PixelWave vs DroneLab
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Draw custom waveforms
- Export to WAV
- Nine predefined waveforms
- Changeable octaves (2-6)
- MIDI keyboard support
- Audiobus and IAA support
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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.
DroneLab
Generate evolving ambient music with three parallel audio sources and unique sound effects. Save and export your creations for use in music or video projects, or use it for improvisation and practice.
- Three parallel continuous audio sources
- Custom sound effects
- Preset selection and customization
- Stereo audio export up to 96KHz
- Real-time recording
- Improvisation and experimentation tool
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DroneLab creates slowly shifting musical soundscapes. Control three continuous audio sources running in parallel, each with its own rate of shifting intensity. Expand the soundscape with unusual sound effects crafted specifically for DroneLab. Get going quickly by selecting one of the included presets. Go further by selecting and customizing the sound sources, and save your own presets to the list. Create soundscapes for your music and video projects: - Export a stereo audio file with your current settings, at sample rates up to 96KHz. On newer devices, exports occur faster than real time. - Or, you can record in real time, capturing all the changes you make to the sounds as you go. DroneLab is great for improvisation and experimentation: - Explore the melodic side of your instrument in a fun, relaxing setting. - Warm up before practicing more difficult material. - Explore sounds and articulations that aren't part of your usual repertoire. Please visit us at dronelab.app for videos, more information and support.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PixelWave at 4.8 against DroneLab's 4.4. PixelWave also leads on review sentiment (89% vs 70%) and price ($0.99 vs $1.99). On ratings volume, update cadence, 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
PixelWave costs $0.99 and DroneLab $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
PixelWave holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19 and 20 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of PixelWave's written reviews are positive against 70% of DroneLab's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PixelWave | DroneLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (19 ratings) — better | 4.4 (20 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 89.3% of reviews — better | 70.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 19 | 20 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Alexander Zolotov | Jon Lukas |
Customer experience
PixelWave
DroneLab
In-app purchases
PixelWave
No in-app purchases
DroneLab
No in-app purchases
