Comparison

apeMatrix vs WoodSynth

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

Head to head
About

apeMatrix

This app acts as a powerful host for audio plugins, allowing users to connect and automate various aspects of music creation. It facilitates the integration of favorite FX, MIDI routing, and control over built-in and external plugin parameters.

Highlights
  • Audio Unit and Inter-App Audio support
  • MIDI and audio routing
  • Control Manager for parameter modulation
  • Multiple Matrix grids for plugin hosting
  • MIDI Patch-bay for routing
  • High-quality audio processing
Features
Read full description

Holding true to the standard of apeSoft, apeMatrix continues to push the limits of possibilities in music creation. Automating almost every aspect of linked control, apeMatrix brings all your creation tools together and links them both in MIDI and audio. Letting you inject all your favorite FX both AU and IAA in a very easy and intuitive way. apeMatrix can also assign its Control Manager MIDI, Accelerometer, Scrub and LFO’s to modulate every built-in parameter and any parameter available inside the AUv3 (Audio Unit Plugins). apeMatrix offers 10 slots on each of the three Matrix grids with 2 bus slots on each grid that make it possible to interconnect all 3 Matrix. The MIDI Patch-bay also offers endless possibilities for MIDI routing and control in a similar grid design for both internal and external MIDI control. So you can send and receive MIDI and have ultimate control over where it’s routed. Each Audio Connection on the grid has its own gain control. Just tap on the node and drag will give you the full range of volume control. Or use Mixer to controls the RAU output and automate them using apeSoft’s unique Control Manager MIDI, Accelerometer, Scrub and LFO’s to modulate every built-in parameter and any parameter available inside the AUv3 (Audio Unit Plugins). Turn each slot on or off by a control switch on the Matrix or MIDI control. Control output, pan, mute and solo of each slot and Master output of each Matrix with the built in mixer control or MIDI control. Route your sounds through all a series of FX or route multiple sounds through the very some FX. The possibilities are as endless as your creativity. FEATURES High quality audio up to 32-bit 96kHz Supports Audio Unit extensions, Inter-App Audio Supports multi-channel inputs/outputs audio interfaces Supports Audio Unit Multi-bus input/output (side-chaining) 3 Matrix Audio 3 MIDI Matrix 10 Open Slots per Matrix (hosts up to 30 plugins) 2 Audio Bus Slots per Matrix 2 MIDI Bus Slots per Matrix MIDI Monitor Multi-Channel Audio Route AudioUnit Audio Send Receive Buses MIDI Scale Filtering, Transpose etc… Control Manager (MIDI, Accelerometer, LFO, Scrub) for all Built-In Parameters Control Manager (MIDI, Accelerometer, LFO, Scrub) for all AUv3 (Audio Unit Plugins) Presets Manager and Morphing Pad Save Custom AUv3 Presets Session Saving/Load Save/Load View’s Frame in Presets Transport to sends host sync to Audio Unit plugins and IAA Integrated and configurable MIDI keyboard with scales Connections output and panning controls Post Dynamic Processor Audiobus and Inter-Audio App (Sender and Fx) Audiobus state saving Ableton Link Precise MIDI Clock In/Out AudioShare Compatible AudioCopy Compatible MIDI Manager: Virtual Midi and Network, 14 bit NRPN controllers File Manager, sharing common audio files via iTunes, Dropbox and AudioCopy etc… Variable Sampling Rate (up to 96 kHz) Variable Buffering Size Variable UI Color Schemes BUILT-IN AUv3 (compatibles with other audio hosts) Configurable Sampler with scrub, playable via MIDI V-Meters Oscilloscope/Spectralscope Sender/Receiver (up to 16 buses) Send MIDI messages with LFO Gain/Pan

About

WoodSynth

This powerful synthesizer app offers four independent layers, each with its own sound engine, filters, and envelopes. Create complex sounds using VCOs, samples, or wavetables, and control them with a polyphonic touch bar and MPE support. It functions as a standalone app or a plugin within a DAW.

