Comparison

FAC Envolver vs BrainBud

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

Head to head
About

FAC Envolver

This audio effect processor transforms input audio using MIDI CC and notes to control synthesizer parameters. It features a noise gate and a trance gate for unique sound modulation and sequences.

Highlights
  • MIDI CC and note control
  • Envelope follower
  • Noise gate
  • Trance gate
  • Stereo effect with linked channels
  • Adjustable pitch and scale progression
Read full description

Being a MIDI effect in its essence, controlling your synthesizers parameters (e.g volume, cutoff, res) with MIDI CC and notes, FAC Envolver is also able to transform the input audio via two exclusive effects: a Noise Gate and a Trance Gate. This combination is the key to breathe life into your sound, providing interesting natural modulation and sequences that will always be different by nature. Under the hood, FAC Envolver is an envelope follower delivering MIDI data generated from the contour of a signal. The source of this signal may come from two distinctive circuits: the first one is a classic envelope follower and the second one is a rythmical pattern called trigger gate. Both circuits are responsible for providing a signal envelope that can be altered by a set of parameters and delivered as MIDI control change messages (CC). The generated signal envelope also passes through a gate detection mechanism driven by a threshold. When the signal goes above the threshold, the gate is open and when the signal goes below, the gate is closed. This open/close sequence provides a second envelope which is delivered as MIDI CC (on/off) and notes. The pitch of the note may be set within the effect or from an external value provided by MIDI input. Both may follow a particular scale progression. The envelope follower circuit also provides a noise gate to control precisely the level of your audio signal. This uses the same open/close sequence built by the gate detection mechanism that delivers MIDI data but acts on the audio. Following the same logic, when the second circuit - the trigger gate - is engaged, the open/close sequence provides a trance gate style effect to the audio. FAC Envolver is a stereo effect and provides two slots, one slot per channel. Both can be linked to facilitate the manipulation. The audio can also be turned to mono and the dry and wet audio can be mixed.

About

BrainBud

This app acts as a central controller for other music creation applications, allowing you to manage keys and scales simultaneously. It integrates with a variety of Bud apps via MIDI, enabling synchronized changes and broadcasting of musical parameters. Experiment with randomization and automate settings through its AUv3 plugin.

Highlights
  • Centralized key and scale control
  • MIDI out to multiple Bud apps
  • Budcast for parameter broadcasting
  • Randomize musical parameters
  • AUv3 plugin for automation
  • Requires other Bud apps to function
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

BrainBud controls the keys and scales of the Bud apps all at once. Connect BrainBud’s MIDI out to MIDI inputs of: - SnakeBud - PolyBud - MelodyBud - ShiftBud - ScaleBud 2 - In Theory - Textquencer - Binarhythmic - Auto Bass - BounceBud - MuseBud - Kebarp - FuncBud - Note to Be You can also broadcast the current key/scale to the newly connected apps with Budcast button. If you’d like to experiment, you can try the randomise button. With the AUv3 plugin, you can change the BrainBud's parameters or even automate them with AU parameters. For using the AUv3 plugin make sure you have an AUv3 host app such as AUM, Cubasis, Nanostudio, apeMatrix. BrainBud is a MIDI based app and requires other Bud apps present in order to work right. If you don't have any other Bud apps mentioned above, you can't make a use of BrainBud.  BrainBud doesn't produce any kind of sound on its own.

Screenshots

FAC Envolver4 screens
BrainBud4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: BrainBud at $2.99 against FAC Envolver's $9.99. BrainBud also leads on chart position (#197 vs unranked). FAC Envolver's advantage is ratings volume (41 vs 2) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.0). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

FAC Envolver costs $9.99 and BrainBud $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for FAC Envolver against 5.0 for BrainBud. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FAC Envolver has 41 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FAC Envolver ships an update every 3 months, BrainBud every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
FAC Envolver versus BrainBud: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFAC EnvolverBrainBud
Price$9.99$2.99 — better
Rating4.9 (41 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings41 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#197 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFrederic CorvestCem Olcay

Customer experience

FAC Envolver

All ratings41 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.4%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

BrainBud

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

FAC Envolver

No in-app purchases

None

BrainBud

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FAC Envolver free?
FAC Envolver costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is BrainBud free?
BrainBud costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FAC Envolver or BrainBud?
BrainBud is rated higher. FAC Envolver averages 4.9 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while BrainBud averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do FAC Envolver or BrainBud have ads?
Neither FAC Envolver nor BrainBud shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FAC Envolver or BrainBud?
FAC Envolver ships an update every 3 months, and BrainBud every 2 months. Most recently, FAC Envolver was updated on October 15, 2026 and BrainBud on October 8, 2026.

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