Pulsar vs Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pulsar
This music app provides a virtual drum machine with 8 pads for improvising and playing along to built-in rhythm presets. It features real-time rhythm switching, tempo control, and various effects. It also supports Ableton Link and MIDI for seamless integration with other music software and hardware.
- 8-pad drum machine
- Built-in rhythm presets
- Real-time rhythm switching
- Tempo and accent control
- Drive, reverb, and filter effects
- Ableton Link synchronization
- MIDI In/Out support
- AUv3 compatibility
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Pulsar-ES is a sample-based drum machine inspired by the Estradin Pulsar. Start with 128 factory rhythms, 64 in bank A and 64 in bank B, play the eight-pad kit, and edit MIDI notes and velocities. In version 1.0.8, Random rhythm generates a new pattern in the current slot. Swing adjusts the timing from 0 to 100%. Shape the sound with filter, reverb, overdrive, delay, chorus and compression. Save edited rhythms as separate user patterns; the factory patterns remain available. Open LINK for tempo-sync settings with compatible peers. Start/stop synchronization is a separate setting. With a MIDI output selected and a compatible route configured, send pattern notes to another instrument. In a plug-in host, routing depends on the host. For iPhone and iPad: standalone app and AUv3. Hosting, MIDI and Link features require the corresponding compatible setup.
Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth
This app is a polyphonic wavetable and FM synthesizer for musicians and sound designers. It offers flexible wavetable creation, sound design capabilities, and AUv3 plugin support for seamless integration with music production hosts. Share and discover user-created presets within the app.
- 8-voice polyphonic engine
- Dual wavetable oscillators per voice
- Bidirectional FM synthesis
- Global ladder filter
- AUv3 plugin support
- iCloud sync for presets
- Community preset sharing
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Nikaya Synth is a compact, expressive wavetable synthesizer designed for musicians and sound designers looking for flexibility without complexity. It features an 8-voice polyphonic engine, with each voice containing two independent wavetable oscillators and a pair of FM operators. Each voice includes its own ADSR amplitude envelope, while modulation and filtering are handled globally for efficient performance and unified control. Explore a variety of ways to generate and import wavetables: - Flexible Wavetable Creation - Convert images into wavetables using brightness data - Slice WAV files into multiple waveforms - Import folders of single-cycle waveforms - Browse a curated set of factory wavetables - Generate up to 128 waveforms from a single source - Sound Design Capabilities Nikaya offers a focused feature set for building detailed, evolving sounds: - Two wavetable oscillators per voice with independent wave index control - Bidirectional FM synthesis using the current wavetable waveforms - Global ladder filter with a cycling envelope and morphable curve shapes - Two global LFOs with tempo sync and multiple waveforms - Clear visual feedback for envelope shaping - Workflow and Integration Designed with usability and integration in mind: - AUv3 plugin support for host compatibility - iCloud sync for presets and wavetables - Full parameter automation in supported hosts Community Sharing (iOS 13+) - Access user-created presets from the in-app browser - Like and download new sounds - Share your own presets with others Nikaya Synth offers a practical approach to modern wavetable synthesis—lightweight, responsive, and easy to navigate, while remaining capable of detailed and expressive sound design.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth at every 2 days against Pulsar's every 3 weeks. Pulsar's advantage is chart position (#168 vs unranked) and price ($4.99 vs $6.99). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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
Pulsar costs $4.99 and Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth $6.99 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 — 4.3 for Pulsar against 4.4 for Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 8 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 67% and 67% positive.
Pulsar ships an update every 3 weeks, Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.
| Parameter | Pulsar | Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $6.99 |
| Rating | 4.3 (7 ratings) | 4.4 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #168 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 69 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dmytro Kiro | Cem Olcay |
Customer experience
Pulsar
Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth
In-app purchases
Pulsar
No in-app purchases
Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Pulsar free?
Is Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth free?
Which has better reviews, Pulsar or Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth?
Do Pulsar or Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth have ads?
Which is updated more often, Pulsar or Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth?
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