# Nambu vs Phase Monkey

The clearest difference is price: Phase Monkey at $5.99 against Nambu's $16.00. Nambu's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 71%) and chart position (#188 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Nambu costs $16.00 and Phase Monkey $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Nambu against 4.8 for Phase Monkey. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 48 and 17 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Nambu's written reviews are positive against 71% of Phase Monkey's.

Nambu ships an update fortnightly, Phase Monkey weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and July 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nambu | Phase Monkey |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $16.00 | **$5.99** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nambu-auv3-plug-in-synth/id1624422460/reviews)** | [4.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phase-monkey-poly-synth/id6452880369/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **48** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | **90.9% of reviews** | 71.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#188** | — |
| Size | 40 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iceWorks, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/347507439) | [Sketch Audio, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1699093348) |

## What reviewers say

### Nambu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nambu-auv3-plug-in-synth/id1624422460)

**Currently charting:** #188 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app is a semi-modular FM synthesizer offering a unique sound design experience. It combines traditional FM operators with six distinct operator types, including analog-style oscillators, noise, filters, and resonators.

**Highlights:** Semi-modular FM synthesis, Six operator types, Analog synth-style oscillators, AM synthesis, Noise generator, Filters and resonators

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Phase Monkey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phase-monkey-poly-synth/id6452880369)

Explore a versatile digital synthesizer inspired by 1980s phase distortion technology. Create a wide range of sounds from warm pads to aggressive basses with its unique engine and eight-stage envelopes. Optimized for touch interaction, it also supports MIDI controllers and runs across Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Phase distortion synth engine, Eight-stage envelopes, Touch-first interface, AUv3 plugin support, Universal Apple purchase, MIDI controller support, iCloud preset syncing

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nambu free?

Nambu costs $16.00, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Phase Monkey free?

Phase Monkey costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Nambu or Phase Monkey?

Nambu is rated higher. Nambu averages 4.8 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Phase Monkey averages 4.8 from 17 ratings.

### Do Nambu or Phase Monkey have ads?

Neither Nambu nor Phase Monkey shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nambu or Phase Monkey?

Nambu ships an update fortnightly, and Phase Monkey weekly. Most recently, Nambu was updated on September 11, 2026 and Phase Monkey on July 16, 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.*