortReverse II

Read full description

Concept: “shortReverse II” is the advanced version of “shortReverse” which was previously released. The second has the same functionality as the first but resolves professional needs, that is, the problem of restricted buffer size (2^N). Now the user can freely adjust the buffer size from 256 to 65536 (in 1 sample unit). Usage: The user can reverse an incoming audio signal in real-time only while pushing the button. "buffer size" slider is text-editable by clicking. Note: Button automation in DAW is not supported. System Requirements: AUv3 host stereo output: just plug headphone/mic or audio interface.

Screenshots

Alien Box2 screens
shortReverse II2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: shortReverse II at every 2 days against Alien Box's every 38 months. Alien Box's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $3.99) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.0). On ads, in-app purchases 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 shortReverse II $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Alien Box ships an update every 38 months, shortReverse II every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Alien Box versus shortReverse II: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlien BoxshortReverse II
Price$2.99 — better$3.99
Rating1.3 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 38 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAleksandar MlazevSatoshi Kajii

In-app purchases

None

Alien Box

No in-app purchases

None

shortReverse II

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Alien Box free?
Alien Box costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is shortReverse II free?
shortReverse II costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Alien Box or shortReverse II have ads?
Neither Alien Box nor shortReverse II shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Alien Box or shortReverse II?
Alien Box ships an update every 38 months, and shortReverse II every 2 days. Most recently, Alien Box was updated on October 7, 2026 and shortReverse II on October 18, 2026.

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