# Crystal Synth XT vs VAPolyWest

The clearest difference is price: Crystal Synth XT at $4.99 against VAPolyWest's $14.99. Crystal Synth XT also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (20 vs 5). VAPolyWest's advantage is chart position (#191 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Crystal Synth XT costs $4.99 and VAPolyWest $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Crystal Synth XT against 5.0 for VAPolyWest. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 5 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Crystal Synth XT's written reviews are positive against 75% of VAPolyWest's.

Crystal Synth XT ships an update every 4 months, VAPolyWest every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crystal Synth XT | VAPolyWest |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $14.99 |
| Rating | [4.9 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crystal-synth-xt/id408288370/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vapolywest/id6587550154/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **20** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **78.4% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#191** |
| Size | 36 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Green Oak Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/355342717) | [Ryo Togawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1474193056) |

## What reviewers say

### Crystal Synth XT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crystal-synth-xt/id408288370)

Create lush, evolving soundscapes with a powerful semi-modular synthesizer for mobile devices. Explore subtractive and FM synthesis, extensive modulation, and built-in effects. Share sounds with the desktop version and connect MIDI keyboards for a full hardware synth experience.

**Highlights:** Semi-modular synthesis engine, Subtractive and FM synthesis, Extensive modulation control (>90 parameters), Multi-stage envelopes with graphical editors, Tempo-synced envelopes, LFOs, and delays, Built-in effects (chorus, flanger, echo), MIDI keyboard input and virtual MIDI support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Fantastic sound quality
- 💡 Innovative breed function
- 🎛️ Deep sound design capabilities
- 🎹 Versatile synth
- ✨ Unique and creative sounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- ⚠️ Preset system issues (folders, access)
- 🐌 Outdated interface
- 🔌 Lacks AUv3 support (frequently requested)
- 🔊 Crackling/popping sounds

**Reported bugs**

- App not working, splash screen disappears
- Screen in background
- Envelope points not moving
- Breed fan not working properly
- Crashing on launch

**Requested features**

- AUv3 support
- Update to an AU3 standard
- Newer interface
- Fix breed fan access to all presets
- Fix preset system variations between devices


### VAPolyWest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vapolywest/id6587550154)

**Currently charting:** #191 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app is a polyphonic synthesizer inspired by 1960s California west coast synthesis. It features wave folding, lowpass gates, and step sequencers for generative music creation. It functions as a standalone app or an AudioUnit Extension across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

**Highlights:** Virtual analog west coast style polyphonic synthesizer, Wave folder and lowpass gate, Step sequencer and envelope generators, Up to 8 voice polyphony, Audio Unit Extension (AUv3) support, MIDI 2.0 support, Audio export options

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crystal Synth XT free?

Crystal Synth XT costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is VAPolyWest free?

VAPolyWest costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Crystal Synth XT or VAPolyWest?

VAPolyWest is rated higher. Crystal Synth XT averages 4.9 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while VAPolyWest averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Crystal Synth XT or VAPolyWest have ads?

Neither Crystal Synth XT nor VAPolyWest shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Crystal Synth XT or VAPolyWest?

Crystal Synth XT ships an update every 4 months, and VAPolyWest every 10 months. Most recently, Crystal Synth XT was updated on September 21, 2026 and VAPolyWest on September 20, 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.*