Sidechain Compressor Plugin vs FrobulatorAU
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sidechain Compressor Plugin
This audio plugin enables side-chain compression for music production, creating rhythmic pumping effects. It offers true side-chaining in compatible DAWs and a unique sudo side-chain method for broader compatibility.
- Standard compressor features
- Real calibrated VU and reduction meters
- Real-time visual graphing
- True sidechain in AUM
- Sudo sidechain with MASTER/SLAVE
- 3 available busses
- Mono/Stereo modes
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This is an AUv3 compatible stereo compressor plugin which is intended for use inside your favourite DAW/HOST such as AUM, Cubasis, Auria, Meteor, AUM or GarageBand etc. So lets start by answering the question what is side chaining? Side chaining is a technique used in a lot of modern dance music which involves using the volume level of one sound source to control another. You can hear plenty of examples of this in modern Trance/Dubstep music where sound engineers use the impact of a bass drum to duck a sustained string sound, creating space in the mix. This can be heard as a rythmic pumping sound which gives your music drive and energy. This compressor is quite unique since it was designed to get around the limitations of AUv3 plugins on iOS and the lack of multi-audio routing inside DAW apps. Until recently it wasn't possible to do true side chaining using AUv3, but now AUM has recently integrated support for multiple inputs and outputs per AUv3 plugin, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. This is great for AUM users, but this still leaves users of other DAW's in the dark. This is where this app has you covered as it provides a method of sudo side-chaining by allowing you to attach two instances of this plugin to multiple sources and route audio between them to achieve a sudo sidechain. This works by ensuring two instances of the plugin are loaded as insert effects, one being the MASTER and the other a SLAVE. The slave sends audio to the master by means of one of 3 available busses. True side chaining can be achieved in AUM. Simple set the SideChain Mode to 'Normal' and install an instance of the plugin on the channel you want to control. Then using the new 'Multiple Audio Unit Instances' option in AUM you can add a redirection of the controlling source to send to the same bus the plugin is listening to. It's that simple. In this case you need to set both instances to either Bus 2 or 3, since Bus 1 is the original audio. Features: ○ Standard Compressor features. ○ Real calibrated VU and reduction meters ○ Real-time visual graphing of parameters. ○ Real sidechain in AUM. ○ Sudo side chain using MASTER and SLAVE for others. ○ 3 available busses. ○ Mono / Stereo modes. ○ Integrated help.
FrobulatorAU
This audio effect plugin transforms sounds with spectral delay, adding unique character to music projects. It's a free and open-source tool designed for use in various audio applications, offering extensive creative possibilities.
- Spectral delay effect
- AUv3 plugin
- Use in GarageBand, AUM, and other DAWs
- Multiple instances per project
- Free and open-source
- No ads or in-app purchases
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Venerable inter-app audio effect Frobulator reborn — at long last — as an AUv3 plugin. Use it in GarageBand, AUM or your favourite audio application. Add multiple instances in the same project. Drag your frobulation kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Frobulator is a spectral delay effect. It makes your noises a little bit stranger. Twiddle the knobs to find something you like, or don't and throw it away. No-one will hold it against you. Frobulator is free as in beer and free as in speech. Freer, probably, given the state of both those things these days. No ads, no in-app purchases, no subscriptions, no surveillance, no nag screens. If you happen to be one of the 6 people who asked for this, rejoice! If you aren't, now's your chance to discover what you've been missing all this time. Or not. I'm not the boss of you.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: FrobulatorAU at Free against Sidechain Compressor Plugin's $5.99. FrobulatorAU also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 67 months). Sidechain Compressor Plugin's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On ratings volume, 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
FrobulatorAU is free to download; Sidechain Compressor Plugin costs $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
FrobulatorAU holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 8 respectively.
Sidechain Compressor Plugin ships an update every 67 months, FrobulatorAU every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sidechain Compressor Plugin | FrobulatorAU |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.6 (5 ratings) | 5.0 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 67 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 4Pockets.com | Matthew Caldwell |
Customer experience
Sidechain Compressor Plugin
FrobulatorAU
In-app purchases
Sidechain Compressor Plugin
No in-app purchases
FrobulatorAU
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sidechain Compressor Plugin free?
Is FrobulatorAU free?
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