Comparison

Chorus D vs Q Sahara

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

Head to head
About

Chorus D

This audio unit effect emulates a classic chorus stomp-box with a unique, subtle sound. It offers a wider stereo image and thicker sound without the typical pitch-wavy artifacts. Its simplified interface provides a range of tasteful tones.

Highlights
  • Subtle stereo pitch-shifting
  • Constant pitch-shift amounts
  • Stereo image widening
  • Sound thickening
  • Six tasteful presets
  • Unique sound profile
Features
Read full description

Chorus D is an audio unit effect inspired by a well-loved classic chorus stomp-box. HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CHORUS EFFECTS? It's more subtle. It has a stereo pair of pitch-shifters, one shifts up and the other down. Every few seconds, the two pitch shifters trade places: the high one goes low and the low one goes high. Unlike most other chorus effects, the pitch-shift amounts stay constant rather than oscillating up and down. For that reason, you don't hear the wavy pitch sound that other chorus effects make. At low settings, you can put it on a track to widen the stereo image or thicken up the sound and listeners may not be able to identify that they are hearing a chorus effect. WHY ONLY SIX BUTTONS? The original hardware that inspired this design had only four buttons and four presets, one for each button.* The simplicity of the controls is one of the reasons the effect was so well-liked: all four presets sounded great. With six buttons you get tones ranging from very subtle to clearly audible, and all of them are tasteful and useful. This effect makes only one type of sound but it's a unique sound that you don't get from other chorus effects. IS THIS AN EXACT CIRCUIT MODEL OF THE ORIGINAL HARDWARE EFFECT? No. We listened to the original and studied its design but then we built an effect to please our own ears. It sounds similar to the original but the design is unique. ************************************ Note: this is an audio unit plugin. It does not process audio as a standalone app. *Later on customers figured out that they could get some other settings by pressing two buttons simultaneously or forcing all the buttons off. We are using six buttons to get wider variety of sounds rather than expecting customers to discover those secret features of the original hardware.

About

Q Sahara

Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Drive it. Shape it. Move on. Q Sahara is an input-driven compressor designed for quick decisions and musical results. There is no threshold to chase and no millisecond math to interpret: drive the signal into Sahara, set the ratio, and let its program-dependent behavior follow the music. INPUT-DRIVEN COMPRESSION A fixed internal threshold means compression is controlled by how hard you drive the input — just like classic analog workflows. MUSICAL TIMING Attack and release are program-dependent, adapting to phrasing, groove and dynamics instead of fixed time values. RATIO WITH CHARACTER Ratio and knee work together. Lower ratios stay smooth and forgiving; higher ratios add firmness and control without limiter behavior. MADE FOR iOS • AUv3 plugin — use it in AUM, GarageBand, Logic Pro for iPad, Cubasis, Loopy Pro and other AUv3 hosts • External sidechain support with dedicated sidechain high-pass filter • Standalone app included • Two hand-crafted themes: Sand Dune and Black Sand • HD and Eco oversampling modes • Zero samples latency, ultra-low CPU • A/B compare and preset management • Factory presets, including artist presets by Grammy-winning engineers FOCUSED BY DESIGN No unnecessary controls, no distractions. Sahara does one thing and does it well: it delivers instant results, stays responsive to your material, and lets you mix by ear instead of by numbers. “Really interesting compressor! Sahara seems to improve the sound of everything I put it on.” — Mark Linett, three-time Grammy-winning producer and engineer “I reach for the Sahara compressor when I want character. It shines on bass, acoustic guitar, snare, parallel drums, and more!” — Brian Vibberts, seven-time Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer

Screenshots

Chorus D4 screens
Q Sahara2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Chorus D at $5.99 against Q Sahara's $19.99. Chorus D also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Q Sahara's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 7 months) and chart position (#188 vs unranked). On 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Chorus D costs $5.99 and Q Sahara $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chorus D ships an update every 7 months, Q Sahara every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Chorus D versus Q Sahara: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChorus DQ Sahara
Price$5.99 — better$19.99
Rating5.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank—#188 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBlue Mangoo Consulting Company LimitedPulsar Modular

In-app purchases

None

Chorus D

No in-app purchases

None

Q Sahara

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chorus D free?
Chorus D costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Q Sahara free?
Q Sahara costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chorus D or Q Sahara have ads?
Neither Chorus D nor Q Sahara shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chorus D or Q Sahara?
Chorus D ships an update every 7 months, and Q Sahara every 3 days. Most recently, Chorus D was updated on November 3, 2026 and Q Sahara on November 6, 2026.

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