Comparison

Scythe Synthesizer vs Aparillo

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

Head to head
About

Scythe Synthesizer

Design new sounds with an intuitive interface on your iPad. This synthesizer offers a wide range of sonic possibilities, from classic analog tones to unique digital effects. Record and export your creations easily.

Highlights
  • Intuitive sound design interface
  • Versatile oscillators (analog & digital)
  • Audio clip recording and export
  • Extensive modulation
  • Wide range of effects
  • MIDI support
Features
Read full description

Scythe is a MIDI synthesizer for iPad and Mac built for fast, hands-on sound design. Shape analog and digital waveforms, explore deep modulation, save custom presets, and record and share clips without leaving the app. Scythe makes it easy to move from happy accidents to playable sounds fast. Features: • Fast, tactile sound design with the bend workflow • Analog and digital waveforms • Deep modulation and filter shaping • Delay, chorus, phaser, and bitcrusher effects • Factory presets plus your own saved presets • Record, copy, trim, and share audio clips • Core MIDI support as both controller and sound module • Designed for iPad, also available on Mac

About

Aparillo

This advanced FM synthesizer creates complex soundscapes, atmospheres, and a wide range of timbres for film, TV, and games. It features two interacting FM synths, integrated effects, and an intuitive 'Orbiter' for one-touch sound morphing. Seamlessly integrate with your mobile studio setup via MIDI and Audio Unit v3 support.

Highlights
  • 16-voice FM Synthesizer
  • Complex sound design
  • Integrated FX (Filter, Delay, Reverb, Spacializer)
  • Orbiter for sound morphing
  • Standalone & Audio Unit v3 support
  • MIDI and Ableton Link integration
  • iCloud Preset Sync
Read full description

The Cinematic Machine Aparillo is an advanced 16 voice FM synth tailored for complex sound structures , majestic motions, moving and evolving soundscapes and atmospheres that are perfect for film, TV or games. It‘s not limited to the conventional fm sounds but also delivers a huge range of styles from basses to brasses, pads to leads to even percussion. ••• SYNTH ••• It is based on two interacting FM Synthesizers capable of forming the most complex timbres. A clever arrangement of synthesis, wave shaping, filtering, FX and modulation unfolds into a serious sound design tool for epic sonic creation. Aparillo uses many parameters that can be modulated for individual adjustments PER voice. Each of the sixteen voices interact with almost two dozen targets in a variety of ways for a continuous transformation and to create endless rhythms and melodic progressions. ••• FX ••• The integrated effects include a free-signalflow Filter/Spacial Comb device, a polyphonic Auto Pan with multiple waveforms, the obligatory Delay, our finest Reverb algorithm, and a Sugar Bytes innovation, the Spacializer. This is a very special breed of delay based effect, which can work as a delay, reverb or tuned comb filter and can add room, plucked strings or even pinged percussion to your sound. ••• ORBITER ••• The superstar of Aparillo is the Orbiter, an instinctual "mass-controller" you move through Aparillo's endless sonic universes for one-touch sound morphing. That finally gives you unlimited control over new grounds of sound manipulation. Aparillo for iPad will seamlessly integrate with your mobile studio setup. We built in MIDI support (Virtual, Network, External, Bluetooth), Audio Unit v3 and Ableton Link. Syncing your presets to use them accross other devices couldn't be easier with iCloud. Enjoy Aparillo, the more you dig into it the more you fall in love with it! Features: • Standalone & Audio Unit v3 • FM Synthesizer with 16 Voices • Formant Shifting, Wave Folding & Shifting • Multi-Mode Filter with Spacializer • Orbiter for one-touch Sound Morphing • 500 handpicked Presets • Ableton Link Support • Full MIDI Support (Virtual, Network, External, Bluetooth), MIDI Learn & Host Automation • Preset iCloud Sync • Preset Share

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Aparillo at Free against Scythe Synthesizer's $4.99. Aparillo also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (89% vs 77%). Scythe Synthesizer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads 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

