Comparison

PixelWave vs ROTOR

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

Head to head
About

PixelWave

Create unique sounds with an experimental wavetable synthesizer featuring a retro pixel interface. Draw custom waveforms, choose from presets, and adjust octaves. Export your creations and integrate with other music apps.

Highlights
  • Draw custom waveforms
  • Export to WAV
  • Nine predefined waveforms
  • Changeable octaves (2-6)
  • MIDI keyboard support
  • Audiobus and IAA support
Features
Read full description

PixelWave is an experimental wavetable synth with old school pixel interface. Key features: • it is possible to draw waveform and play it at the same time; • export to WAV; • nine predefined waveforms; • changeable number of octaves (from 2 to 6); • MIDI keyboard support; • Audiobus and IAA support.

About

ROTOR

Transform your device into a comprehensive music performance suite. Experience tangible music control with optional physical controllers, bringing a unique interactive element to your sound creation. Seamlessly sync and harmonize audio, and integrate with other music apps for a powerful live performance setup.

Highlights
  • Tangible music control with physical pucks
  • Modular synth with instruments, effects, and controllers
  • Automatic real-time key detection and time stretching
  • Audiobus and Ableton Link integration
  • MIDI control input
  • Live recording capabilities
  • Multi-touch control panels
Features
Read full description

ROTOR is the new app that turns your device into a complete music performance suite. Using the optional ROTOR controllers, which can be purchased separately, it also brings the reactable tangible music experience that has captivated musicians such as Björk, Coldplay or Gui Boratto, for the first time into the iPad. **PLEASE NOTE: This App is officially supported on the following devices: iPhone 4S and newer, iPad Air/Air2, iPad Mini 2/3/4, and iPad Pro.** NOT A CONVENTIONAL SYNTHESIZER, NEITHER A SEQUENCER OR DAW… … although it includes components from all of them. ROTOR incorporates dozens of modules, among instruments, audio effects, modulators and controllers, all interconnectable between them, which can be used for creating the most expressive and intricate patches in a unique way. It is an unprecedented multitouch/tangible instrument specially designed for live interaction and performance. TANGIBLE CONTROL With our exclusive physical control objects especially conceived for the iPad, and which can be purchased separately, ROTOR brings the unique tangible experience of the reactable for the first time to the iPad! This means that while all standard multi-touch capabilities are preserved, the ability to control any parameter by moving and twisting our tangible pucks over the iPad’s surface, brings 3 additional degrees of freedom to each hand! The controllers are available in our website, but this app can also be perfectly used without them. ALWAYS IN SYNC AND IN KEY ROTOR comes with automatic real-time key detection and time stretching algorithms that allow for samples, loops and sequences to stay not only in sync but also in harmony with each other. All wavefiles can be configured either as masters, thus determining at any instant the tonality of the whole session, or as slaves, thus adapting automatically to this computed tonality. WORKFLOW INTEGRATION AND COLLABORATION ROTOR MIC/LINE IN module and its panoply of effects and modulators allows to process voice, guitars, or any other instrument, in unheard ways. With Audiobus, ROTOR can be used as an input/output device in combination with any other compatible music apps. Any ROTOR module can also receive external MIDI control from any user-selectable MIDI port/channel. Moreover, its integration of Ableton Link allows ROTOR to play in perfect sync with Ableton Live and other Ableton Link compatible iOS apps running in other devices. FROM COMPLETE CONTROL TO INSPIRING SERENDIPITY ROTOR includes dozens of multi-touch control panels such as virtual keyboards, polyphonic and monophonic step-sequencers, envelope generators, or 2D panels, which empower to control in real-time, every detail or nuance of the performance. On the other hand, interconnecting less linear and less predictable modules, such as the accelerometer input, the beat slicer or the feedback delay, opens a whole universe of generative and serendipitous creations. This, combined with ROTOR’s live recording capabilities, which simplifies the capturing of loops on-the-fly and always in sync, turns ROTOR into the ULTIMATE LOOP CREATOR MACHINE. SONIC VERSATILITY ROTOR also comes with 100+ high quality loops and sessions created by professional music producers. Along with these loops, users can import their own ones and combine them with ROTOR’s advanced synthesis and processing capabilities. From House or EDM to the most experimental generative soundscapes, ROTOR sonic versatility is unparalleled.

Screenshots

PixelWave1 screens
ROTOR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PixelWave at 89% against ROTOR's 43%. PixelWave also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.2) and price ($0.99 vs $7.99). ROTOR's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

PixelWave costs $0.99 and ROTOR $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PixelWave holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 31 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of PixelWave's written reviews are positive against 43% of ROTOR's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PixelWave ships an update every 4 months, ROTOR monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
PixelWave versus ROTOR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixelWaveROTOR
Price$0.99 — better$7.99
Rating4.8 (19 ratings) — better3.2 (31 ratings)
Positive reviews89.3% of reviews — better42.9% of reviews
Number of ratings1931 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.08.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB61 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexander ZolotovReactable Systems SL

Customer experience

PixelWave

All ratings19 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews56 reviews
Positive89.3%
Neutral5.4%
Negative5.4%

ROTOR

All ratings30 ratings
Positive56.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative43.3%
Written reviews49 reviews
Positive42.9%
Neutral4.1%
Negative53.1%

Bugs and requests

PixelWave

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • AudioCopy not utilized
  • Unable to access tools or change parameters
  • Memory issue with iOS7 claiming large amounts of storage
  • Not visible in Audiobus
  • Tone and Waveform text fading in and out
Show 1 more
  • Crashes with multiple touch points

Requested features

19 requests
  • Updated export options
  • Screen recording functionality
  • Basic reverb effect
  • Further functionality (sequencer, LFOs, filters)
  • Ability to adjust arpeggiation rate/BPM
Show 14 more
  • Ability to adjust/turn off effects (delay, reverb)
  • Polyphony
  • Save and load waves
  • Play via MIDI
  • State saving
  • Performance recording
  • Preset waves
  • Other colors
  • Adjustable echo time
  • Turn arpeggiation on/off
  • Lower octaves
  • Add/remove effects
  • Run in background
  • Audiobus compatibility

ROTOR

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

PixelWave

No in-app purchases

None

ROTOR

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PixelWave free?
PixelWave costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ROTOR free?
ROTOR costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PixelWave or ROTOR?
PixelWave is rated higher. PixelWave averages 4.8 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while ROTOR averages 3.2 from 31 ratings.
Do PixelWave or ROTOR have ads?
Neither PixelWave nor ROTOR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PixelWave or ROTOR?
PixelWave ships an update every 4 months, and ROTOR monthly. Most recently, PixelWave was updated on October 24, 2026 and ROTOR on October 24, 2026.

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