# Rutabaga vs Tonic Synth

The clearest difference is price: Rutabaga at Free against Tonic Synth's $19.99. Rutabaga also leads on ratings volume (7 vs 1) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.0). Tonic Synth's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Rutabaga is free to download; Tonic Synth costs $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Tonic Synth holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rutabaga has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Rutabaga ships an update every 2 weeks, Tonic Synth every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rutabaga | Tonic Synth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rutabaga/id1371678440/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tonic-synth/id6783345229/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 25 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zachary Proffitt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1065750397) | [Rubens Felicio](https://appshunter.io/developer/6775565794) |

## What reviewers say

### Rutabaga

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rutabaga/id1371678440)

This app helps musicians practice music theory consistently across all keys. Create custom exercises for scales, chords, and improvisation, with timers and playlists for structured practice sessions. Internalize music fundamentals efficiently.

**Highlights:** Customizable exercises for keys, Random root, circle of fourths/fifths, Timed practice blocks, Save exercises to playlists, Practice scales, intervals, chords, Improvisation drills

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Tonic Synth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tonic-synth/id6783345229)

Create complex sounds with multiple synthesis engines, including analog, wavetable, and FM. Share and discover sounds with a built-in community. Play standalone or as a plugin on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

**Highlights:** Eight sound engines (physical modeling, virtual analog, wavetable, FM, SoundFont), Stack up to three engines per sound, Community sound sharing and publishing, Arpeggiator and sequencer with advanced features, Effects rack with chorus, delay, reverb, EQ, compressor, and flanger/phaser, Live scene switching for stage performance, Standalone and AUv3 plugin support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rutabaga free?

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

### Is Tonic Synth free?

Tonic Synth costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Rutabaga or Tonic Synth?

Tonic Synth is rated higher. Rutabaga averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Tonic Synth averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Rutabaga or Tonic Synth have ads?

Neither Rutabaga nor Tonic Synth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Rutabaga or Tonic Synth?

Rutabaga ships an update every 2 weeks, and Tonic Synth every 4 days. Most recently, Rutabaga was updated on November 2, 2026 and Tonic Synth on November 5, 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.*