Comparison

RealPhase vs FW Radar

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

Head to head
About

RealPhase

This app faithfully reproduces the sound of a legendary analog phaser pedal. It offers advanced modulation options, including barberpole effects and MIDI sync, for creating complex and rhythmic phasing sounds. Visualize real-time frequency response and enjoy exceptional multirate performance.

Highlights
  • Faithful reproduction of legendary phaser pedal
  • Composite LFOs and parallel phaser structures
  • Barberpole/Shepard phasing
  • Rhythmic pattern creation with LFO ratios
  • Mid-Side modes for stereo phasing
  • Real-time notch filter frequency visualization
  • MIDI note event reception for sync
Features
Read full description

Do you remember the single most iconic phaser you've ever heard? For the first time, there's a good chance of finding that exact sound captured in a plugin. FEATURES: • Faithful reproduction of a legendary 4-stage phaser pedal from the late 70's - early 80's • Complex effects can be built using composite LFO's, parallel phaser structures, as well as an independent modulation system for the sweep range • Barberpole or "Shepard" phaser included: infinitely rising / falling modulation that can optionally be combined with sweep range modulation • Strong, rhythmic / syncopated patterns can be created by configuring different LFO frequency ratios within the various modulation sources • Mid-Side modes allow adding special phasing effects to stereo sounds • Exact visualization of the notch filters' real-time frequency response, with different stereo options • Exceptional multirate performance: results are less sampling rate-dependent than what's currently available with most digital phasers (even from major manufacturers) • Designed to be an anthology app extensible with additional hardware-based or synthetic analog models in future MIDI NOTE EVENT RECEPTION: RealPhase can accept MIDI note messages, syncing an envelope-based modulation source to note on and off events. This makes it easy to use RealPhase as a powerful analog modeling OTA-based resonant notch filter with any synth or sampler. PLEASE NOTE: • An Audio Unit v3 compatible host app is required to use this plugin • Supported sampling rates: 44.1, 48, 96 kHz

About

FW Radar

Features
Read full description

FW Radar keeps track of firmware for your studio gear, so you don't have to. It follows firmware releases for more than 1,600 hardware products, from synths and drum machines to eurorack modules, audio interfaces and effects. When something in your rig gets an update, you hear about it. Your rig Add the gear you own and see where each device stands: the latest firmware, the version you have installed, the full version history with changelogs, manuals and used prices from Reverb. Notifications Turn on notifications and you get a push as soon as a new firmware shows up for one of your devices. Tap it and you land on the product page. Telegram and email alerts are there too, if you prefer. Public rigs Look at the setups other electronic musicians share, and publish your own with photos if you like. The catalog More than 1,600 products from over 260 brands, checked around the clock. If your device is missing, request it from the app and it gets added. On iPhone, iPad and Mac. Free, no subscription. Sign in with Apple or Google. FW Radar does not host firmware files: every download link goes to the manufacturer's official page. This application uses the Reverb API but is not endorsed, created by or certified by Reverb.com, LLC.

Screenshots

RealPhase2 screens
FW Radar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: FW Radar at Free against RealPhase's $14.99. FW Radar also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 14 months). RealPhase's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 16.4). On 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

FW Radar is free to download; RealPhase costs $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RealPhase ships an update every 14 months, FW Radar every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
RealPhase versus FW Radar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRealPhaseFW Radar
Price$14.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.1 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperquantovoxVincenzo Risi

In-app purchases

None

RealPhase

No in-app purchases

None

FW Radar

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is RealPhase free?
RealPhase costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is FW Radar free?
FW Radar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do RealPhase or FW Radar have ads?
Neither RealPhase nor FW Radar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RealPhase or FW Radar?
RealPhase ships an update every 14 months, and FW Radar every 5 weeks. Most recently, RealPhase was updated on October 24, 2026 and FW Radar on October 15, 2026.

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