Aparillo is free to download; Scythe Synthesizer costs $4.99 up front. Aparillo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Scythe Synthesizer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Aparillo holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 134 and 507 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Scythe Synthesizer's written reviews are positive against 89% of Aparillo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Scythe Synthesizer versus Aparillo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScythe SynthesizerAparillo
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (134 ratings)4.9 (507 ratings) — better
Positive reviews77.3% of reviews88.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings134507 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS26.017.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMiles EganSugar Bytes GmbH

Customer experience

Scythe Synthesizer

All ratings131 ratings
Positive88.5%
Neutral6.9%
Negative4.6%
Written reviews44 reviews
Positive77.3%
Neutral13.6%
Negative9.1%

Aparillo

All ratings507 ratings
Positive97.4%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews114 reviews
Positive88.6%
Neutral6.1%
Negative5.3%

User reviews

Scythe Synthesizer

From 134 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💡 Innovative bend feature
  • 🎶 Great sound quality
  • 🎛️ Intuitive interface
  • 🎚️ Randomization function is a winner
  • ✨ Unique and engaging sounds

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Distortion on iPad Pro
  • 🐛 Glitched artifacts
  • 🐛 Unintended distortion
  • 🐛 Crackles on iPad Pro
  • 🐛 Keyboard issues (delay, sizing)

Aparillo

From 507 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful sound design capabilities
  • 👍 Intuitive and creative interface
  • 🎨 Cinematic and otherworldly sounds
  • 💡 Innovative orbit and spatial features
  • 🔥 Excellent presets and sound quality

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
  • 🔍 Lack of clear documentation and tutorials
  • 📱 UI not optimized for larger iPad screens
  • 💰 Paid upgrade required for full functionality

Bugs and requests

Scythe Synthesizer

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • Doesn't load AUM after update, crashes
  • Crackle on iPad Pro
  • Unintended distortion, glitched artifacts on iPad Pro
  • Confirming distortion on every patch on iPad Pro 11 inch
  • Bad digital distortion on iPad Pro 11 inch
Show 6 more
  • Weird delay on lower portion of keyboard keys
  • Triggered keyboard sizing while playing with multiple fingers
  • Presets don't save half the time
  • Preset sounds nothing like when working on it
  • Stopped sound output, dies permanently after switching apps
  • Certain patches distort quite a bit after update

Requested features

14 requests
  • Ability to choose MIDI channel
  • Controllable randomization range
  • More presets
  • Bend modulation to loop
  • Bend to be tempo synced
Show 9 more
  • Randomize effects section
  • Backward compatibility with older iOS
  • Ability to rename/save presets with custom names
  • Key/note hold feature
  • CoreMIDI support (historically)
  • Preset sharing
  • Continuum (scale) controller
  • Bend feature to loop back into itself
  • Bends to be voiced for each new key stroke

Aparillo

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Saved patches not compatible across versions
  • Orbiter parameters not accessible on latest iOS

Requested features

4 requests
  • More preset packs and sound libraries
  • Improved MIDI and automation support
  • Custom tuning and scale options
  • Expanded keyboard and note range

In-app purchases

None

Scythe Synthesizer

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Aparillo

One-time1
  • Aparillo Full Version$24.99

Questions

Is Scythe Synthesizer free?
Scythe Synthesizer costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Aparillo free?
Aparillo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Scythe Synthesizer or Aparillo?
Aparillo is rated higher. Scythe Synthesizer averages 4.6 out of 5 from 134 ratings, while Aparillo averages 4.9 from 507 ratings.
Do Scythe Synthesizer or Aparillo have ads?
Neither Scythe Synthesizer nor Aparillo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Scythe Synthesizer or Aparillo?
Scythe Synthesizer ships an update every 4 months, and Aparillo every 4 months. Most recently, Scythe Synthesizer was updated on October 29, 2026 and Aparillo on October 24, 2026.

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