# Orphion vs SynthMaster One

The clearest difference is rating: SynthMaster One at 4.7 against Orphion's 4.0. SynthMaster One also leads on ratings volume (743 vs 31) and device support (3 vs 1). Orphion's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $9.99) and review sentiment (85% vs 64%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Orphion costs $3.99 and SynthMaster One $9.99 up front. Orphion sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SynthMaster One sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SynthMaster One holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SynthMaster One has 743 ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of Orphion's written reviews are positive against 64% of SynthMaster One's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 2, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Orphion | SynthMaster One |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$3.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orphion/id495465097/reviews) | **[4.7 (743 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synthmaster-one/id1254353266/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 31 | **743** |
| Positive reviews | **84.7% of reviews** | 63.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 402 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 10.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bastus Trump](https://appshunter.io/developer/495465100) | [KV331 Audio](https://appshunter.io/developer/944155925) |

## What reviewers say

### Orphion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orphion/id495465097)

Create expressive music and melodies with a unique virtual instrument. Explore your creativity through intuitive finger movements on virtual pads, generating sounds between string and percussion. Ideal for both beginners and experienced musicians.

**Highlights:** Unique string and percussion sound, Expressive polyphonic music, Intuitive finger pad interaction, Customizable pad layouts, MIDI and Audiobus support, Multiple articulations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Orphion Editor | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Unique and expressive musical instrument design
- 👍 Intuitive touch interface for playing music
- 🎛️ Customizable pad layouts and configurations
- 🔌 Works well as MIDI controller for other apps
- 🎨 Beautiful, simple, and elegant user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio crackling and distortion issues on recent iPadOS versions
- ❌ App crashes and fails to launch on newer devices
- 📱 UI rendering problems on iPad mini and newer iPad models
- 🔧 Abandoned by developer - no updates or support
- 🚫 Incompatible with latest iPadOS (18+)

**Reported bugs**

- Audio crackling and distortion on iPadOS 18 and M4 devices
- App crashes on startup with recent iPad OS versions
- UI elements out of place on iPad mini
- MIDI not working in AUM and other DAWs
- Virtual MIDI instruments not detected when loaded as IAA

**Requested features**

- Recording and export functionality
- Additional sound patches and voices
- Custom scale and layout editor
- Pitch bend and modulation wheel controls
- AudioCopy/Paste support


### SynthMaster One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synthmaster-one/id1254353266)

This powerful wavetable synthesizer app offers an intuitive workflow for creating unique sounds. It features a rich library of wavetables, inspiring presets, and a semi-modular architecture for deep sound design. Easily sync data across devices and integrate with DAWs.

**Highlights:** Wavetable synthesis, Semi-modular architecture, 650 factory presets, AUv3 support, Cross-platform cloud sync, Real-time modulation feedback, 32-step arpeggiator/sequencer

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BigTone Club Construction Set | $4.99 | one-time |
| True Trance Sounds Volume 1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Vandalism Future House | $4.99 | one-time |
| NatLife Retrowave Sounds Vol.1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Demis Hellen Euphoric Trance | $4.99 | one-time |
| Venus Theory Trap Sounds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Vandalism Shocking Future Bass | $4.99 | one-time |
| NatLife Progressive&Deep Vol.1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bluffmunkey Cinematic Sounds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Desktop Presets Upgrade | $7.99 | one-time |
| SM One Expansions Bundle | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful synth engine
- 👍 Extensive preset library
- 🎨 Versatile sound design capabilities
- 💡 Free desktop version expansions on iPad
- 🎹 Excellent sound quality and tone

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔋 Battery drain in background
- 🤔 Confusing in-app purchase system
- 👎 UI/UX could use improvement
- 🔇 Audio issues and no sound

**Reported bugs**

- Stuck notes and MIDI issues
- Preset loading crashes
- Restore purchases not working
- Incompatibility with certain DAWs

**Requested features**

- Add custom wavetable support
- Improve MIDI mapping and MPE functionality
- Optimize performance on older devices
- Streamline preset management and browsing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Orphion free?

Orphion costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is SynthMaster One free?

SynthMaster One costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Orphion or SynthMaster One?

SynthMaster One is rated higher. Orphion averages 4.0 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while SynthMaster One averages 4.7 from 743 ratings.

### Do Orphion or SynthMaster One have ads?

Neither Orphion nor SynthMaster One shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Orphion or SynthMaster One?

Orphion ships an update every 2 months, and SynthMaster One every 2 months. Most recently, Orphion was updated on August 2, 2026 and SynthMaster One on September 28, 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.*