# Santoor HD vs ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 at none against Santoor HD's 1. ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). Santoor HD's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 67%) and ratings volume (157 vs 9). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Santoor HD costs $2.99 and ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 $5.99 up front. Santoor HD sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 asks for nothing beyond the download.

ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Santoor HD has 157 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of Santoor HD's written reviews are positive against 67% of ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Santoor HD ships an update every 3 months, ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Santoor HD | ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $5.99 |
| Rating | [4.3 (157 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/santoor-hd/id529433654/reviews) | **[4.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftbud-generative-midi-auv3/id1616169031/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **157** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **84.9% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 29 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Software-Kitchen](https://appshunter.io/developer/494057596) | [Cem Olcay](https://appshunter.io/developer/523633853) |

## What reviewers say

### Santoor HD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/santoor-hd/id529433654)

Experience the traditional Santoor instrument with realistic sound and touch controls. Play individual notes, create vibrate effects by sliding, and even play semitones. Record and playback your musical creations with loop and fast-forward options.

**Highlights:** Realistic Santoor instrument simulation, Individual string touch for notes, Vibrate effect with horizontal sliding, Semitone playback option, Record and playback functionality, Loop and fast-forward playback

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Santoor HD - No Ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Beautiful and realistic instrument sound quality
- 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
- 🎸 Authentic santoor/harp playing experience
- 😌 Relaxing and meditative app for stress relief
- 🎹 Recording feature for capturing musical creations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on startup for many users
- ⚠️ Incompatible with iOS 11 and newer versions
- 💰 Aggressive monetization with paywalls for semitones
- 🔒 Locked features requiring payment
- 📱 Freezes and hangs during use

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes immediately upon opening
- Freezes on startup screen with stuck audio
- Black screen with continuous sound on launch
- Incompatible with iOS 10.2 and later versions
- Popup keyboard fails to appear when saving recordings

**Requested features**

- iOS 11+ compatibility and regular updates
- Note labels on strings for non-harp players
- Ability to layer and edit recorded tracks
- Audio input/output functionality
- Better pitch control options


### ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftbud-generative-midi-auv3/id1616169031)

This app generates random MIDI sequences using a shift register chip, inspired by a popular eurorack module. It offers extensive control over scales, octaves, velocity, and MIDI CC modulation, allowing for complex and evolving musical patterns.

**Highlights:** Random looping generative MIDI sequencing, 16-bit shift register logic, Adjustable chaos for sequence variation, Over 110 scales plus custom scales, MIDI CC generation and modulation, Unlimited pattern pages, Manual trigger function

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Santoor HD free?

Santoor HD costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 free?

ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Santoor HD or ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3?

ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 is rated higher. Santoor HD averages 4.3 out of 5 from 157 ratings, while ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 averages 4.7 from 9 ratings.

### Do Santoor HD or ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 have ads?

Neither Santoor HD nor ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Santoor HD or ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3?

Santoor HD ships an update every 3 months, and ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 monthly. Most recently, Santoor HD was updated on October 26, 2026 and ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 on October 24, 2026.

---

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