# Sanshin vs Santoor HD

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Santoor HD at 85% against Sanshin's 25%. Santoor HD also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 16 months) and ratings volume (157 vs 3). Sanshin's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Sanshin costs $1.99 and Santoor HD $2.99 up front. Santoor HD sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sanshin asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sanshin holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Santoor HD has 157 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 25% of Sanshin's written reviews are positive against 85% of Santoor HD's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Sanshin ships an update every 16 months, Santoor HD every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sanshin | Santoor HD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sanshin/id328157378/reviews)** | [4.3 (157 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/santoor-hd/id529433654/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **157** |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **84.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 11 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CRIMSON TECHNOLOGY, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/310846061) | [Software-Kitchen](https://appshunter.io/developer/494057596) |

## What reviewers say

### Sanshin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sanshin/id328157378)

Learn to play the traditional Okinawan Sanshin instrument with this app. It displays finger positions and corresponds to "Kun-Kun-Shi" musical scores in Kanji, making it accessible even for beginners.

**Highlights:** Learn Sanshin finger positions, Kanji score display, Beginner-friendly interface, Okinawan music exploration, Interactive learning tool

**In-app purchases:** none


### Santoor HD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/santoor-hd/id529433654)

Experience the traditional Santoor instrument with realistic sound and touch controls. Play individual notes, create vibrate effects by sliding, and even play semitones. Record and playback your musical creations with loop and fast-forward options.

**Highlights:** Realistic Santoor instrument simulation, Individual string touch for notes, Vibrate effect with horizontal sliding, Semitone playback option, Record and playback functionality, Loop and fast-forward playback

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Santoor HD - No Ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Beautiful and realistic instrument sound quality
- 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
- 🎸 Authentic santoor/harp playing experience
- 😌 Relaxing and meditative app for stress relief
- 🎹 Recording feature for capturing musical creations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on startup for many users
- ⚠️ Incompatible with iOS 11 and newer versions
- 💰 Aggressive monetization with paywalls for semitones
- 🔒 Locked features requiring payment
- 📱 Freezes and hangs during use

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes immediately upon opening
- Freezes on startup screen with stuck audio
- Black screen with continuous sound on launch
- Incompatible with iOS 10.2 and later versions
- Popup keyboard fails to appear when saving recordings

**Requested features**

- iOS 11+ compatibility and regular updates
- Note labels on strings for non-harp players
- Ability to layer and edit recorded tracks
- Audio input/output functionality
- Better pitch control options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sanshin free?

Sanshin costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Santoor HD free?

Santoor HD costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sanshin or Santoor HD?

Sanshin is rated higher. Sanshin averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Santoor HD averages 4.3 from 157 ratings.

### Do Sanshin or Santoor HD have ads?

Neither Sanshin nor Santoor HD shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sanshin or Santoor HD?

Sanshin ships an update every 16 months, and Santoor HD every 3 months. Most recently, Sanshin was updated on November 6, 2026 and Santoor HD on November 1, 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.*