Comparison

FabFilter Pro vs SA60

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

Head to head
About

FabFilter Pro

This professional audio plug-in offers a high-quality equalizer with up to 24 bands, featuring dynamic EQ, linear phase processing, and an intuitive interface. It allows for precise sound shaping with advanced features like spectrum analysis and EQ matching.

Highlights
  • Up to 24 bands with diverse filter types
  • Dynamic EQ for every band
  • Natural Phase and Linear Phase processing
  • Real-time spectrum analyzer with collision detection
  • Spectrum Grab for direct adjustment
  • EQ Match for tonal characteristic transfer
  • Per-band stereo, left, right, mid, or side mode
Features
Read full description

FabFilter Pro-Q 3 is a top-quality EQ plug-in with up to 24 bands, perfect analog modeling, dynamic EQ, linear phase processing, and a gorgeous interface with unrivalled ease of use. With its unique Natural Phase mode, it matches both the magnitude and phase response of analog EQing perfectly. Innovative features like Spectrum Grab and collision detection together with its intelligent interactive EQ display make Pro-Q 3 an absolute joy to use. The Pro-Q 3 app filters the microphone input and plays it back in real-time. To use Pro-Q 3 as a plug-in, you need an AUv3-compatible host app like Auria, AUM or Cubasis. Pro-Q 3 will appear in the list of Audio Unit extensions for effect plug-ins in the host app. Key features: - Professional mastering-grade EQ plugin with exceptional sound quality - Up to 24 bands with a huge range of filter types - (New) Dynamic EQ option for every band - Filter shapes: Bell, Notch, High/Low Shelf, High/Low Cut, Band Pass, Tilt Shelf, Flat Tilt (New) - 6-96dB/octave slopes for all filter types - (New) Additional Brickwall slope for the High Cut and Low Cut filters - (New) Per-band Stereo, Left, Right, Mid or Side mode - Zero Latency, Natural Phase and Linear Phase processing modes - Powerful real-time spectrum analyzer - (New) External spectrum visualization from any other Pro-Q 3 instance in the session, including collision detection - Spectrum Grab: grab and adjust a peak directly in the spectrum analyzer (Improved) - EQ Match for imposing the tonal characteristics of one signal on another - Extremely efficient processing and low memory usage - Intelligent multiband selection and editing - Intelligent band solo mode - Piano Display switches the frequency scale to musical note values - Separate Mastering (3/6dB) and Mixing (12/30dB) display ranges - Save, restore and organize presets - Optional Gain-Q interaction - Auto Gain and Gain Scale - Phase Invert option to change polarity - Large output level meter with peak level readout - MIDI Learn with option to control the currently active band - Undo/redo and A/B comparison "Pro-Q 3 is a wonderful update to an (arguably) already class-leading equalizer. The best just got better! Verdict: 10/10!" — Future Music Magazine "Pro-Q 3 is unarguably one of the finest EQ plug-ins around. [...]. Outstanding! Verdict: 10/10!" — Computer Music Magazine

About

SA60

This audio tool functions as a spectrum analyzer and graphic equalizer, offering real-time analysis and precise sound manipulation. It provides a demo version with limited play time, with an unlimited version available as an in-app purchase.

Highlights
  • Standalone and AUv3 plugin
  • Stereo, Mid, or Side EQ modes
  • Undo/Redo functionality
  • A/B comparison
  • Upsampling options
  • Macro controllers
  • Built-in Gain Match
Read full description

SA60 AUv3 plug-in — comes as time-limited Demo-version for you to try. It gives you 5 minutes of Free play time. (You can reload the SA60 AUv3 plug-in as many times as you want, thereby you get the Demo period again and again.) Unlimited version of SA60 AUv3 plug-in comes as In-App Purchase. Features: • Standalone and AUv3 plug-in; • Stereo (Mono), Mid or Side EQ modes; • Undo/Redo; • A/B comparison; • 2x/4x/8x Upsampling; • Macro controllers; • Built-in Gain Match; • Scalable GUI. Red Rock Sound SA60 real time 1/3 octave Spectrum Analyser combines ease of use, accuracy and versatility in one economical, reliable unit. Interface is modelled on classic DN60 spectrum analyser, originally developed in 1980. Control & Indicator Functions: • DISPLAY LEVELS — Relate to the Reference level, calibration of a display level is read from graticules on the left of the display window; • REFERENCE LEVEL — The absolute level to which display readings are relative, i.e. calibration, is given in dB; • OVERALL LEVEL — Calibration of the overall level is similary derived from graticule to the right of the display. Note: this graticule applies to the overall level only! • AVG/PK — Two leds indicate whether the display is Averaging or Peak-reading; • RESP. — Speed of display response is selectable: «1» — Fast, «2» — Medium, «3» — Slow (shown by three leds); • MODE — Controls the display mode: «L» — Left, «M» — Mid, «R» — Right. EQ302 is a 32 band equaliser offering 12 dB of cut or boost in 1/3 octave steps between the frequencies of 16 Hz and 20 kHz. The graphic equaliser is a vital component in any audio system. The entire signal passes through it and so any limitations imposed by the equaliser will compromise the performance of the whole system. For example, an indifferently designed equaliser may introduce severe phase distortion, noise and other anomalies related to centre frequency accuracy, filter shape and attenuation accuracy which may manifest themselves as an overall deterioration in the perceived sound quality of the system. Clearly, this is an unacceptable state of affairs, but fortunately your choice to utilise a Red Rock Sound EQ302 Graphic Equalizer will eliminate these problems, offering you unprecedented product performance coupled with the highest filter calibration and reliability standards in the industry. To use SA60 as a plug-in, you need an AUv3-compatible host app like GarageBand, Auria, AUM, Cubasis and more — SA60 will appear in the list of Audio Unit extensions for effect plug-ins in the host app.

Screenshots

SA604 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SA60 at Free against FabFilter Pro's $29.99. SA60 also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and device support (3 vs 1). FabFilter Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (47 vs 11). On review sentiment, update cadence 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

SA60 is free to download; FabFilter Pro costs $29.99 up front. SA60 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. FabFilter Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SA60 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of FabFilter Pro's written reviews are positive against 83% of SA60's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
FabFilter Pro versus SA60: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFabFilter ProSA60
Price$29.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (47 ratings)5.0 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews77.8% of reviews83.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings47 — better11
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS14.010.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFabFilterRRS, OOO

Customer experience

FabFilter Pro

All ratings47 ratings
Positive91.5%
Neutral2.1%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral7.4%
Negative14.8%

SA60

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%

In-app purchases

None

FabFilter Pro

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

SA60

One-time1
  • RRS SA60 Unlimited$4.99

Questions

Is FabFilter Pro free?
FabFilter Pro costs $29.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SA60 free?
SA60 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FabFilter Pro or SA60?
SA60 is rated higher. FabFilter Pro averages 4.7 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while SA60 averages 5.0 from 11 ratings.
Do FabFilter Pro or SA60 have ads?
Neither FabFilter Pro nor SA60 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FabFilter Pro or SA60?
FabFilter Pro ships an update every 5 months, and SA60 every 5 months. Most recently, FabFilter Pro was updated on September 22, 2026 and SA60 on August 20, 2026.

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