# Pure Pop vs ShockWave

The clearest difference is price: Pure Pop at Free against ShockWave's $19.99. Pure Pop also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). ShockWave's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (188 vs 1). On update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Pure Pop is free to download; ShockWave costs $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pure Pop holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShockWave has 188 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pure Pop | ShockWave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $19.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pure-pop/id1288840550/reviews)** | [4.6 (188 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shockwave-synth-module/id1449844670/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **188** |
| Positive reviews | — | 54.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Paid |
| Size | 18 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Broadtime](https://appshunter.io/developer/494998393) | [Kai Aras](https://appshunter.io/developer/370820899) |

## What reviewers say

### Pure Pop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pure-pop/id1288840550)

Scan product barcodes with your camera to preview them on your phone. Access store news, events, offers, and promotions. Create wishlists or order products directly from the app.

**Highlights:** Barcode product lookup, In-store news and events, Exclusive offers and promotions, Product wishlisting, In-app ordering

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ShockWave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shockwave-synth-module/id1449844670)

This app is a monophonic synthesizer for iOS and AUv3 plugins, utilizing Phase Distortion synthesis. It offers dual PD oscillators, sequencers, LFOs, and envelopes for complex sound design. Almost any control can be modulated by multiple sources, with real-time visual feedback.

**Highlights:** Phase Distortion Synthesis, Dual PD Oscillators, Dual 8-step Sequencers, Dual ASR Envelopes, Tempo-syncable LFOs, Extensive Modulation Matrix, MIDI and MPE Support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Unique and amazing sounds
- 🔊 Heavy and brutal tones
- 💡 Innovative phase distortion synthesis
- 🎨 Beautiful and deep sound sculpting
- 🎹 Great for bass sounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- ❌ Not working in AUM/AUv3
- 🔇 No sound output in certain apps
- ❓ Difficult to use without a manual
- 📉 Laggy UI and slow patch loading

**Reported bugs**

- "Bad Signal" errors in AUM, stops sound generation.
- Intermittent "bad signal" prompt in AUM, requires reloading.
- Sounds awful, very distorted with glitchy UI.
- App crashes frequently.
- No sound coming out of AUv3 in GarageBand.

**Requested features**

- Provide a proper manual detailing all parameters and sections with examples.
- Implement a key trigger option for the sequencer to allow MIDI controller playback.
- Add a poly mode.
- Improve documentation and tutorials.
- Standardize knob appearance and response.


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pure Pop free?

Pure Pop is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ShockWave free?

ShockWave costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pure Pop or ShockWave?

Pure Pop is rated higher. Pure Pop averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while ShockWave averages 4.6 from 188 ratings.

### Do Pure Pop or ShockWave have ads?

Pure Pop shows ads; ShockWave does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pure Pop or ShockWave?

Pure Pop ships an update every 2 months, and ShockWave every 2 months. Most recently, Pure Pop was updated on October 11, 2026 and ShockWave on October 14, 2026.

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