Washboard vs TerribleSync
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Washboard
Transform your device into a virtual washboard with customizable sounds and decorations. Play along with your music or connect to an amp for live performances. It also functions as a MIDI controller for music production.
- Virtual metal washboard instrument
- Add-on instruments like horns and woodblocks
- Customizable decorations
- Play along with music
- Connect to external amplifiers
- MIDI controller functionality
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Turn your mobile device into a musical washboard! You can play the classic metal washboard as is, or customize it by adding instruments like horns and woodblocks in any combination. You can even add decorations like a flower, a sticker or party lights. Play along with your iPod music, or plug into an amp and join a jug band! Some reviews say the app doesn't sound like a washboard, but it does use audio samples taken from a real washboard. The samples come from a metal board played with 1" zinc washers -- this gives a sound harder than thimbles but softer than spoons -- and include a tap, scrub and wood sound. The add-on instruments also use real audio samples. Instruments include: - Small cowbell - Large cowbell - Small horn - Large horn - Tambourine - Cymbal - Small woodblock - Large woodblock - Service bell - Vibraslap - Toy chicken Decorations (no sound) include: - Toy dinosaur - Flower - Bow tie - Hula girl - Woody Guthrie sticker - Party lights If you have any MIDI equipment, you can also use Washboard as a MIDI controller. Map each instrument in the app to a note number in your sound module, then tap the board or attached instruments to send note-on commands. The MIDI commands are sent on channel 10 for easy access to most percussion modules. Before buying this app, I recommend watching the demo video at washboardapp.com to see how it works. If you need help after your purchase, please contact me before writing a bad review. I have no way to respond or help you if you publish your complaints in a review, but I respond promptly to all emails.
TerribleSync
Control the tempo of music hardware like synthesizers and drum machines using your iPhone or iPad. Features include tap tempo, precise dial adjustment, and buttons for performance effects. Requires a 3.5mm audio cable for connection.
- Tap tempo
- Rotary tempo dial
- Pause/mute button
- Performance effect buttons
- Clear interface
- Open source project
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Use your iPhone or iPad to control the tempo of impulse-sync-enabled synthesizers, drum machines, and other music hardware. Features: • Tap tempo • Supports 20.0 - 999.0+ BPM • Rotary tempo dial for precise, tactile tempo adjustment • Pause/mute button • ?, !, and :fire: buttons to introduce character and chaos into your performance • Clear, simple interface designed to be easy to use in a stage/performance setting This app works with any instrument you own that takes voltage impulses as a tempo control, such as: • KORG SQ-1, Volca, Monotribe, etc. • Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator • Moog MOTHER-32 (choose the "single clock advance" setting on the instrument) This project is open source. Try building it yourself at https://github.com/terribleben/terrible-sync or contact twitter.com/terribleben with feedback! Notes: • 3.5mm audio cable is required to connect your iPhone or iPad to your sync-enabled instruments. • If the instrument isn't responding, you may need to increase the iPhone's volume. • This software is not produced by, endorsed by, or affiliated with KORG, Teenage Engineering, Moog Music, or other instrument manufacturers.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: TerribleSync at Free against Washboard's $1.99. TerribleSync also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 43%) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). Washboard's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 35 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
TerribleSync is free to download; Washboard costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Washboard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 4 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 43% of Washboard's written reviews are positive against 83% of TerribleSync's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Washboard ships an update every 3 months, TerribleSync every 35 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Washboard | TerribleSync |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | 83.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 35 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Arlo Leach | Benjamin Roth |
Customer experience
Washboard
TerribleSync
In-app purchases
Washboard
No in-app purchases
TerribleSync
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Washboard free?
Is TerribleSync free?
Which has better reviews, Washboard or TerribleSync?
Do Washboard or TerribleSync have ads?
Which is updated more often, Washboard or TerribleSync?
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