Comparison

Core Synth HD vs Pegboard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Dual overlapping oscillators
  • Four wave patterns
  • Low Pass Filter with ADSR
  • Volume Envelope Shaper (ADSR)
  • Arpeggiator with multiple modes
  • Save unlimited patches
Read full description

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.

About

Pegboard

This app offers an intuitive mobile wavetable synthesizer with a virtual analog filter. It features a harmonic table keyboard layout that highlights scales for easy improvisation and chord playing. The free version provides extensive sound design capabilities, while a pro upgrade unlocks MIDI controller functionality.

Highlights
  • Harmonic table keyboard layout
  • Scale highlighting for improvisation
  • Virtual analog filter
  • 8-voice polyphony
  • 7 effect modules
  • 16-row modulation matrix
  • MIDI over USB (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Pegboard is a mobile synth designed to make playing music more intuitive. The app is a full-featured mobile subtractive synthesizer with a virtual analog filter. Use it as a melody writing app, music scale finder, or just as a MIDI keyboard controller. How you use it is completely up to you. The keyboard is arranged in a harmonic table layout. Scales you choose are highlighted for easy improvisation. Each chord has a simple shape that is the same in every key. This layout greatly simplifies playing chords, borrowing chords, and modulating between keys. Music theory apps tend to impose constraints and can be uninspiring. Pegboard will give you an intuitive feel for harmony and allow you to come up with your own amazing riffs all through improvisation. Most of the app features are free. The synth is fully playable and programmable in the free version. Included in the free version: • Over 400 unique scales. • 70 factory presets. • 16-voice polyphony. • 4 oscillators. • 7 effect modules. • 16-row modulation matrix. • Unlimited use, no ads. Included in the pro version: • Unlimited saved presets. • MIDI over USB. The pro version is available as an in-app purchase. It will allow you to use the app as a MIDI controller. You can then connect the app to your DAW or another synthesizer.

Screenshots

Pegboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pegboard at 4.4 against Core Synth HD's 3.4. Pegboard also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (56% vs 31%). Core Synth HD's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pegboard holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 10 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of Core Synth HD's written reviews are positive against 56% of Pegboard's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Core Synth HD ships an update every 4 months, Pegboard weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Core Synth HD versus Pegboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCore Synth HDPegboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (5 ratings)4.4 (10 ratings) — better
Positive reviews30.6% of reviews55.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings510 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB111 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCore Engine AppsBrandon Murray

Customer experience

Core Synth HD

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive30.6%
Neutral17.7%
Negative51.6%

Pegboard

All ratings10 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive55.6%
Neutral11.1%
Negative33.3%

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
Show 16 more
  • 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
Show 12 more
  • 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

Pegboard

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Core Synth HD

One-time1
  • Full Version Upgrade$1.99
1 purchases

Pegboard

One-time1
  • Pegboard Pro$19.99

Questions

Is Core Synth HD free?
Core Synth HD is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pegboard free?
Pegboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Core Synth HD or Pegboard?
Pegboard is rated higher. Core Synth HD averages 3.4 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Pegboard averages 4.4 from 10 ratings.
Do Core Synth HD or Pegboard have ads?
Neither Core Synth HD nor Pegboard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Core Synth HD or Pegboard?
Core Synth HD ships an update every 4 months, and Pegboard weekly. Most recently, Core Synth HD was updated on October 20, 2026 and Pegboard on October 24, 2026.

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