Comparison

GRM studio vs VS

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

Head to head
About

GRM studio

This music creation app offers advanced sound manipulation tools for musicians and sound designers. Explore and edit audio files through direct waveform manipulation and multiple playback processes.

Highlights
  • Real-time sound transformation simulation
  • Direct waveform exploration
  • Virtual editing and montage
  • Multiple playback processes
  • Granular synthesis
Features
Read full description

GRM studio est une application de création musicale . Elle permet de puissantes transformations sonores par la manipulation directe de représentations audionumériques et l’expérimentation de processus de lectures multiples sur des documents sonores. Cette nouvelle lutherie est mise à disposition grâce au soutien du programme Investissements d’Avenir (PIA-SINÉ). Elle complète la collection de ressources de l’INA-GRM disponible sur Éduthèque « Écouter, voir, comprendre les musiques électroacoustiques et les technologies de création sonore » . Pionnier des musiques concrètes, électroacoustiques, acousmatiques, le Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM) développe depuis 1958, des dispositifs créatifs de traitement du son à l’usage des musiciens, des compositeurs, des designers sonores Fonctionnalités : - Simulation temps réel des principales transformations du son . Transpositions, time streching, délais, boucles mobiles, synthèse granulaire,etc. - Toutes ces opérations sont faites uniquement en combinant des opérations de lecture d'un fichier sonore. Lecture simple contrôlée en sens et vitesse, déplacement de boucles mobiles comportant plusieurs curseurs de lecture. - Exploration directe de la forme d'onde à différentes échelles - Édition et Montage virtuel

About

VS

Transform your music into dynamic, real-time visuals. This app offers powerful synthesis tools, audio and MIDI reactivity, and a playable interface for creators, musicians, and VJs. Create stunning music videos or prepare live sets with extensive customization options.

Highlights
  • Audio and MIDI reactive visuals
  • Playable visual synthesis engine
  • Customizable shaders and media
  • Real-time performance interface
  • Built-in sound visualizers
  • Playlist and output management
Features
Read full description

Turn your music into stunning real-time visuals. VS 2 is the ultimate visual synthesizer for creators, musicians, VJs, and performers, combining audio and MIDI reactivity with a powerful, playable visual engine. Prepare live sets, create music videos, or delve into creative exploration with the numerous visual engines and extensive factory content. VS 2 transforms sound into immersive graphics with unmatched control and flexibility. Features: Synced to Your Music - Create visuals that react to audio and MIDI in real time. Every beat, note, and rhythm shapes the visuals you see. Deep Visual Synthesis - Blend shaders, text, images, video, visualizers and live input to compose unique and expressive graphics. Playable Like an Instrument - Trigger visuals live with polyphonic visual voices and perform visuals with the same feel as playing music. Refined Interface - VS 2’s redesigned, performance-focused UI makes complex visuals intuitive and fast to control. Modulation Matrix - Use audio modulators, envelopes, and LFOs along with a built-in matrix to shape visuals in deeply expressive ways. Built-In Visualizers - Waveform, spectrum, and oscilloscope views let you visualize your sound and create custom, social media-ready visualizers. Customizable - Import or code your own shaders and media to create truly personal visual styles. Playlist Manager - Organize and sequence visual sets for shows and creative sessions. Output & Capture - Send output to external displays and record HD visuals with audio directly inside VS. Expanding Ecosystem - Packed with rich factory content and a growing collection of expansion packs to explore. From live performances to studio workflows, VS 2 makes powerful visual synthesis accessible, no steep learning curve, just expressive tools that follow your music. Built on user feedback with workflow improvements and creative flexibility at every turn. Bring your music to life with visuals.

Screenshots

GRM studio3 screens

Verdict

The call

GRM studio and VS both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of GRM studio's written reviews are positive against 40% of VS's. GRM studio also leads on price (Free vs $49.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 12). VS's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 1). On rating and ads 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

GRM studio is free to download; VS costs $49.99 up front. VS sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. GRM studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for GRM studio against 4.1 for VS. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VS has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of GRM studio's written reviews are positive against 40% of VS's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GRM studio ships an update weekly, VS every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
GRM studio versus VS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGRM studioVS
PriceFree — better$49.99
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)4.1 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better40.0% of reviews
Number of ratings17 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS9.3 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB908 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperInstitut National de l'AudiovisuelImaginando Lda

Customer experience

GRM studio

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

VS

All ratings7 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral42.9%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative20.0%

In-app purchases

None

GRM studio

No in-app purchases

12 purchases

VS

One-time12
  • Noir Cuts Preset Packs$10.90
  • Raw Reflections Preset Pack$10.90
  • Cyber Spells Preset Pack$17.99
Show 9 more
  • Retina Refill Preset Pack$17.99
  • Retro Riot Preset Pack$17.99
  • Textural Memories Preset Pack$17.99
  • Glitch & Doom$17.99
  • Shattered Illusions Preset Pack$17.99
  • Offset Preset Pack$17.99
  • Dimensional Preset Pack$17.99
  • Battles Preset Pack$17.99
  • Granular Preset Pack$19.99

Questions

Is GRM studio free?
GRM studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is VS free?
VS costs $49.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GRM studio or VS?
VS is rated higher. GRM studio averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while VS averages 4.1 from 7 ratings.
Do GRM studio or VS have ads?
Neither GRM studio nor VS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GRM studio or VS?
GRM studio ships an update weekly, and VS every 3 weeks. Most recently, GRM studio was updated on October 2, 2026 and VS on October 4, 2026.

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