Comparison

Santoor HD vs PolyQuad

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

Head to head
About

Santoor HD

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
Read full description

Played the Harp? Try the Santoor - A Traditional Musical Instrument. Supports touching individual strings to play notes as well as sliding horizontally across a string for VIBRATE effect. Fade out your vibrate effect by sliding your finger to the edge of the Santoor. Now also includes the option to play semitones! ***** Ranked in the top 7 and top 25 in the India APP STORE in the Music category for iPad and iPhone respectively. *****Ranked in the top 31 in the Greece APP STORE in the Music category for iPad. ***** Ranked in the top 45 in the US APP STORE in the Music category for iPad. FEATURES * Hi Quality Retina Display Optimized Graphics * Studio Quality Sounds. Realistic Vibrate Effect with tuned strings across two octets. New option to also play Semitones * Fast, Fluid Touches and Sounds. Recognizes multiple touches with both hands * Features sliding across a string for VIBRATE effect. * Slide along a string to the edges for a unique fade out effect. * Switch to play Semitones to truly play out all of your melodies! (Pro Version) * Record And Playback your own creations * Options to Loop playback of recordings and also to play them at Fast Forward Speeds Questions/suggestions/bugs? Email us at: thesoftwarekitchen@gmail.com To fun times with "Santoor HD"!!

About

PolyQuad

Create complex analog-style synthesizer sounds using four independent voices. Design each voice with its own oscillator, filter, and envelopes, then combine them in various modes for massive layered textures, polyphonic chords, or unique stereo arrangements. Explore a vast library of presets or build your own from scratch.

Highlights
  • Four independent analog-style voices
  • Multiple oscillator and filter types per voice
  • Dual envelope generators per voice
  • Three voice combination modes (UNI, POLY, 2x2)
  • Extensive LFO modulation capabilities
  • Integrated effects unit (reverb, delay, chorus, phaser, drive)
  • 160 factory presets and user preset management
Features
Read full description

PolyQuad is one synthesizer built from four complete voices — and the instrument is what they make together. Each of the four channels is a full analog-style voice: its own oscillator, its own resonant filter, its own envelopes, its own amplifier, its own place in the stereo field. Design each channel for a role — a sub, a body, a sparkle, a slow swell — then play them as one. Three voice modes decide how they combine. UNI stacks all four on every note for one massive layered sound. POLY spreads chords across the channels, so every note of a chord lands on its own instrument. 2×2 plays note pairs on matched couples. Add glide, retrigger control and detune spread on top. THE CHANNELS - Four oscillators: triangle, sawtooth, pulse with PWM, sine — per channel, with octave and fine tune - Four resonant filters with envelope amount and FM depth per channel - Two envelopes per channel (filter and amp), each with three time ranges from snappy to minutes-long - Per-channel VCA with velocity amount and curve, level, pan, AUX send, solo and mute - Per-channel oscilloscope displays, and keys that light up with the voice that took them MOTION - Four LFOs with five shapes, routed to pitch, pulse width, filter FM, resonance, amplitude, pan or send - Each channel decides how much modulation to accept — one LFO can wobble one channel and leave another still - One effect unit — reverb, delay, chorus, phaser, drive — fed by per-channel AUX sends with a master return PRESETS - 160 factory presets in eight categories: Pads, Keys, Strings, Bass, Lead, Drone, Texture, Percussion - Every preset uses the four channels as four different instruments — layered stacks, rotating timbres, per-drum kits - Channel presets: capture one channel's design and load it into any channel of any patch - Your presets are plain JSON files in the Files app — back them up, share them, drop new ones in IN THE STUDIO - AUv3 instrument for AUM, Drambo, Logic Pro, GarageBand and other hosts - MIDI 2.0 with 16-bit velocity; MIDI 1.0 hosts are translated automatically - Every knob on the panel is a host parameter — full automation and session recall - Standalone app with keyboard, so it plays on its own too No account, no ads, no tracking, no network. Your sounds stay on your device.

Screenshots

Santoor HD2 screens
PolyQuad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PolyQuad at 5.0 against Santoor HD's 4.3. PolyQuad also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). Santoor HD's advantage is ratings volume (157 vs 3) and price ($2.99 vs $6.99). On 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

Santoor HD costs $2.99 and PolyQuad $6.99 up front. Santoor HD sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PolyQuad asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PolyQuad holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Santoor HD has 157 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Santoor HD ships an update every 3 months, PolyQuad every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Santoor HD versus PolyQuad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSantoor HDPolyQuad
Price$2.99 — better$6.99
Rating4.3 (157 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings157 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS11.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSoftware-KitchenLASZLO DOBROVOLSZKI

Customer experience

Santoor HD

All ratings157 ratings
Positive83.4%
Neutral7.0%
Negative9.6%
Written reviews119 reviews
Positive84.9%
Neutral4.2%
Negative10.9%

PolyQuad

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Santoor HD

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • 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
Show 3 more
  • App becomes unresponsive and requires force close
  • Strange noise and visual glitches during startup
  • Recording feature doesn't function properly

Requested features

10 requests
  • 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
Show 5 more
  • Improved rhythm buttons with customization
  • Remove or reduce aggressive monetization
  • Better note selection precision
  • Export recorded songs functionality
  • Semitone access without paywall

PolyQuad

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Santoor HD

One-time1
  • Santoor HD - No Ads$3.99
None

PolyQuad

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Santoor HD free?
Santoor HD costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is PolyQuad free?
PolyQuad costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Santoor HD or PolyQuad?
PolyQuad is rated higher. