Core Synth Free vs iDousyn Lite
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Core Synth Free
Create music with a monophonic synthesizer featuring dual oscillators, adjustable filters, and envelope shaping. Explore various wave patterns and octaves to craft unique sounds for live performance or composition.
- Dual overlapping oscillators
- Four wave patterns
- Adjustable low pass filter
- ADSR envelope shaping
- 1 octave keyboard
- Save and load patches
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Get your groove on with Core Synth Free, the definitive monophonic synthesizer for the iPhone and iPod touch. With tons of features packed into a small package, Core Synth is great for live performing. This free app has the following features: - 1 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 Patches Module - Save an unlimited number of individually named patches - Browse through your collection before applying patch - Delete unwanted patches - Backup patches via iTunes File Sharing 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 Free includes open source code from MobileSynth developed by Allen Porter.
iDousyn Lite
This app transforms your device into a versatile musical instrument, offering a wide range of high-quality sounds and intuitive tools for creating melodies and harmonies. Explore authentic pianos, basses, guitars, and more with innovative features like Chord Pads and DSP effects.
- 8-Octave Virtual Keyboard
- Chord Pads with Strum Options
- High-Fidelity Oscillators
- DSP Effects (Reverb, Delay, EQ)
- Dual-Channel Sound Blending
- MIDI Controller Support
- Export to WAV, AIFF, CAF, M4A
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Turn your iPhone or iPad into a powerful virtual synthesizer and sample-based instrument. Play authentic pianos, basses, guitars, drums, leads, pads, and synths with high-quality samples. Perfect for creating melodies, performing live, or exploring musical ideas on the go. At the core of iDousyn Lite is the innovative Chord Pads system. Build rich harmonies from the virtual keyboard — from simple triads to complex chord stacks. Colored keys highlight every note so you can clearly see how chords are constructed. Shape rhythm with Strum Options (Normal, Up, Down, Up/Down, Down/Up) and fine-tune timing with Rate and Delay controls, or loop chords for continuous play. Key Features • 8-Octave Virtual Keyboard – Expandable key sizes with low-latency external MIDI controller support. • Chord Pads – 5 programmable pads per channel for fast visual chord building and harmonic exploration. • High-Fidelity Oscillators – Craft vivid synth leads, punchy basses, and electronic tones. • Professional Filters – Low-Pass, High-Pass, Band-Pass, High Shelf, and Low Shelf with full Cutoff & Resonance control. • Studio Effects – Reverb, Delay, Parametric EQ, Compressor, and Peak Limiter. • Dual-Channel Engine – 2 independent layers with Octave, Semitone, Cents, Pan, and Level controls. • Full MIDI Support – Connect external MIDI controllers with custom key mapping. • Export & Share – Record in high-quality WAV, AIFF, CAF, or M4A with full AudioShare compatibility. Sound Library • 77 carefully crafted presets across 11 categories: Bass, Chords, Drums, Guitars, Instruments, Leads, Pads, Orchestral, SFX, Plucked, and Synth (7 unique presets per category). Download iDousyn Lite today and turn your mobile device into a portable music production studio!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: iDousyn Lite at 4.4 against Core Synth Free's 2.9. iDousyn Lite also leads on ratings volume (697 vs 8) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 13 months). Core Synth Free's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (64% vs 36%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Core Synth Free sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and iDousyn Lite sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
iDousyn Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iDousyn Lite has 697 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Core Synth Free's written reviews are positive against 36% of iDousyn Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Core Synth Free ships an update every 13 months, iDousyn Lite every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on June 8, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Core Synth Free | iDousyn Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (8 ratings) | 4.4 (697 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 63.6% of reviews — better | 36.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 697 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 67 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Core Engine Apps | Jorge Lozada |
Customer experience
Core Synth Free
iDousyn Lite
Bugs and requests
Core Synth Free
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
iDousyn Lite
Reported bugs
3 issues- Piano audio continues playing when switching to other instruments
- App locks up until user submits a review
- Frequent pop-ups and ads interrupt functionality
Requested features
1 request- Ringtone customization options
In-app purchases
Core Synth Free
- Full Version Upgrade$0.99
iDousyn Lite
- Remove Ads$0.99
Questions
Is Core Synth Free free?
Is iDousyn Lite free?
Which has better reviews, Core Synth Free or iDousyn Lite?
Do Core Synth Free or iDousyn Lite have ads?
Which is updated more often, Core Synth Free or iDousyn Lite?
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