Continua vs Elastic OSC
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Continua
This professional synthesizer for iPad offers a unique morphing sound design experience. Explore a vast sonic palette with versatile oscillators and continuously shifting filters. Deep modulation capabilities and an innovative patch evolution system allow for highly expressive and evolving musical textures.
- Morphing filters
- Versatile oscillators
- Deep modulation routing
- Interactive patch evolution
- Full MPE support
- AUv3 plugin compatibility
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Continua is a professional synthesizer for iPad, built around a single idea: everything should move. Three oscillators with five modes each — Virtual Analog, Additive, Supersaw, Supersquare, and IXA — give you a palette that runs from warm analog warmth to aggressive digital textures to sounds that have no easy name. Stack 64 sine waves. Detune five sawtooths simultaneously. Explore phase modulation borrowed from a synthesizer most people have never heard of. The oscillators are just the beginning. Continua's filters don't switch between types — they morph between them. Low pass becomes band pass becomes high pass in a continuous sweep, with resonance and two- or four-pole slope selectable at any point. Two filters running in series or parallel, each one a moving target. Modulation is where Continua earns its name. Nearly every parameter is a destination. Every knob can receive up to five simultaneous modulation sources — envelope generators, flexible multi-point envelopes, four shapeable LFOs, sample and hold, and a random source that gives each voice its own personality. Right-click any knob to connect a source. The routing is as deep as you want it to be. New in version 1.2: the Genetics panel lets you evolve your patches through an interactive mutation tree. Start with any sound, explore branches of subtle variations, and drill down into whatever catches your ear. The arpeggiator adds eighteen patterns — from standard ascending runs to Brownian motion and probabilistic rests — all synced to your DAW tempo. Four new oscillator modes expand the raw material available from the ground up. Full MPE support means Continua responds to every dimension of expression from a Linnstrument, Osmose, Roli Seaboard, or any MPE controller. Or play it with a standard keyboard and automate everything else. Works as an AUv3 plugin in Logic Pro, AUM, Cubasis, Drambo, Garage Band, and any AUv3-compatible host. iPad only.
Elastic OSC
This synthesizer app offers a vast range of sounds inspired by a popular hardware module. It features 24 distinct oscillator models, intuitive XY pads for sound manipulation, and a versatile arpeggiator. Play it with an on-screen or external keyboard for monophonic or polyphonic sound design.
- 24 distinct sound engines based on Plaits DSP
- Intuitive XY pads for sound manipulation
- Versatile arpeggiator with multiple modes
- Integrated help system for all features
- DX7 bank and wavetable import
- 5 master effects with automations
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Elastic OSC is a synthesizer app based on the DSP code of the Mutable Instruments Plaits hardware oscillator module, one of the most beloved (and cloned) oscillator modules in the Eurorack modular scene! Like the original, Elastic OSC comes with a wide variety of possible sounds, from analog-style, FM, and additive sounds to physical modeling, percussive, and even drum sounds. Elastic OSC can be used in both monophonic and 8-voice polyphonic modes. You can play the app using the (on-screen) keyboard or an external keyboard or sequencer inside your DAW of choice. The app focuses on ease of use, featuring two XY pads for intuitive sound manipulation of the OSC engine and the effects. Despite the simplicity of the cleaned-up interface, the sound possibilities are vast – thanks to 24 different oscillator models and the ability to automate parameter changes, as it is possible in all Elastic apps released so far. A versatile Arpeggiator makes it easy to start with simple ideas or can already create entire sonic worlds. Elastic OSC includes an integrated help system (tap “?”) to provide explanations for nearly every GUI element, the underlying DSP model, and most of the app’s functionality. CDM: "Elastic OSC becomes a must on iOS. It’s fun to use as an instrument in your iPad DAW of choice." SYNTH ANATOMY: "Takes the Mutable Instruments (Plaits) algorithms on a wild trip. A nearly perfect app." ROBERT LIPPOK: "Elastic OSC is incredibly fun to work with from the very first minute. The GUI is really well thought out and has 24 integrated synthesis models, as well as the ability to load DX7 sound banks. Omg, so good." --- FEATURES --- SYNTHESIZER – 24 different Sound Engines from MI Plaits DSP code – 4 main parameters per synth engine (Frequency, Harmonics, Morph, Harmo) – Recordable Modulations/Automations for almost all Parameters with a length of 1, 2 or 4 beats. – ADSR Envelope for Amplifier – LPG Envelope for Modulations of Timbre, FM, Harmonics – Adjustable Velocity effect on Volume and/or LPG Modulation – DX7 Bank and Wavetable Import ARPEGGIATOR With different Arp Modes, Rates, Octave Ranges and Skip Notes functionality MASTER FX – 5 effects (5 different Overdrive/Distortions, Hi-Low-Filter, Chorus/Flanger, Delay, Reverb) – Automations for all effects parameters – Master Gain and switchable Limiter effect SYNTH ENGINES - Virtual Analog - Waveshaping - 2 OP FM - Granular Formant - Additive - Wavetable - Chords - Speech - Granular Cloud - Filtered Noise - Particle Noise - String Model - Modal Resonator - Bass Drum - Snare Drum - Hi-Hat - Virt. Analog VCF - Phase Distortion - 6 OP FM 1 - 6 OP FM 2 - 6 OP FM 3 - Wave Terrain - String Machine - Chiptune —————— LFOs LFO 1 is for free, while three additional LFOs can be unlocked via In-App Purchase. LFO MODULATION TARGETS • Frequency Amount • Timbre Amount • Morph Amount • Harmonics Amount • Filter Amount • Pan Amount LFO MIX The MIX view enables you to blend multiple LFOs and define how strongly each active LFO influences a target parameter. The closer a target is placed to an LFO corner, the stronger its influence. All active LFOs always sum up to 100% (e.g. LFO1 50%, LFO2 30%, LFO3 20%).
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Continua at $5.99 against Elastic OSC's $17.99. Continua also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Elastic OSC's advantage is review sentiment (93% vs 55%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads 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
Continua costs $5.99 and Elastic OSC $17.99 up front. Elastic OSC sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Continua asks for nothing beyond the download.
Elastic OSC holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 44 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Continua's written reviews are positive against 93% of Elastic OSC's.
Continua ships an update every 4 weeks, Elastic OSC every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Continua | Elastic OSC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 — better | $17.99 |
| Rating | 4.4 (15 ratings) | 4.7 (44 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 55.1% of reviews | 92.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 15 | 44 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 64 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Audio Damage, Inc. | Oliver Greschke (DE) |
Customer experience
Continua
Elastic OSC
Bugs and requests
Continua
Reported bugs
11 issues- Bad signal messages in AUM
- Audio cuts out
- App stops making sound
- Force closes on iPad
- Crash on Bluetooth MIDI settings
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Bluetooth not working (initially)
- MPE keys function sporadically
- UI lagging and slow
- App won't start with Bluetooth headset connected
- MIDI config window too small
- Touch on routing windows too slow
Requested features
9 requests- Add an arpeggiator
- Implement MIDI learn/mapping
- Increase polyphony
- Add unison detune control
- Improve preset browser (tags, search, favorites)
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Make UI more iOS/touch friendly
- Add MIDI sync/tempo settings
- Implement pitch automation recording
- Add a sequencer
Elastic OSC
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Continua
No in-app purchases
Elastic OSC
- Multi LFOs$3.99
- Unlock MPE for expressive control$4.99









