# JAX ESSENTIALS vs tapeworm

The clearest difference is price: tapeworm at Free against JAX ESSENTIALS's $4.99. tapeworm also leads on rating (4.1 vs 2.7) and ratings volume (13 vs 3). JAX ESSENTIALS's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.6). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

tapeworm is free to download; JAX ESSENTIALS costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

tapeworm holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 13 respectively.

JAX ESSENTIALS ships an update fortnightly, tapeworm every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | JAX ESSENTIALS | tapeworm |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jax-essentials-flanger/id1636821080/reviews) | **[4.1 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapeworm/id6759563292/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **13** |
| Positive reviews | — | 62.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 33 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jens Guell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195004865) | [Radii Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1832856981) |

## What reviewers say

### JAX ESSENTIALS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jax-essentials-flanger/id1636821080)

This audio effect plugin offers a multi-stage phaser with adjustable depth and speed for dynamic sound nuances. Create unique vocal effects or sweeping soundscapes with numerous presets and custom options.

**Highlights:** Multi-stage phaser effect, Low frequency oscillator modulation, Adjustable depth and speed, Cross-device preset sharing, 200+ factory presets, Custom preset export/import, Universal build for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### tapeworm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapeworm/id6759563292)

This music app offers a unique tape delay effect with a "wiggly, dirty" sound. Control delay time by stretching or flicking a virtual tapeworm, with options for manual or random adjustments. It includes analog-modeled saturation, compression, and amplifier stages for a rich audio experience.

**Highlights:** Interactive tape delay time control, Manual and free modes for delay, Analog-modeled tape saturation and compression, Overdrivable feedback, AUv3 plugin compatibility, Performative sound design elements

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is JAX ESSENTIALS free?

JAX ESSENTIALS costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is tapeworm free?

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

### Which has better reviews, JAX ESSENTIALS or tapeworm?

tapeworm is rated higher. JAX ESSENTIALS averages 2.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while tapeworm averages 4.1 from 13 ratings.

### Do JAX ESSENTIALS or tapeworm have ads?

Neither JAX ESSENTIALS nor tapeworm shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, JAX ESSENTIALS or tapeworm?

JAX ESSENTIALS ships an update fortnightly, and tapeworm every 3 weeks. Most recently, JAX ESSENTIALS was updated on October 24, 2026 and tapeworm on October 25, 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.*