# AudioLayer vs SWAM Cello

The clearest difference is price: AudioLayer at $12.99 against SWAM Cello's $29.99. AudioLayer also leads on ratings volume (181 vs 12) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). SWAM Cello's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 56%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

AudioLayer costs $12.99 and SWAM Cello $29.99 up front. AudioLayer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SWAM Cello asks for nothing beyond the download.

SWAM Cello holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AudioLayer has 181 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of AudioLayer's written reviews are positive against 100% of SWAM Cello's.

AudioLayer ships an update fortnightly, SWAM Cello every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | AudioLayer | SWAM Cello |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$12.99** | $29.99 |
| Rating | [4.3 (181 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiolayer/id1381478666/reviews) | **[4.5 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swam-cello/id1458005740/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **181** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 56.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 242 MB | 101 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Harry Gohs](https://appshunter.io/developer/382428644) | [Audio Modeling](https://appshunter.io/developer/1326331126) |

## What reviewers say

### AudioLayer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiolayer/id1381478666)

This app is a powerful mobile multi-sampler for music production, offering advanced features for creating and manipulating complex instruments. It integrates seamlessly with iOS production environments and supports iCloud for easy collaboration and storage.

**Highlights:** Streaming Sample Engine (SSE), Hierarchical Layer and Zone editing, Seamless Instrument Switching (SIS), Integrated audio sample recorder, Auto Sampler for hardware synths, AUv3 AudioUnit integration, iCloud storage and collaboration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SoundFont Import | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎹 Powerful multi-layer sampling capabilities
- 📥 EXS24 and SFZ file import support
- 🎯 Round-robin functionality for realistic instruments
- ⚡ Efficient performance on older devices
- 🎚️ Comprehensive effects rack with quality sound

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes across multiple iOS versions
- ⚠️ Stability issues in AUM and other hosts
- 🔌 High CPU/DSP usage causing performance spikes
- 🔋 Battery drain and device heating
- ❌ Missing undo function

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup (splash screen)
- Reverb and chorus effects cause sound to disappear
- Pitch resets to -24 after stopping Logic Pro playback
- Layer voice polyphony controls not working properly
- SFZ batch import distributes samples incorrectly across layers

**Requested features**

- Time-stretching/pitch-shifting capability
- Program Change MIDI support
- Undo/Redo functionality
- GigaSampler .gig library support
- Soundfont SF2 import (now paid feature)


### SWAM Cello

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swam-cello/id1458005740)

This virtual instrument uses physical modeling to generate realistic string performances in real-time, responding dynamically to your playing style. It offers advanced spatial control with a built-in room simulator and supports various input devices for expressive control. Ideal for musicians seeking a highly responsive and versatile cello sound on mobile.

**Highlights:** Physical modeling sound generation, Real-time dynamic response, Room simulator 'Ambiente', Standalone and AUv3 plugin support, Expressive virtual bowing surface, MPE and MIDI controller support, Micro-tuning capabilities

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AudioLayer free?

AudioLayer costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is SWAM Cello free?

SWAM Cello costs $29.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, AudioLayer or SWAM Cello?

SWAM Cello is rated higher. AudioLayer averages 4.3 out of 5 from 181 ratings, while SWAM Cello averages 4.5 from 12 ratings.

### Do AudioLayer or SWAM Cello have ads?

Neither AudioLayer nor SWAM Cello shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AudioLayer or SWAM Cello?

AudioLayer ships an update fortnightly, and SWAM Cello every 5 weeks. Most recently, AudioLayer was updated on November 2, 2026 and SWAM Cello on November 2, 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.*