Comparison

Polywave vs RRS Ivoks

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

Head to head
About

Polywave

Create unique, evolving sonic experiences with a novel wavetable sequencer inspired by vintage synths. Draw your own waveforms, explore a vast library, and connect to external keyboards or DAWs. Record your creations directly within the app.

Highlights
  • Wavetable sequencer
  • Custom waveform drawing
  • Expansive waveform library
  • 100+ factory presets
  • MIDI and Audio Unit support
  • Live recording module
  • 8-voice polyphony
Features
Read full description

From Fingerlab (multiple-time winner of Music App of the Week, 2012 Apple Design Award) and Jordan Rudess (keyboardist of Dream Theater), comes Polywave — a revolutionary wavetable sequencer synthesizer for iPhone, iPad & Mac. Inspired by the legendary Korg Wavestation, Polywave lets you draw your own waveforms with your finger and create unique, ever-evolving sounds that are truly yours. Draw your own waveforms directly on screen 100+ factory presets: leads, pads, loops & FX Connect any MIDI keyboard or load as AUv3 in your DAW Live recording built-in Free version includes 12 factory presets and a selection of core features. Get the Full Version IAP to unlock everything. Features: • 8-voice polyphony & 6 octaves • Wavetable & waveform sequencer • VCO & FM Oscillators • FM Modulation & Detune • ADSR Envelope editor • Moog Ladder filter with ADSR • 2 LFOs with custom modulation waveform • LFO Sync & Loop mode • Waveform drawing editor & library (100 waveforms) • Preset Randomizer & export/import • 5 FX: Tube Amp, Vibrato, Chorus, Delay & Reverb • Live recording & export • Full MIDI & MIDI Mapping support • AudioBus & Inter-App Audio (iOS) • Full AudioUnit AUv3 support • iCloud Family Sharing Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: contact@fingerlab.net Stay tuned! The Fingerlab Team

About

RRS Ivoks

This app emulates analog synthesizers, offering a range of sound shaping tools including oscillators, filters, and amplifiers. It supports AUv3 hosting for integration with music production apps and provides extensive MIDI control.

Highlights
  • Analog Emulation
  • AUv3 Compatible
  • Dual Oscillators
  • Filter Block with ADSR
  • Amplifier Block with ADSR
  • Modulation (LFO) Controls
  • MIDI CC Implementation
Read full description

RRS Ivoks AUv3 instrument — comes as time-limited Demo-version for you to try. It gives you 5 minutes of Free play time. (You can reload the RRS Ivoks AUv3 instrument as many times as you want, thereby you get the Demo period again and again.) Unlimited version of RRS Ivoks AUv3 instrument comes as In-App Purchase. Features: • Analog Emulation; • Undo/Redo; • A/B comparison; • 2x/4x/8x Upsampling; • Macro controllers; • Scalable GUI. On the centre panel are located two audio-frequency oscillators: • OSC1 offers frequency Band regulator, five Waveforms and controls for LFO Modulation level plus OSC2 Cross-modulation; • OSC2 offers the same frequency Band and Waveforms, an independent control for Modulation depth, plus Detuning. Underneath these located the mixer, which offers level controls for the two Oscillators, the Noise generator, and Saturation Drive. To the right of these, located the filter block. The top half is a standard ADSR envelope — until you flip the switch «Envelope mode», when it becomes a repeating AD-envelope instead. The four controls at the bottom adjust Cut-off, Resonance, LPF to BPF switch, Modulation level and Envelope level. Next after the filter is the amplifier block, it also has ADSR envelope along with another Modulation level and Velocity sensitivity control. Again, the envelope can be switched to a Repeating Mode that generates a triangular waveform determined by the Attack and Decay settings, providing some of the instrument’s most distinctive effects. The leftmost panels house the Modulation (LFO) controls (top), Mode which offers four waveforms, including noise, and a stepped Function for sample & hold (S&H) effects, well as Speed control. And global settings such as the master Tune, master Volume, Legato mode, Monophonic and Duophonic operation and Unison switches, and the Glide control. To use Ivoks as an instrument, you need an AUv3-compatible host app like GarageBand, Auria, AUM, Cubasis and more — RRS Ivoks will appear in the list of Audio Unit instruments in the host app. MIDI CC Implementation Chart: • CC#003 => HQ • CC#009 => Saturation Drive • CC#014 => Modulator Speed • CC#015 => Modulator Mode • CC#020 => Filter Attack • CC#021 => AMP Attack • CC#022 => Filter Decay • CC#023 => AMP Decay • CC#024 => Filter Sustain • CC#025 => AMP Sustain • CC#026 => Filter Release • CC#027 => AMP Release • CC#028 => Filter Envelope Mode • CC#029 => AMP Envelope Mode • CC#030 => OSC1 Band • CC#031 => OSC2 Band • CC#085 => OSC1 Waveform • CC#086 => OSC2 Waveform • CC#087 => OSC1 XMod • CC#089 => OSC2 Detune • CC#090 => MOD to OSC1 • CC#102 => MOD to OSC2 • CC#103 => OSC1 Level • CC#104 => OSC2 Level • CC#105 => Noise Generator • CC#106 => Global Tune • CC#107 => Global Glide • CC#108 => Global Volume • CC#109 => Global Voice • CC#110 => Global Unison • CC#111 => Global Retrig • CC#112 => Filter Cut-off • CC#113 => Filter Resonance • CC#114 => Filter Mode • CC#115 => MOD to Filter • CC#116 => Filter Envelope • CC#117 => MOD to AMP • CC#118 => Velocity Sensitvity

Screenshots

Polywave4 screens
RRS Ivoks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: RRS Ivoks at fortnightly against Polywave's every 4 months. RRS Ivoks also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 13.0). Polywave's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (80% vs 63%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Polywave sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and RRS Ivoks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Polywave holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 34 and 45 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Polywave's written reviews are positive against 63% of RRS Ivoks's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Polywave ships an update every 4 months, RRS Ivoks fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Polywave versus RRS Ivoks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPolywaveRRS Ivoks
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (34 ratings) — better4.4 (45 ratings)
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews — better63.3% of reviews
Number of ratings3445 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.010.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFingerlabRRS, OOO

Customer experience

Polywave

All ratings34 ratings
Positive91.2%
Neutral2.9%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral8.0%
Negative12.0%

RRS Ivoks

All ratings45 ratings
Positive82.2%
Neutral4.4%
Negative13.3%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive63.3%
Neutral3.3%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Polywave

One-time1
  • Full Version$7.99
1 purchases

RRS Ivoks

One-time1
  • RRS Ivoks Unlimited$8.99

Questions

Is Polywave free?
Polywave is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is RRS Ivoks free?
RRS Ivoks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Polywave or RRS Ivoks?
Polywave is rated higher. Polywave averages 4.7 out of 5 from 34 ratings, while RRS Ivoks averages 4.4 from 45 ratings.
Do Polywave or RRS Ivoks have ads?
Neither Polywave nor RRS Ivoks shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Polywave or RRS Ivoks?
Polywave ships an update every 4 months, and RRS Ivoks fortnightly. Most recently, Polywave was updated on September 23, 2026 and RRS Ivoks on August 26, 2026.

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