# Tabletop vs Factory

The clearest difference is rating: Factory at 4.9 against Tabletop's 3.3. Factory also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 55%) and ratings volume (487 vs 86). Tabletop's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tabletop sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Factory sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Factory holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Factory has 487 ratings behind it against 86, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Tabletop's written reviews are positive against 81% of Factory's.

Tabletop ships an update every 3 months, Factory every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tabletop | Factory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tabletop/id436080882/reviews) | **[4.9 (487 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/factory-modular-synthesizer/id1458743434/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 86 | **487** |
| Positive reviews | 55.2% of reviews | **81.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.4 GB | 351 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Retronyms Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/307726643) | [Sugar Bytes GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/614418826) |

## What reviewers say

### Tabletop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tabletop/id436080882)

Create music with a modular studio environment. Mix and match over 40 virtual instruments, effects, and sequencers to compose songs, beats, and mashups. Expand your sound palette by purchasing additional devices.

**Highlights:** Modular music creation environment, Over 40 virtual instruments and effects, Mix and match devices, Create beats, songs, and mashups, Piano roll timeline editor, MIDI support, Share music to SoundCloud

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EKKO | $1.99 | one-time |
| WHIRL | $2.99 | one-time |
| Verve | $2.99 | one-time |
| XFADE | $2.99 | one-time |
| TT-303 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Cueboard | $2.99 | one-time |
| GLITCHBOARD | $3.99 | one-time |
| Deadbeat | $3.99 | one-time |
| X0X Drum Deranger | $7.99 | one-time |
| RS4000 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bundle E | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Innovative modular design
- 🎨 Versatile music creation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔋 High CPU usage
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔇 Poor sound quality

**Reported bugs**

- Synth parameters not saving properly
- Incompatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Unreliable audio export

**Requested features**

- MIDI support
- Improved sequencing capabilities
- More free sound modules
- Waveform editing and sample management


### Factory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/factory-modular-synthesizer/id1458743434)

Create complex and organic sounds with a powerful modular synthesizer. Explore a vast array of synthesis types, a deep modulation matrix, and dynamic signal flow. Easily find and morph between sounds with a built-in browser and crossfader.

**Highlights:** Modular synthesis with extensive modulation matrix, Multiple oscillator engines and synthesis types, Dynamic signal flow with 3-FX chain, Morph crossfader for sound transformation, Preset browser with tagging and rating, Sequencers, Arpeggiator, and Quantizer

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Factory Full Version | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful synth engine
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use interface
- 🎨 Vast sound design capabilities
- 💡 Innovative modulation matrix
- 🎶 Inspiring and unique presets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 🔌 Compatibility issues with other apps
- 🖥️ Pixelated interface on high-res displays
- 🔇 Note-sticking problems

**Reported bugs**

- Presets not loading correctly in DAW projects
- CC assignment issues causing controls to freeze

**Requested features**

- Ability to modulate morph slider
- Option to modulate effects parameters individually
- Arpeggiator with retrigger on key press
- Better integration with GarageBand and other DAWs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tabletop free?

Tabletop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Factory free?

Factory is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tabletop or Factory?

Factory is rated higher. Tabletop averages 3.3 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while Factory averages 4.9 from 487 ratings.

### Do Tabletop or Factory have ads?

Neither Tabletop nor Factory shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tabletop or Factory?

Tabletop ships an update every 3 months, and Factory every 4 months. Most recently, Tabletop was updated on October 23, 2026 and Factory on October 24, 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.*