# Tones vs Polywave

The clearest difference is rating: Polywave at 4.7 against Tones's 3.5. Polywave also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 26 months). Tones's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Polywave sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Tones asks for nothing beyond the download.

Polywave holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Polywave has 34 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Tones's written reviews are positive against 80% of Polywave's.

Tones ships an update every 26 months, Polywave every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tones | Polywave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tones/id458315373/reviews) | **[4.7 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polywave-wavetable-synth/id1579538271/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **34** |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 26 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 61 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ben Walker](https://appshunter.io/developer/385443776) | [Fingerlab](https://appshunter.io/developer/412786610) |

## What reviewers say

### Tones

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tones/id458315373)

Create music easily with simple tap controls. This app offers a range of high-quality sounds and tempo adjustments, making it accessible for all ages and musical experience levels. Shake your device to clear the sound pads.

**Highlights:** Tap to create music, High-quality sound selection, Adjustable tempo, Add columns for longer tunes, Shake to clear sound pads

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Polywave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polywave-wavetable-synth/id1579538271)

Create unique, evolving sonic experiences with a novel wavetable sequencer inspired by vintage synths. Draw your own waveforms, explore a vast library, and connect to external keyboards or DAWs. Record your creations directly within the app.

**Highlights:** Wavetable sequencer, Custom waveform drawing, Expansive waveform library, 100+ factory presets, MIDI and Audio Unit support, Live recording module, 8-voice polyphony

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tones free?

Tones is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Polywave free?

Polywave is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tones or Polywave?

Polywave is rated higher. Tones averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Polywave averages 4.7 from 34 ratings.

### Do Tones or Polywave have ads?

Tones shows ads; Polywave does not.

### Which is updated more often, Tones or Polywave?

Tones ships an update every 26 months, and Polywave every 3 months. Most recently, Tones was updated on September 29, 2026 and Polywave on October 6, 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.*