Comparison

Stylusphone Lite vs C.ARP

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

Head to head
About

Stylusphone Lite

Experience a modern digital rendition of a beloved 1970s pocket synthesizer. This app offers an interactive 3D view and authentic polyphonic sound, allowing users to recreate nostalgic musical experiences.

Highlights
  • Realistic pocket synthesizer model
  • Interactive 3D view
  • Authentic polyphonic sound
  • Nostalgic musical experience
Features
Read full description

Recreate your childhood with a modern take on a classic, inspired by the Stylophone pocket synthesizer of the 1970's. Features: * Realistic pocket synthesizer model * Interactive 3D view * Authentic polyphonic sound

About

C.ARP

This app offers a unique approach to music creation, inspired by vintage instruments. It allows users to play chords and melodies with intuitive touch controls, apply real-time audio effects, and utilize a dynamic rhythm section. Advanced features include sampling, MIDI output via Bluetooth, and an iPad-optimized interface.

Highlights
  • Chord and melody playing
  • Real-time audio effects
  • Dynamic rhythm section
  • Sampling and looping
  • MIDI output via Bluetooth
  • iPad optimized interface
  • In-app tutorial
Features
Read full description

C.ARP is a totally different keyboard. Inspired by old keyboards, omnichords and tape effects, it lets you play chords and melodies as well. Its design makes everything easier for a musician who just wants to play on mobile. Just hold on a button and then swipe or tap on the right section. But if you prefer, you can access chords and notes directly on the notes grid. Pitch them, harmonize, use mod wheel and apply real-time audio effects too. Rhythm section follows you every chord you choose: pick up the style you prefer, adjust BPMs, mute other instrument, change different midi settings, change drums and play them with drum pads. Do arpeggios with different sounds and rhythmic fractions, create different sound environments with delay, reverb and rotation. The design has also been updated for iPads, so you can enjoy the buttons and sections rearranged for the screen size. Record your voice or everything else as a sample, adjust its length, reverse or loop it, make chords and melodies with it and explore other cool features on this 4th version. There's also a tutorial inside! And finally: we added bluetooth out. It means you can connect your iPhone to your Mac and send midi notes right in your preferred DAW. Just follow the guide inside. Thanks to everyone who helped me: Giacomo, Virginia, Mattia, Andrea, Giulia, Cristiano, and the others. Thanks to the masters Suriani, Frankie and Calcutta. For every question or suggestion don't hesitate to write to me

Screenshots

Stylusphone Lite2 screens
C.ARP4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Stylusphone Lite at Free against C.ARP's $9.99. Stylusphone Lite also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). C.ARP's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.0) and review sentiment (74% vs 53%). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Stylusphone Lite is free to download; C.ARP costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

C.ARP holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 50 and 114 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of Stylusphone Lite's written reviews are positive against 74% of C.ARP's.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Stylusphone Lite versus C.ARP: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStylusphone LiteC.ARP
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating3.0 (50 ratings)4.3 (114 ratings) — better
Positive reviews52.8% of reviews74.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings50114 — better
Update frequency—Every 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRobert SwinburnPaolo Giorgi

Customer experience

Stylusphone Lite

All ratings50 ratings
Positive48.0%
Neutral6.0%
Negative46.0%
Written reviews36 reviews
Positive52.8%
Neutral8.3%
Negative38.9%

C.ARP

All ratings114 ratings
Positive81.6%
Neutral5.3%
Negative13.2%
Written reviews113 reviews
Positive74.3%
Neutral8.8%
Negative16.8%

Bugs and requests

Stylusphone Lite

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

C.ARP

Reported bugs

40 issues
  • Sound doesn't work
  • No sound
  • App crashes when opening
  • App crashes when trying to open
  • App auto-quits on start
Show 35 more
  • Chord panel smaller after update
  • System setting always out
  • App crashes after using only once
  • App crashes when pressing a button
  • MIDI Send is broken
  • Can't open the app on Mac
  • Can't close the menu
  • App crashes if sample button is pressed
  • Sample button crashes the app
  • Strumming doesn't work
  • App crashes when sample or reverse is pressed
  • App is not stable / crashy
  • Sampling function is DOA
  • Sampler doesn't work / crashes
  • Crash problem
  • Send midi function greyed out
  • App crashes when pressing the red sample button
  • Sampler crashes the app 100%
  • App crashes when attempting to use record feature
  • Sample button keeps crashing the app
  • Record, loop, or reverse buttons cause crash
  • Bugs related to recording/sampling
  • Sampler may crash
  • Audio panel covers gear button
  • E chord is extremely low octave and sounds muddled
  • App crashes when trying to start an audio recording
  • Certain audio glitches with recording and looping
  • Buttons crash the app
  • App crashes when pressing the sample button
  • Sample and reverse buttons crash the app
  • MIDI out doesn't seem to work
  • Latency is a killer
  • Chord doesn't trigger if not hit perfectly
  • Sliding finger doesn't sound chord
  • Sound can be tinny/harsh

Requested features

18 requests
  • Rearrange layout to be chromatic
  • AUV3 support
  • Inter-app-audio / GarageBand integration
  • MIDI out functionality
  • Save last state
Show 13 more
  • Contextual help menus
  • More sound design options
  • Make it an Auv3 midi controller
  • Support iPad
  • Add "midi out" option
  • Make it an audio app extension for GarageBand
  • Add a way to use this app as a Bluetooth midi controller
  • Add a visual distinction for individual buttons
  • Add velocity on the strum bar
  • Allow autoplay chord to hold like a drone
  • Transpose reverb of strummed notes
  • Add midi connectivity with external devices and other apps
  • Add custom colors for themes

In-app purchases

None

Stylusphone Lite

No in-app purchases

None

C.ARP

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Stylusphone Lite free?
Stylusphone Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is C.ARP free?
C.ARP costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Stylusphone Lite or C.ARP?
C.ARP is rated higher. Stylusphone Lite averages 3.0 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while C.ARP averages 4.3 from 114 ratings.
Do Stylusphone Lite or C.ARP have ads?
Neither Stylusphone Lite nor C.ARP shows ads.

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