# Crystal Synth XT vs Note to Be

The clearest difference is update cadence: Note to Be at every 9 days against Crystal Synth XT's every 4 months. Note to Be also leads on price ($3.99 vs $4.99). Crystal Synth XT's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 50%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Crystal Synth XT costs $4.99 and Note to Be $3.99 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 4.9 for Note to Be. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 7 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Crystal Synth XT's written reviews are positive against 50% of Note to Be's.

Crystal Synth XT ships an update every 4 months, Note to Be every 9 days. Both last shipped on September 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crystal Synth XT | Note to Be |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$3.99** |
| Rating | [4.9 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crystal-synth-xt/id408288370/reviews) | [4.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-to-be-midi-quantizer/id6596771972/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **20** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **78.4% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 36 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Green Oak Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/355342717) | [Cem Olcay](https://appshunter.io/developer/523633853) |

## 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


### Note to Be

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-to-be-midi-quantizer/id6596771972)

This app offers advanced MIDI quantization for iOS musicians. It allows precise control over note selection, octave flexibility, and MIDI CC integration for crafting harmonious compositions and dynamic live performances. Supports microtonal scales and multi-synth setups.

**Highlights:** Customizable note and octave selection, MIDI CC to note conversion, Multi-synth channel assignment, Live performance toggles, Microtonal scale support (Scala Library), MPE polyphonic playback

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, 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 Note to Be free?

Note to Be costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Crystal Synth XT or Note to Be?

Crystal Synth XT and Note to Be are both rated 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store, from 20 and 7 ratings respectively.

### Do Crystal Synth XT or Note to Be have ads?

Neither Crystal Synth XT nor Note to Be shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Crystal Synth XT or Note to Be?

Crystal Synth XT ships an update every 4 months, and Note to Be every 9 days. Most recently, Crystal Synth XT was updated on September 21, 2026 and Note to Be on September 21, 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.*