Core Synth HD vs Unique for iPad
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Core Synth HD
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.
- Dual overlapping oscillators
- Four wave patterns
- Low Pass Filter with ADSR
- Volume Envelope Shaper (ADSR)
- Arpeggiator with multiple modes
- Save unlimited patches
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Top free iPad music app in 5 countries, top 10 in more than 50! Get your groove on with Core Synth HD, the definitive monophonic synthesizer for the iPad. With tons of features packed into a small package, Core Synth is great for live performing. A Pitch Wheel replicates perfectly the real thing! This free app has the following features: - Pitch Wheel - 2 Octave keyboard - Keys light up in different colors when pressed Oscillator Module - Dual overlapping oscillators - Four wave patterns: Square, Triangle, Sawtooth and Reverse Sawtooth * Select from 5 octaves * Adjust glide between notes * Fine tune Oscillator 2 with option to sync with Oscillator 1 Volume Envelope Shaper - Edit ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) Low Pass Filter Module - Adjust Cutoff and Resonance - Edit ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) Upgrade to the full version within the app for the following additional features: - 7 Octave Keyboard - Octave control to move along entire range - Modulation Wheel Patches Module - Save an unlimited number of individually named patches - Browse through your collection before applying patch - Delete unwanted patches Modulation Module - Four wave patterns: Square, Triangle, Sawtooth and Reverse Sawtooth - Modulate Filter, Pitch or Wave - Adjust LFO Rate and amount Arpeggiator Module - Arpeggio moves up to 5 octaves - Four step modes: Up, Down, Up/Down, Random - Adjust rate Many more exciting enhancements to follow! Core Synth HD includes open source code from MobileSynth developed by Allen Porter.
Unique for iPad
This app creates unique analog synth sounds with a wide sonic spectrum. It features two oscillators with multiple waveforms, a sub-oscillator, and a versatile filter section including a unique Vowel Filter. Enhance your sounds with LFOs, envelopes, an XY field, a sequencer, and dual multi-effect units.
- Multiple oscillator waveforms
- Sub-oscillator for added depth
- Versatile filter section
- Unique Vowel Filter
- Dual multi-effect units
- Recordable XY field and sequencer
- Ableton Link and MIDI support
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“Unique sounds like syrup with dirt kicked into it. If Bootsy Collins, Roger Troutman and Daft Punk would have met up in Studio 54 to create a soft-synth, for sure something like Unique would have come out of it…” Sound & Recording Mag Unique was made for fun and vibes: Analogue sound, intense modulation and a killer set of features, delivering an amazing sonic spectrum that’s full of character: Classy sounds, powerful, warm… sometimes gritty. Each of the 2 oscillators offers a selection of 5 waveforms: sawtooth and pulse waves are here, along with noise, triple saw and triple FM waves. There's also an additional sub-oscillator strapped into the master section for added oomph. The internal controllers will bring in the dynamics: an LFO and an envelope, there's a recordable XY field & a sequencer. Use these to modulate any knob – a simple long tap will do. The sound springs to life when it hits the filter section. Needless to say, analogue high-pass, low-pass and band-pass varieties are in place, along with a comb filter. Standards aside, the actual intention behind this project, the Vowel Filter, also became its outstanding feature: string together two or four vowel formants and play them back in a multitude of ways. Once you’ve built your sound, there’s tons of sound polish in two chained multi-effect units. Features • Sawtooth, Triple Saw, Pulse, Triple FM, Noise with tonal Filter, Sub Sine • 5 Filters with 5 Modulators each • Duophone Arpeggiator • Vowel Filter • Two Effect Sections • Ableton Link Kit • MIDI Learn & Host Automation • 300 groovy presets by various artists
Verdict
Core Synth HD and Unique for iPad both sit at 3.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 63% of Unique for iPad's written reviews are positive against 31% of Core Synth HD's. Unique for iPad also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (18 vs 5). Core Synth HD's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Core Synth HD sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Unique for iPad 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 — 3.4 for Core Synth HD against 3.4 for Unique for iPad. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 18 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of Core Synth HD's written reviews are positive against 63% of Unique for iPad's.
Core Synth HD ships an update every 4 months, Unique for iPad every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Core Synth HD | Unique for iPad |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.4 (5 ratings) — better | 3.4 (18 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 30.6% of reviews | 63.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 18 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Core Engine Apps | Sugar Bytes GmbH |
Customer experience
Core Synth HD
Unique for iPad
Bugs and requests
Core Synth HD
Reported bugs
21 issues- No sound on iPad Pro
- No sound on iOS 12
- No sound since last update
- Program doesn't start after update
- Ad blocks view
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- App crashes on load
- App crashed frequently
- Rarely produced sound
- Annoying clicking noise when playing a note
- Stopped playing notes after a while
- App reset to free module after purchase
- Lost saved presets after update
- CS doesn't work after iOS6 update
- Sound quit working suddenly
- No sound after purchase
- No audio on iPad 2
- Keyboard stops making noise after playing
- Crashes on every load
- Clipping pops and clicks
- Audible clicks between notes
- Constant click with the sounds
Requested features
17 requests- Add MIDI support
- Add Audiobus support
- Add recording with copy/paste
- Add sine wave for sub basses
- Add polyphony option
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- Add tempo sync delay, flange, chorus
- Add bit reduction
- Fix modulation clipping
- Fix clicking/popping sounds
- Add manual
- Add more presets
- Add noise generator
- Add detuning on both oscillators
- Add ability to map LFO to mod wheel
- Add switch to turn arpeggiator on/off
- Add Core Midi and MIDI over wifi support
- Fix Osc Octave Text numbering
Unique for iPad
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Core Synth HD
- Full Version Upgrade$1.99
Unique for iPad
- Unique Full Version$19.99
Questions
Is Core Synth HD free?
Is Unique for iPad free?
Which has better reviews, Core Synth HD or Unique for iPad?
Do Core Synth HD or Unique for iPad have ads?
Which is updated more often, Core Synth HD or Unique for iPad?
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