# SynthMaster One vs OB

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OB at none against SynthMaster One's 11. OB also leads on chart position (#176 vs unranked). SynthMaster One's advantage is price ($9.99 vs $14.99) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

SynthMaster One costs $9.99 and OB $14.99 up front. SynthMaster One sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. OB asks for nothing beyond the download.

SynthMaster One holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SynthMaster One has 743 ratings behind it against 65, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of SynthMaster One's written reviews are positive against 57% of OB's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SynthMaster One | OB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$9.99** | $14.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (743 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synthmaster-one/id1254353266/reviews)** | [4.4 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ob-xd-auv3-synth/id1465262829/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **743** | 65 |
| Positive reviews | **63.8% of reviews** | 57.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#176** |
| Size | 402 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [KV331 Audio](https://appshunter.io/developer/944155925) | [DiscoDSP LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1465262828) |

## What reviewers say

### SynthMaster One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synthmaster-one/id1254353266)

This powerful wavetable synthesizer app offers an intuitive workflow for creating unique sounds. It features a rich library of wavetables, inspiring presets, and a semi-modular architecture for deep sound design. Easily sync data across devices and integrate with DAWs.

**Highlights:** Wavetable synthesis, Semi-modular architecture, 650 factory presets, AUv3 support, Cross-platform cloud sync, Real-time modulation feedback, 32-step arpeggiator/sequencer

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BigTone Club Construction Set | $4.99 | one-time |
| True Trance Sounds Volume 1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Vandalism Future House | $4.99 | one-time |
| NatLife Retrowave Sounds Vol.1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Demis Hellen Euphoric Trance | $4.99 | one-time |
| Venus Theory Trap Sounds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Vandalism Shocking Future Bass | $4.99 | one-time |
| NatLife Progressive&Deep Vol.1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bluffmunkey Cinematic Sounds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Desktop Presets Upgrade | $7.99 | one-time |
| SM One Expansions Bundle | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful synth engine
- 👍 Extensive preset library
- 🎨 Versatile sound design capabilities
- 💡 Free desktop version expansions on iPad
- 🎹 Excellent sound quality and tone

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔋 Battery drain in background
- 🤔 Confusing in-app purchase system
- 👎 UI/UX could use improvement
- 🔇 Audio issues and no sound

**Reported bugs**

- Stuck notes and MIDI issues
- Preset loading crashes
- Restore purchases not working
- Incompatibility with certain DAWs

**Requested features**

- Add custom wavetable support
- Improve MIDI mapping and MPE functionality
- Optimize performance on older devices
- Streamline preset management and browsing


### OB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ob-xd-auv3-synth/id1465262829)

**Currently charting:** #176 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app emulates the classic Oberheim OB-X synthesizer, offering its rich sound and behavior with added enhancements. It focuses on sonic quality and includes micro random detuning for authentic analog warmth. External effects are recommended to further shape its versatile soundscapes.

**Highlights:** Oberheim OB-X emulation, Recreates original sound and behavior, Added enhancements to original design, Micro random detuning, Rich and good sound quality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Incredible sound quality
- ✨ Inspiring creative tool
- 🎹 Faithful emulation of classic synth
- 🎛️ Great for programming
- 🎚️ Useful presets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unusable UI on older devices
- 💻 Poor GUI scaling on iPad Pro
- 🎛️ Controls unresponsive or misaligned
- 📉 Limited functionality without updates
- 🤷‍♂️ No clear upgrade path

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes in Audiobus
- Cannot use in MIDI section of Audiobus
- Preset browser issues (scrolling, cut off banks)
- Automation bug with cutoff freq
- UI issues on iPad Pro (buttons misaligned, text cut off)

**Requested features**

- Add last/high priority for mono patches
- Increase polyphony to 8 voices
- MIDI Learn functionality
- Preset browser improvements (categories, scrolling)
- Adjustable keyboard size


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SynthMaster One free?

SynthMaster One costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is OB free?

OB costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SynthMaster One or OB?

SynthMaster One is rated higher. SynthMaster One averages 4.7 out of 5 from 743 ratings, while OB averages 4.4 from 65 ratings.

### Do SynthMaster One or OB have ads?

Neither SynthMaster One nor OB shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SynthMaster One or OB?

SynthMaster One ships an update every 2 months, and OB every 2 months. Most recently, SynthMaster One was updated on October 16, 2026 and OB on October 11, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*