# Essentials Studio vs The Surrounds LC

The clearest difference is update cadence: The Surrounds LC at every 2 months against Essentials Studio's every 8 months. Essentials Studio's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Essentials Studio ships an update every 8 months, The Surrounds LC every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and July 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essentials Studio | The Surrounds LC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Size | 265 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lani Hitchen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761976394) | [Xoda Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1662306656) |

## What reviewers say

### Essentials Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essentials-studio/id1580642663)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Surrounds LC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-surrounds-lc/id1608293623)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essentials Studio free?

Essentials Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Surrounds LC free?

The Surrounds LC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Essentials Studio or The Surrounds LC have ads?

Neither Essentials Studio nor The Surrounds LC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Essentials Studio or The Surrounds LC?

Essentials Studio ships an update every 8 months, and The Surrounds LC every 2 months. Most recently, Essentials Studio was updated on September 9, 2026 and The Surrounds LC on July 19, 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.*