# Tabletop vs Core Synth HD

Tabletop and Core Synth HD both sit at 3.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 54% of Tabletop's written reviews are positive against 31% of Core Synth HD's. Tabletop also leads on ratings volume (85 vs 5). Core Synth HD's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 11.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.3 for Tabletop against 3.4 for Core Synth HD. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tabletop has 85 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of Tabletop's written reviews are positive against 31% of Core Synth HD's.

Tabletop ships an update every 3 months, Core Synth HD every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tabletop | Core Synth HD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (85 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tabletop/id436080882/reviews) | **[3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/core-synth-hd/id446631941/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **85** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **53.9% of reviews** | 30.6% 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 | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Retronyms Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/307726643) | [Core Engine Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/382236096) |

## 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


### Core Synth HD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/core-synth-hd/id446631941)

Create music with a powerful monophonic synthesizer for iPad. Explore dual oscillators, customizable filters, and an arpeggiator. Save your custom sounds and enhance your live performances with intuitive controls.

**Highlights:** Dual overlapping oscillators, Four wave patterns, Low Pass Filter with ADSR, Volume Envelope Shaper (ADSR), Arpeggiator with multiple modes, Save unlimited patches

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version Upgrade | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good for learning basics
- 🎶 Nice retro sound emulation
- 💰 Great value for free/low cost
- 🎹 All controls visible
- 💡 Simple and clear interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔇 No sound issues
- 🔇 Sound stopped working
- 🔇 No sound after purchase
- 🔇 No sound on specific iOS versions
- 🐛 Glitching/microclicks

**Reported bugs**

- No sound on iPad Pro
- No sound on iOS 12
- No sound since last update
- Program doesn't start after update
- Ad blocks view

**Requested features**

- Add MIDI support
- Add Audiobus support
- Add recording with copy/paste
- Add sine wave for sub basses
- Add polyphony option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tabletop free?

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

### Is Core Synth HD free?

Core Synth HD is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tabletop or Core Synth HD?

Core Synth HD is rated higher. Tabletop averages 3.3 out of 5 from 85 ratings, while Core Synth HD averages 3.4 from 5 ratings.

### Do Tabletop or Core Synth HD have ads?

Neither Tabletop nor Core Synth HD shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tabletop or Core Synth HD?

Tabletop ships an update every 3 months, and Core Synth HD every 4 months. Most recently, Tabletop was updated on October 11, 2026 and Core Synth HD on October 7, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*