# shapesynth vs Tandem MIDI Canvas

The clearest difference is price: shapesynth at $4.99 against Tandem MIDI Canvas's $14.99. shapesynth also leads on ratings volume (24 vs 3) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). Tandem MIDI Canvas's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 65%). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

shapesynth costs $4.99 and Tandem MIDI Canvas $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 shapesynth against 5.0 for Tandem MIDI Canvas. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: shapesynth has 24 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of shapesynth's written reviews are positive against 100% of Tandem MIDI Canvas's.

shapesynth ships an update every 2 months, Tandem MIDI Canvas every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | shapesynth | Tandem MIDI Canvas |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $14.99 |
| Rating | [4.9 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shapesynth/id431097161/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tandem-midi-canvas/id6747936331/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **24** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 65.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 8 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Erik Sigth](https://appshunter.io/developer/385275335) | [Mitchell Cohen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1811479646) |

## What reviewers say

### shapesynth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shapesynth/id431097161)

Create unique retro-inspired sounds by drawing oscillator waveforms. This polyphonic synthesizer offers extensive modulation options, built-in effects, and recording capabilities. Seamlessly integrate with other music apps and hardware for a versatile creative experience.

**Highlights:** Draw custom oscillator waveforms, 16-voice polyphony, Arpeggiator and stereo delay, Resonant filter, Parameter modulation via keyboard, MPE, accelerometer, Tape recorder with infinite overdubs, Inter-app audio and AUv3 support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Tandem MIDI Canvas

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tandem-midi-canvas/id6747936331)

Design and build custom MIDI controllers on your iPhone or iPad. Save presets, perform with motion and snapshots, and collaborate in real-time with others. Features smart snapping, layout templates, and morphing between states.

**Highlights:** Build custom MIDI controller layouts, Save and recall presets, Perform with motion and snapshots, Real-time collaboration, Smart MIDI setup, Morphing between states

**Features:** SharePlay

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is shapesynth free?

shapesynth costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Tandem MIDI Canvas free?

Tandem MIDI Canvas costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, shapesynth or Tandem MIDI Canvas?

Tandem MIDI Canvas is rated higher. shapesynth averages 4.9 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Tandem MIDI Canvas averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do shapesynth or Tandem MIDI Canvas have ads?

Neither shapesynth nor Tandem MIDI Canvas shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, shapesynth or Tandem MIDI Canvas?

shapesynth ships an update every 2 months, and Tandem MIDI Canvas every 5 weeks. Most recently, shapesynth was updated on November 1, 2026 and Tandem MIDI Canvas on October 30, 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.*