Highlights
  • Four independent synthesizer layers
  • VCOs, samples, and wavetable sources
  • Polyphonic touch bar with pitch bending
  • MPE and MIDI V2 support
  • AUv3 plugin and standalone app
  • 16-step sequencers per layer
  • Advanced modulation options
Features
Read full description

WoodSynth is a synthesizer with 4 independent layers. Each layer is in fact a synthesizer on its own. Each layer has 3 VCO’s plus a samples or wavetable based source, coming from a file or from recording the audio track. Up to 16 voices can be set per layer. Layers can be used in parallel, assigned to a region of the keyboard or used in a sequential mode where the first note(s) on are played by layer 1 and the next note(s) by layer 2 and so on. This last mode allows to have a different sound per note played (and independent from a keyboard region). WoodSynth has a polyphonic pitch-bending touch bar which also displays notes received from a keyboard. Each layer has its own filter and envelope with ADSR per voice, a pitch shifting envelope per VCO, a delay, a basic reverb, a modulator LFO per VCO, 2 general LFO’s and a 16 steps sequencer. Key tracking can be applied on the ADSR attack and release, on the filter cutoff and on the VCO modulation. The app can be used stand-alone (device audio input and output) or as a plugin in a DAW. - IOS plugin type : AUv3 and stand-alone app.
 - Has 4 independent synthesizers, each with up to 16 voices.
 - Supports MPE and Midi V2. - Has a polyphonic touch bar with polyphonic pitch bending.
 - Velocity, channel pressure, (polyphonic) aftertouch, CC74 can be used to modulate several synth parameters.
 - VCO’s have the usual waveforms (sine, saw, square, triangle, pulse and noise) and can be modulated in various ways (FM, AM, Pulse Width, Slew rate)
 - Samples can be recorded from the audio input/track or loaded from file (sample files should be in the WoodSynth iCloud folder)
 - Wavetables can be loaded from file or converted from loaded or recorded samples.
 - Each voice has a 4-pole Moog Lowpass filter with resonance and ADSR envelope.
 - An offset can be set in the Filter cutoff for the R channel to create a stereo effect.
 - Each voice has a pitch shifting ADSR envelope which can be independently enabled for each VCO.
 - Has Key tracking for VCO pan, Filter cutoff, ADSR Envelope Attack and Release.
 - Each layer has a delay unit (which can be separately panned) and a basic reverb.
 - Each layer has a 16 steps sequencer which can run on multiple voices (poly mode).
 - Each layer can set the midi channel and range of receiving midi notes (which allows for up to 4 split keyboard regions).
 - Layers can be set in sequential mode : first note(s) played on layer1, next note(s) on layer2, etc. - Layers have an additional high-pass filter saturation and crush control.
 - Synth audio and delay can be panned independently.
 - The 2 general LFO’s can have their source from the samples or wavetables (or track input).
 - Supports Ableton Link to sync tempo and start-stop.
 - Has 4 User Control rotaries which can be freely assigned.
 - The User Controls can be controlled by a midi CC which can be set or learned.
 - Presets can be stored in iCloud Drive (makes them available on all your devices). - Supports CV out and Sequencer Midi out.

Screenshots

apeMatrix4 screens
WoodSynth1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: apeMatrix at 4.7 against WoodSynth's 4.1. apeMatrix also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 60%) and ratings volume (84 vs 28). WoodSynth's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

apeMatrix costs $14.99 and WoodSynth $15.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

apeMatrix holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 84 and 28 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of apeMatrix's written reviews are positive against 60% of WoodSynth's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

apeMatrix ships an update monthly, WoodSynth every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
apeMatrix versus WoodSynth: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterapeMatrixWoodSynth
Price$14.99 — better$15.99
Rating4.7 (84 ratings) — better4.1 (28 ratings)
Positive reviews72.7% of reviews — better60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings84 — better28
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB203 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperapeSoftWoodman's Immaculate Maple Syrup Studio

Customer experience

apeMatrix

All ratings84 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral6.0%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive72.7%
Neutral12.1%
Negative15.2%

WoodSynth

All ratings28 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral3.6%
Negative21.4%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral15.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

apeMatrix

No in-app purchases

None

WoodSynth

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is apeMatrix free?
apeMatrix costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is WoodSynth free?
WoodSynth costs $15.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, apeMatrix or WoodSynth?
apeMatrix is rated higher. apeMatrix averages 4.7 out of 5 from 84 ratings, while WoodSynth averages 4.1 from 28 ratings.
Do apeMatrix or WoodSynth have ads?
Neither apeMatrix nor WoodSynth shows ads.
Which is updated more often, apeMatrix or WoodSynth?
apeMatrix ships an update monthly, and WoodSynth every 5 weeks. Most recently, apeMatrix was updated on November 2, 2026 and WoodSynth on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons