# Scythe Synthesizer vs Phosphor 3

The clearest difference is update cadence: Scythe Synthesizer at every 4 months against Phosphor 3's every 11 months. Scythe Synthesizer also leads on ratings volume (134 vs 9) and price ($4.99 vs $5.99). Phosphor 3's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scythe Synthesizer costs $4.99 and Phosphor 3 $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Scythe Synthesizer against 4.7 for Phosphor 3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scythe Synthesizer has 134 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of Scythe Synthesizer's written reviews are positive against 79% of Phosphor 3's.

Scythe Synthesizer ships an update every 4 months, Phosphor 3 every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Scythe Synthesizer | Phosphor 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $5.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (134 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scythe-synthesizer/id451337446/reviews) | **[4.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phosphor-3/id1499115553/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **134** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 77.3% of reviews | **78.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 9 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Miles Egan](https://appshunter.io/developer/423720312) | [Audio Damage, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1248448317) |

## What reviewers say

### Scythe Synthesizer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scythe-synthesizer/id451337446)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- Ability to choose MIDI channel
- Controllable randomization range
- More presets
- Bend modulation to loop
- Bend to be tempo synced


### Phosphor 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phosphor-3/id1499115553)

This app recreates a vintage digital synthesizer, offering a faithful emulation of a classic sound engine. It includes modern features like MPE, extensive modulation, and a new UI for sonic exploration.

**Highlights:** Vintage digital synthesizer emulation, Additive synthesis engine, MPE support, Extensive modulation routing, Preset manager, Tuning tables

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Scythe Synthesizer free?

Scythe Synthesizer costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Phosphor 3 free?

Phosphor 3 costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Scythe Synthesizer or Phosphor 3?

Phosphor 3 is rated higher. Scythe Synthesizer averages 4.6 out of 5 from 134 ratings, while Phosphor 3 averages 4.7 from 9 ratings.

### Do Scythe Synthesizer or Phosphor 3 have ads?

Neither Scythe Synthesizer nor Phosphor 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Scythe Synthesizer or Phosphor 3?

Scythe Synthesizer ships an update every 4 months, and Phosphor 3 every 11 months. Most recently, Scythe Synthesizer was updated on October 29, 2026 and Phosphor 3 on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*