SoundFonts vs subflow
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SoundFonts
This app is a polyphonic audio synthesizer that uses soundfont files to generate a vast array of sounds. It functions as a standalone app and an AUv3 plugin, compatible with music creation software. MIDI input is fully supported for external keyboard control.
- Polyphonic audio synthesis
- Vast soundfont library
- AUv3 plugin support
- Reverb and delay effects
- MIDI keyboard input
- MIDI over Bluetooth
Read full descriptionHide full description
This is a straightforward yet powerful app that acts as a polyphonic audio synthesizer with a virtually unlimited collection of sounds. Under the hood, It uses an AVAudioUnitSampler to generate the audio output when you touch one or more keys. The sounds that are available come from soundfont (SF2) files, such as those available online for free (and of variable quality). The app also exists as an AUv3 plug-in (included) so you can use it in your favorite music generation application such as GarageBand, Logic, or AUM. It also includes two AUv3 effects units – reverb and delay - which you can use separately as well.. The app supports MIDI input -- just connect a MIDI keyboard/controller to your iOS device and you should be good to go! There is also support for MIDI over Bluetooth. You can also control some app settings using MIDI controls, including the active favorite preset and the audio effects. To use, simply select a SoundFont name in the left list, then a patch name on the right and start playing. Some additional hints to get going: • Add a SoundFont (SF2) file that you have downloaded onto your iCloud Drive. Press the "+" button and then locate the file to add. You can always change the display name of the SoundFont by swiping right. And you can remove a SoundFont that you no longer want by swiping left on its name. • Bring up reverb and delay effects by touching the wavy "signal" button. • Swipe right on a patch name to make it a favorite. Favorited patches have a star next to their name. You can edit the name of the favorite by again swiping right and selecting the edit action. You can remove a favorite by swiping left and selecting the remove action. • Touch the labels at either end of the black bar to change the range of the keyboard. You can go as low as "C0" and as high as "C9". You can also change the range by swiping left/right on the black bar. Note that this ability does not exist in the AUv3 extension -- use the native application keyboard controls to achieve the same results. You can also toggle the keyboard sliding feature by touching the small arrow between the note labels. • Switch between the soundfont patches listing and the favorites view by double-tapping on the patch name in the black bar above the keyboard. You can also swipe left/right with two fingers in the patches and favorites views to switch to the other view. • In the view of favorites, you can edit a favorite button by double-tapping on it. You can rearrange the favorite buttons with a tap-and-hold gesture. Finally, you can check out the source code! Go to the Support URL to find out more.
subflow
Create dynamic music visualizations for any setting. Control modes, speed, and beat patterns with intuitive screen gestures. Advanced users can leverage UDP and OS2L for complex control with DJ software.
- Gesture-based control for modes, speed, and beats
- Beat pattern customization
- UDP command sequencing
- OS2L integration with DJ software
- Color customization via long press
Read full descriptionHide full description
Crisp visualizations for your music stage or living room. Tap left or right edge of screen to change modes. Vertical swipes change speed. Tap the upper half of the screen several times to set a beat pattern. Tap the lower half to cancel or to add single beats. Horizontal swipes fine-tune the beat alignment. Long press will change color. You can also send more complex command sequences over UDP, and you can control via OS2L using most DJ software. See http://subflow.org/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: subflow at Free against SoundFonts's $7.99. subflow also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 weeks). SoundFonts's advantage is chart position (#39 vs unranked) and ratings volume (146 vs 17). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
subflow is free to download; SoundFonts costs $7.99 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 — 4.4 for SoundFonts against 4.3 for subflow. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SoundFonts has 146 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of SoundFonts's written reviews are positive against 67% of subflow's.
SoundFonts ships an update every 2 weeks, subflow every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SoundFonts | subflow |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (146 ratings) — better | 4.3 (17 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 146 — better | 17 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #39 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 187 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Brad Howes | Ello Skelling Productions |
Customer experience
SoundFonts
subflow
In-app purchases
SoundFonts
No in-app purchases
subflow
No in-app purchases









