# ShockWave vs Phosphor 3

The clearest difference is price: Phosphor 3 at $5.99 against ShockWave's $19.99. Phosphor 3 also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 53%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). ShockWave's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (190 vs 9). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

ShockWave costs $19.99 and Phosphor 3 $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for ShockWave against 4.7 for Phosphor 3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShockWave has 190 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 53% of ShockWave's written reviews are positive against 79% of Phosphor 3's.

ShockWave ships an update every 2 months, Phosphor 3 every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShockWave | Phosphor 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **$5.99** |
| Rating | [4.6 (190 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shockwave-synth-module/id1449844670/reviews) | **[4.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phosphor-3/id1499115553/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **190** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 52.5% of reviews | **78.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 42 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kai Aras](https://appshunter.io/developer/370820899) | [Audio Damage, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1248448317) |

## What reviewers say

### ShockWave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shockwave-synth-module/id1449844670)

This app is a monophonic synthesizer for iOS and AUv3 plugins, utilizing Phase Distortion synthesis. It offers dual PD oscillators, sequencers, LFOs, and envelopes for complex sound design. Almost any control can be modulated by multiple sources, with real-time visual feedback.

**Highlights:** Phase Distortion Synthesis, Dual PD Oscillators, Dual 8-step Sequencers, Dual ASR Envelopes, Tempo-syncable LFOs, Extensive Modulation Matrix, MIDI and MPE Support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Unique and amazing sounds
- 🔊 Heavy and brutal tones
- 💡 Innovative phase distortion synthesis
- 🎨 Beautiful and deep sound sculpting
- 🎹 Great for bass sounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- ❌ Not working in AUM/AUv3
- 🔇 No sound output in certain apps
- ❓ Difficult to use without a manual
- 📉 Laggy UI and slow patch loading

**Reported bugs**

- "Bad Signal" errors in AUM, stops sound generation.
- Intermittent "bad signal" prompt in AUM, requires reloading.
- Sounds awful, very distorted with glitchy UI.
- App crashes frequently.
- No sound coming out of AUv3 in GarageBand.

**Requested features**

- Provide a proper manual detailing all parameters and sections with examples.
- Implement a key trigger option for the sequencer to allow MIDI controller playback.
- Add a poly mode.
- Improve documentation and tutorials.
- Standardize knob appearance and response.


### Phosphor 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phosphor-3/id1499115553)

This app recreates a vintage digital synthesizer, offering a faithful emulation of a classic sound engine. It includes modern features like MPE, extensive modulation, and a new UI for sonic exploration.

**Highlights:** Vintage digital synthesizer emulation, Additive synthesis engine, MPE support, Extensive modulation routing, Preset manager, Tuning tables

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShockWave free?

ShockWave costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Phosphor 3 free?

Phosphor 3 costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ShockWave or Phosphor 3?

Phosphor 3 is rated higher. ShockWave averages 4.6 out of 5 from 190 ratings, while Phosphor 3 averages 4.7 from 9 ratings.

### Do ShockWave or Phosphor 3 have ads?

Neither ShockWave nor Phosphor 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShockWave or Phosphor 3?

ShockWave ships an update every 2 months, and Phosphor 3 every 11 months. Most recently, ShockWave was updated on September 21, 2026 and Phosphor 3 on July 6, 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.*