oSampler vs Polywave
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
oSampler
Record and manipulate various sounds with a straightforward sampler. This application minimizes complex operations, making it accessible for quick audio editing and creative sound design. It prioritizes ease of use for a seamless sampling experience.
- Easy to use
- Few complicated operations
- Record sounds
- Chop sounds
- Audio manipulation
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This is an easy-to-use sampler. There are few complicated operations. Record various sounds and chop them. *Keep your volume down and care for your ears.
Polywave
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.
- Wavetable sequencer
- Custom waveform drawing
- Expansive waveform library
- 100+ factory presets
- MIDI and Audio Unit support
- Live recording module
- 8-voice polyphony
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From Fingerlab (multiple-time winner of Music App of the Week, 2012 Apple Design Award) and Jordan Rudess (keyboardist of Dream Theater), comes Polywave — a revolutionary wavetable sequencer synthesizer for iPhone, iPad & Mac. Inspired by the legendary Korg Wavestation, Polywave lets you draw your own waveforms with your finger and create unique, ever-evolving sounds that are truly yours. Draw your own waveforms directly on screen 100+ factory presets: leads, pads, loops & FX Connect any MIDI keyboard or load as AUv3 in your DAW Live recording built-in Free version includes 12 factory presets and a selection of core features. Get the Full Version IAP to unlock everything. Features: • 8-voice polyphony & 6 octaves • Wavetable & waveform sequencer • VCO & FM Oscillators • FM Modulation & Detune • ADSR Envelope editor • Moog Ladder filter with ADSR • 2 LFOs with custom modulation waveform • LFO Sync & Loop mode • Waveform drawing editor & library (100 waveforms) • Preset Randomizer & export/import • 5 FX: Tube Amp, Vibrato, Chorus, Delay & Reverb • Live recording & export • Full MIDI & MIDI Mapping support • AudioBus & Inter-App Audio (iOS) • Full AudioUnit AUv3 support • iCloud Family Sharing Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: contact@fingerlab.net Stay tuned! The Fingerlab Team
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: oSampler at none against Polywave's 1. oSampler also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Polywave's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Polywave sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. oSampler asks for nothing beyond the download.
Polywave holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 71 and 34 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of oSampler's written reviews are positive against 80% of Polywave's.
oSampler ships an update every 2 months, Polywave every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | oSampler | Polywave |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (71 ratings) | 4.7 (34 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 78.4% of reviews | 80.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 71 — better | 34 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | NORICHIKA NAKATA | Fingerlab |
Customer experience
oSampler
Polywave
In-app purchases
oSampler
No in-app purchases
Polywave
- Full Version$7.99
