# ShockWave vs Braam Designer

The clearest difference is price: Braam Designer at Free against ShockWave's $19.99. Braam Designer also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). ShockWave's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (188 vs 2). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Braam Designer is free to download; ShockWave costs $19.99 up front. Braam Designer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ShockWave asks for nothing beyond the download.

Braam Designer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShockWave has 188 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ShockWave ships an update every 2 months, Braam Designer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShockWave | Braam Designer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (188 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shockwave-synth-module/id1449844670/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/braam-designer/id6757111111/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **188** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 54.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 42 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kai Aras](https://appshunter.io/developer/370820899) | [Scott Manley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864388985) |

## 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.


### Braam Designer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/braam-designer/id6757111111)

Create powerful, cinematic braam sound effects for trailers, games, and dramatic content. This tool offers professional sound design capabilities with multi-layer synthesis, envelope shaping, and pitch sweep control.

**Highlights:** 3-layer synthesis, Envelope shaping, Pitch sweep control, Studio-quality effects, Preset library, Professional WAV export

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Braam Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShockWave free?

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

### Is Braam Designer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ShockWave or Braam Designer?

Braam Designer is rated higher. ShockWave averages 4.6 out of 5 from 188 ratings, while Braam Designer averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ShockWave or Braam Designer have ads?

Neither ShockWave nor Braam Designer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShockWave or Braam Designer?

ShockWave ships an update every 2 months, and Braam Designer every 3 weeks. Most recently, ShockWave was updated on October 14, 2026 and Braam Designer on October 7, 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.*