Comparison

Washboard vs Pixound

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Virtual metal washboard instrument
  • Add-on instruments like horns and woodblocks
  • Customizable decorations
  • Play along with music
  • Connect to external amplifiers
  • MIDI controller functionality
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Pixound

Transform any image into a musical instrument and create unique songs. Explore a deep musical experience with extensive controls, over 127 instruments, and various scales. It's a fun and educational tool for all ages, allowing you to play live video and record your performances.

Highlights
  • Turn any picture into music
  • Play live video as an instrument
  • Record performances with touch playback
  • Over 65 scales and modes
  • 127+ instruments for four voices
  • Save and share creations
  • MIDI export
Features
Read full description

"Pixound Turns Photos into Musical Instruments, and It’s Better Than You Think" — Gizmodo "Pixound is a trippy music app for iOS that allows users to turn any snap into a song." — MTV Hive Enjoyed by top musical artists including: Herbie Hancock, David Byrne (Talking Heads), Mark Mothersbaugh (DEVO), Michael Shrieve (Santana) and many more. Have you ever jammed on Saturn's Rings with a whammy bar? Have you ever played the rainbow? What about you're dog's nose? What does it sound like? How about creating your own music just by dancing? With Pixound you can do all this and much more! Pixound is a revolutionary form of musical entertainment! Pixound provides a deep musical experience that lets YOU instantly create music using any picture. It's pure fun to play (at any age) and deep because it can be used to play music like you've never heard before. It's so much fun that artist Peter Max bought an iPhone just to have Pixound! Since there is no limit to what pictures you can play from art and graphics to photos and they can be combined with thousands of different musical settings, there is no limit to the music you can create and enjoy. You owe it to yourself to try Pixound!!! By the way, you will learn a lot about music just playing with Pixound so it's also an educational tool, sometimes referred to as a Deep Toy. Features: • Play any picture from snaps to outer space to art masterpieces • Play Live Video (in-app purchase) so that reality becomes a musical instrument • Record audio or use effects processors via Audiobus 2.1 or Inter-app Audio • Record performances including where you touched in the photo that plays back for others to see. • Play in any key or scale (over 65 scales/modes) • Add Bass and Drums from lots of choices • Tons of musical controls to create a huge variety of great music • Select from many different autoplay styles including device tilt • Add harmony voices • Add Song Progressions from basic to classical and more • Select from over 127 instruments for four voices R, B, G and bass • Import samples using AudioShare™ • Save your own settings to Banks and share with others via community or email • Built-in Reverb • Save MIDI files and go direct out to MIDI synthesizers (in-app purchase) • Access and share your creations with the Pixound Community

Screenshots

Washboard4 screens
Pixound4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Washboard at 5.0 against Pixound's 4.1. Washboard also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). Pixound's advantage is review sentiment (72% vs 43%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On ads, monetization model and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Washboard costs $1.99 and Pixound $0.99 up front. Pixound sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Washboard asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Washboard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pixound has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 43% of Washboard's written reviews are positive against 72% of Pixound's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Washboard ships an update every 3 months, Pixound monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Washboard versus Pixound: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWashboardPixound
Price$1.99$0.99 — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.1 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews42.9% of reviews72.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings18 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB1.1 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperArlo LeachTechné Media

Customer experience

Washboard

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive42.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative57.1%

Pixound

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive72.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative27.8%

In-app purchases

None

Washboard

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Pixound

One-time2
  • Pixound Live Video$1.99
  • Pixound MIDI Features$2.99

Questions

Is Washboard free?
Washboard costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pixound free?
Pixound costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Washboard or Pixound?
Washboard is rated higher. Washboard averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Pixound averages 4.1 from 8 ratings.
Do Washboard or Pixound have ads?
Neither Washboard nor Pixound shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Washboard or Pixound?
Washboard ships an update every 3 months, and Pixound monthly. Most recently, Washboard was updated on September 24, 2026 and Pixound on October 2, 2026.

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