# Cycle vs Polywave

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cycle at none against Polywave's 1. Cycle also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (507 vs 34). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Polywave sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Cycle asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Cycle against 4.7 for Polywave. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cycle has 507 ratings behind it against 34, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of Cycle's written reviews are positive against 80% of Polywave's.

Cycle ships an update weekly, Polywave every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cycle | Polywave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (507 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cycle-time-lag-accumulator/id1403146926/reviews) | **[4.7 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polywave-wavetable-synth/id1579538271/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **507** | 34 |
| Positive reviews | 73.5% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 31 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Coda Labs Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1139019669) | [Fingerlab](https://appshunter.io/developer/412786610) |

## What reviewers say

### Cycle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cycle-time-lag-accumulator/id1403146926)

This app creates evolving musical textures by repeating notes that gradually fade. It offers a meditative experience and is ideal for ambient music creation. Users can record and export their creations in various formats.

**Highlights:** Time lag accumulation for sonic textures, Meditative and ambient music creation, Record and export to WAV/MIDI, Inter-App Audio and Audiobus support, 12 sound options, Controllable tempo and reverb

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Unique generative looping concept with interesting fade effects
- 👍 Intuitive and simple user interface
- 💰 Free to use with no cost barrier
- 📤 Export functionality (WAV and MIDI files)
- 🎹 Keyboard layout for musical input

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚙️ Lack of precise tempo/BPM control
- 🎛️ Limited control over sound parameters
- 🔊 Default sound samples can be grating
- 📱 UI layout issues on some screen sizes
- 🎹 Basic keyboard implementation

**Reported bugs**

- No sound output on some devices
- WAV export generates zero data files
- UI extends beyond screen boundaries
- Audio playback issues requiring hard reload

**Requested features**

- Ableton Link synchronization support
- Precise BPM display and control
- VST plugin version for DAW integration
- AU (Audio Unit) support for iOS apps
- MIDI input for keyboard triggering


### Polywave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polywave-wavetable-synth/id1579538271)

Create unique, evolving sonic experiences with a novel wavetable sequencer inspired by vintage synths. Draw your own waveforms, explore a vast library, and connect to external keyboards or DAWs. Record your creations directly within the app.

**Highlights:** Wavetable sequencer, Custom waveform drawing, Expansive waveform library, 100+ factory presets, MIDI and Audio Unit support, Live recording module, 8-voice polyphony

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cycle free?

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

### Is Polywave free?

Polywave is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Cycle or Polywave?

Polywave is rated higher. Cycle averages 4.6 out of 5 from 507 ratings, while Polywave averages 4.7 from 34 ratings.

### Do Cycle or Polywave have ads?

Neither Cycle nor Polywave shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cycle or Polywave?

Cycle ships an update weekly, and Polywave every 3 months. Most recently, Cycle was updated on October 9, 2026 and Polywave on October 15, 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.*