Comparison

iVoxel vs RetroSFX

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

Head to head
About

iVoxel

This app transforms your voice into a singing machine using a powerful vocoder and synthesizer. It allows real-time voice manipulation, pitch correction, and the creation of unique vocal effects from recorded speech.

Highlights
  • Real-time voice analysis and resynthesis
  • 20+2 Channel vocoder
  • Pitch follower and automatic tuning
  • Voice spectrum recorder (voxels)
  • Included prerecorded voxels
  • Live keyboard playback of vocoded voice
  • Polyphonic synthesizer with analog waves
Features
Read full description

iVoxel is not only an amazingly sounding vocoder - the unique concept of iVoxel turns this vocoder into a singing machine. iVoxel is a combination of a voice optimized synthesizer and a vocoder. The vocoder part is based on the Matrix vocoder from VirSyn used by many famous artists - one of them the well known german group Kraftwerk. The channel filters used by iVoxel are based on the Sennheiser Vocoder VSM201 resulting in a rich and fat analogue sound characteristic. The pitch follower and automatic tuning let you sing correct to a selectable scale. You can use iVoxel in many different ways: As a realtime vocoder talking into the microphone while playing tunes on the keyboard. The sound character of your voice can be changed in many different aspects like pitch, gender or breath noise. Use it to sing over your favorite iTunes song ! Record the analyzed spectrum of phrases and words from your own voice. Then use this voxel to play with your own voice on the keyboard or with the build in sequencer. Nearly 300 hundred prerecorded voxels are already included. iVoxel is Audiobus compatible and can be used in the Input, Filter and Output slots in the Audiobus signal chain. The carrier signal and the vocal signal can now be fed by any Audiobus compatible Apps. The output of your creations can be recorded to an audio file which you can use with other Apps and programs for further processing. Features: • Realtime analysis/resynthesis of your voice • 20+2 Channel vocoder • Pitch Follower and automatic tuning correction to selectable scale • Realtime pitch to MIDI Note converter • Voice spectrum recorder (voxels) • Nearly 300 prerecorded voxels included • Play your vocoded voice live on keyboard. Drag for slides and vibrato.  • Polyphonic sequencer for notes & lyrics • Voice optimized polyphonic synthesizer with up to 64 analog waves • Time warping of voxels • Gender changer • Breath noise • Pitch vibrato with delay • Hi-end Reverb and Chorus/Delay effects • Export/Import of projects and voxels • Export of audio recordings • Upload recordings to SoundCloud • Copy audio recordings to Clipboard • Virtual MIDI and Background audio • flexible MIDI control for Gender and Vibrato • compatible to Korg/WIST standard • CoreMIDI • Audiobus 2 support (Input/Filter/Output) with state saving (requires iOS 7 or newer)

About

RetroSFX

Read full description

RetroSFX is a powerful and easy‑to‑use tool for creating retro‑style sound effects. Whether you’re a game developer, content creator, or simply a fan of classic audio, this app gives you everything you need to generate unique SFX with a single tap.

Screenshots

iVoxel1 screens
RetroSFX3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: RetroSFX at $0.99 against iVoxel's $6.99. RetroSFX also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 5 months). iVoxel's advantage is device support and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On in-app purchases 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

iVoxel costs $6.99 and RetroSFX $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iVoxel ships an update every 5 months, RetroSFX every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
iVoxel versus RetroSFX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriVoxelRetroSFX
Price$6.99$0.99 — better
Rating3.3 (17 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews54.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings17 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNo—
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — better—
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB133 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHarry GohsAli Taleb

Bugs and requests

iVoxel

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • App crashes on launch or during use
  • Hangs when changing presets or settings
  • Random background noise and clicking sounds
  • Microphone input not recognized or working intermittently
  • No sound output in standalone or Audiobus mode
Show 9 more
  • Touch controls unresponsive in certain screen areas
  • Import/export functionality broken
  • Sequencer not playing sounds or producing audio
  • Recording functionality causes crashes
  • Compatibility issues with iOS 18, iOS 17, and older versions
  • Audiobus carrier wave option not appearing
  • MIDI stuck notes and keyboard responsiveness issues
  • Display rendering issues on certain devices
  • Audio routing not working with external interfaces

Requested features

14 requests
  • AU v3 plugin support for modern DAW integration
  • Audiobus 3 and IAA (Inter-App Audio) support
  • Core MIDI support beyond Akai controllers
  • Lightning to USB audio interface compatibility
  • Custom word/text input for voice synthesis
Show 9 more
  • Metronome for sequencer alignment
  • Direct audio export and playback within app
  • Improved sequencer with copy/paste/undo functionality
  • Bluetooth audio output support
  • Sync options for modern music production
  • Better microphone input handling
  • Volume normalization and better level controls
  • Ability to delete recorded voxels
  • More comprehensive tutorial and help system

RetroSFX

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

iVoxel

No in-app purchases

None

RetroSFX

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iVoxel free?
iVoxel costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is RetroSFX free?
RetroSFX costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which is updated more often, iVoxel or RetroSFX?
iVoxel ships an update every 5 months, and RetroSFX every 5 weeks. Most recently, iVoxel was updated on November 6, 2026 and RetroSFX on October 25, 2026.

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