Spike Recorder vs Stochastic Signal Processing
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spike Recorder
Explore neuroscience with this app, allowing you to view, hear, record, and analyze neural signals from neurons and muscles. It provides tools for students of all ages to conduct hands-on electrophysiology experiments and understand brain communication.
- View neural signals
- Hear neural signals
- Record neural data
- Analyze neural spike trains
- Measure reaction times
- Calculate neuroscience statistics
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Let’s face it. The brain is complex, but it is extremely fascinating. To study the brain, you typically have to be a graduate student at a major university. But not any more! Backyard Brains enables everyone to be a neuroscientist! Coupled with our SpikerBox you can order at: http://backyardbrains.com this app allows you to view, hear, record and analyze actual neural signals. Both from individual neurons and muscles. Backyard Brains provides affordable neuroscience experiment kits for students of all ages to learn (hands-on) about electrophysiology. Now everyone from schoolchildren to grad students and every grade in between can experiment with similar tools used by real neuroscientists worldwide! By following a few simple steps, everyone can experience first-hand how the brain communicates with our senses, memories, hopes, and desires. Our iOS application includes both long continuous and threshold views, and once you have recorded your data, you can analyze the neural spike trains, measure reaction times, and calculate statistics just like professional neuroscientists! Do let us know us know about your experiments. Note: The application normally picks up input through the the iPhone's built-in microphone. If you want to plug directly into your SpikerBox, or any audio device, you need a custom male-to-male headphone cable (a normal one won't work), available from our website. It has to do with routing and filtering an output channel to an input channel.
Stochastic Signal Processing
Explore the processing of random signals like speech, music, and climate data. This interactive textbook offers dynamic information, films, animations, and 59 real-time laboratory experiments using your device's camera and microphone. It's designed for those with prior signal processing and probability theory knowledge.
- Interactive textbook format
- Dynamic information display
- Films and animations
- 59 laboratory experiments
- Real-time signal processing
- Homework problems
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Speech, music, seismic vibrations, oil prices, and climate measurements are all examples of stochastic (random) signals. In this textbook—intended for individuals with prior training in introductory signal processing and introductory probability theory—we develop techniques to process such signals to extract useful information. We present case studies ranging from music to photographic images to oil prices to climate data to the motion of individual biomolecules. This textbook, as an interactive textbook ("iBook"), makes use of your device's ability to display dynamic information through films and animations and to hear the results of the techniques applied to music. At the end of every chapter there are homework problems ranging from easy to "olympic". We make use of your device's interactive capabilities to offer 59 laboratory experiments in signal processing. The experiments use the camera, the microphone, the speakers, and the graphical user interface. These experiments are not simulations; they are examples of real digital processing of signals in your device. In this time of at-home and online learning, this is the way to learn signal processing through study and experimentation.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Stochastic Signal Processing at 4.7 against Spike Recorder's 3.4. Stochastic Signal Processing also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). Spike Recorder's advantage is iOS requirement (9.2 vs 15.0). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Stochastic Signal Processing holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Spike Recorder's written reviews are positive against 67% of Stochastic Signal Processing's.
Spike Recorder ships an update every 4 months, Stochastic Signal Processing every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 29, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spike Recorder | Stochastic Signal Processing |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.4 (17 ratings) | 4.7 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 17 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.2 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 23 MB | 73 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Backyard Brains | Ian Young |
Customer experience
Spike Recorder
Stochastic Signal Processing
In-app purchases
Spike Recorder
No in-app purchases
Stochastic Signal Processing
No in-app purchases
Questions
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Is Stochastic Signal Processing free?
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