# FRMS vs MIDISpy

The clearest difference is price: MIDISpy at Free against FRMS's $8.99. MIDISpy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 16) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). FRMS's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (284 vs 5). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

MIDISpy is free to download; FRMS costs $8.99 up front. FRMS sells 16 one-off in-app purchases. MIDISpy asks for nothing beyond the download.

FRMS holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FRMS has 284 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of FRMS's written reviews are positive against 71% of MIDISpy's.

FRMS ships an update every 2 months, MIDISpy every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FRMS | MIDISpy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $8.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (284 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frms-granular-synthesizer/id1381392223/reviews)** | [3.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midispy/id1444652196/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **284** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **84.6% of reviews** | 71.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#185** | — |
| Size | 267 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Imaginando Lda](https://appshunter.io/developer/895445015) | [Kai Aras](https://appshunter.io/developer/370820899) |

## What reviewers say

### FRMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frms-granular-synthesizer/id1381392223)

**Currently charting:** #185 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app offers a powerful and flexible layering system for creating unique audio experiences. It blends multiple synthesis types, allowing users to craft everything from ambient soundscapes to glitchy textures. Import your own sounds or use the curated library for endless sonic exploration.

**Highlights:** 4 Synthesis Engines per voice, FM Modes & Operator Stacking, Real-Time Granulation, Deep Modulation & Envelope Control, Advanced FX & Polyphony, MPE Compatibility

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fragmented Chants | $5.99 | one-time |
| Euphoria Preset Pack | $6.49 | one-time |
| Ghost Signals Preset Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Supremeja Music Preset Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Sounds Of Saxophone | $8.99 | one-time |
| Glitches From The Heart | $8.99 | one-time |
| Sounds Of Guitar Preset Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Antique Shop Preset Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Sounds Of Clarinet Preset Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Sounds Of Bassoon Preset Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Sounds Of Foley 1 | $8.99 | one-time |
| Scratching The Surface 1 | $8.99 | one-time |
| Sounds Of Saxophone 2 Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Aural Alchemy 2 - Collector Edition | $11.99 | one-time |
| The Book Of Genesis | $11.99 | one-time |
| Aural Alchemy | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Fantastic sound design
- 👍 Intuitive and well-designed interface
- 🎶 Inspiring and creative sound possibilities
- 💻 Works great on iPad and desktop
- 🔑 Excellent preset packs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 CPU-intensive, can cause performance issues
- 🔇 Bluetooth connectivity problems
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and audio glitches in certain DAW environments
- Issues with sample playback and freezing

**Requested features**

- Ability to import larger sample files
- More granular control over modulation parameters
- Undo/redo functionality
- Improved MIDI integration and learn capabilities


### MIDISpy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midispy/id1444652196)

This utility helps monitor MIDI connections across various platforms. It offers basic filtering for different MIDI message types and supports multiple connectivity options.

**Highlights:** Standalone and AUv3 support, Basic message filtering, Inter-App MIDI, USB MIDI, Bluetooth MIDI, Network MIDI

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FRMS free?

FRMS costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is MIDISpy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, FRMS or MIDISpy?

FRMS is rated higher. FRMS averages 4.8 out of 5 from 284 ratings, while MIDISpy averages 3.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do FRMS or MIDISpy have ads?

Neither FRMS nor MIDISpy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FRMS or MIDISpy?

FRMS ships an update every 2 months, and MIDISpy every 3 weeks. Most recently, FRMS was updated on October 26, 2026 and MIDISpy on October 24, 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.*