# Fractal Bits vs SAGA Synth | 16

The clearest difference is update cadence: SAGA Synth | 16 at monthly against Fractal Bits's every 5 months. SAGA Synth | 16 also leads on ratings volume (443 vs 82). Fractal Bits's advantage is chart position (#185 vs unranked) and price ($1.99 vs $3.99). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Fractal Bits costs $1.99 and SAGA Synth | 16 $3.99 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 — 4.9 for Fractal Bits against 4.9 for SAGA Synth | 16. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SAGA Synth | 16 has 443 ratings behind it against 82, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Fractal Bits's written reviews are positive against 89% of SAGA Synth | 16's.

Fractal Bits ships an update every 5 months, SAGA Synth | 16 monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fractal Bits | SAGA Synth | 16 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [4.9 (82 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fractal-bits/id1482725385/reviews) | **[4.9 (443 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saga-synth-16-bit-sonic-fun/id1658167569/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 82 | **443** |
| Positive reviews | **90.7% of reviews** | 89.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#185** | — |
| Size | 7 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Zolotov](https://appshunter.io/developer/324462547) | [AudioKit Pro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1307785645) |

## What reviewers say

### Fractal Bits

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fractal-bits/id1482725385)

**Currently charting:** #185 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

Generate an infinite variety of drum sounds using fractal algorithms. Save and share your unique sound sets via text codes. Perform live with multiple keyboard options and record your creations in real-time.

**Highlights:** Infinite unique drum sounds, Save/share sound sets via text codes, Multiple live drumming keyboards, MIDI control and mapping, Real-time WAV audio recording, Wi-Fi export/import

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SAGA Synth | 16

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saga-synth-16-bit-sonic-fun/id1658167569)

This app provides a 16-bit retro video game synthesizer with over 350 presets. It allows for the creation of expressive pads, sound effects, drums, and leads, and can be used as a standalone app or an AUv3 plugin. Record and export your creations as WAV files.

**Highlights:** 16-bit retro video game synth, Over 350+ presets, Standalone app & AUv3 plugin, Step sequencer, Audio recording and export, MIDI keyboard support, Ableton Link

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Awesome retro sounds
- 👍 Great creation methods
- 🎨 Versatile and fun
- 🎨 More than just game sounds
- 👍 Tons of presets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Midi not working properly
- 🐛 Sequencer issues with recording
- 🐛 Keyboard issues and bugs
- 🐛 Crashes and stability problems
- 🤔 Not true 16-bit emulation

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when too many favorites
- Overlapping UI elements on phones

**Requested features**

- Export to Famitone music file
- macOS version
- Improved quantization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fractal Bits free?

Fractal Bits costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SAGA Synth | 16 free?

SAGA Synth | 16 costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Fractal Bits or SAGA Synth | 16?

SAGA Synth | 16 is rated higher. Fractal Bits averages 4.9 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while SAGA Synth | 16 averages 4.9 from 443 ratings.

### Do Fractal Bits or SAGA Synth | 16 have ads?

Neither Fractal Bits nor SAGA Synth | 16 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Fractal Bits or SAGA Synth | 16?

Fractal Bits ships an update every 5 months, and SAGA Synth | 16 monthly. Most recently, Fractal Bits was updated on October 24, 2026 and SAGA Synth | 16 on October 24, 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.*