# Branches vs Circa Looper

The clearest difference is rating: Circa Looper at 4.6 against Branches's 3.9. Circa Looper also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). Branches's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks) and price ($5.99 vs $7.99). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Branches costs $5.99 and Circa Looper $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Circa Looper holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 10 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of Branches's written reviews are positive against 33% of Circa Looper's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Branches ships an update every 6 days, Circa Looper every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Branches | Circa Looper |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$5.99** | $7.99 |
| Rating | [3.9 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/branches-semi-modular-synth/id1520212093/reviews) | **[4.6 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circa-looper/id6739890878/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **12** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **36.4% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 3 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPad, Mac** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Willow & Oak AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/314685948) | [Audio Damage, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1248448317) |

## What reviewers say

### Branches

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/branches-semi-modular-synth/id1520212093)

This semi-modular synthesizer offers a "west coast" style of sound design, inspired by classic synthesizers. It functions as a standalone app with MIDI input or as an AUv3 plugin within a DAW, allowing for complex sound creation and experimentation.

**Highlights:** Semi-modular synthesis engine, Standalone app and AUv3 plugin support, West coast style sound processing, Duophonic synthesis with dual MIDI channels, Generative melody capabilities, Waveform fading and wave folding

**In-app purchases:** none


### Circa Looper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circa-looper/id6739890878)

A powerful multi-channel looping instrument for iPad, designed for musicians and producers. It offers six independent stereo loop layers, deep modulation, precision syncing, and built-in effects for creating complex patterns and evolving soundscapes. Its touch-friendly interface allows for hands-on creative control and seamless DAW integration.

**Highlights:** Six independent stereo loop layers, Deep modulation control, Precision syncing, Built-in reverb and delay, Touch-friendly interface, Full MIDI mapping, Drag-and-drop audio export

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Branches free?

Branches costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Circa Looper free?

Circa Looper costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Branches or Circa Looper?

Circa Looper is rated higher. Branches averages 3.9 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Circa Looper averages 4.6 from 10 ratings.

### Do Branches or Circa Looper have ads?

Neither Branches nor Circa Looper shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Branches or Circa Looper?

Branches ships an update every 6 days, and Circa Looper every 3 weeks. Most recently, Branches was updated on October 2, 2026 and Circa Looper on September 29, 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.*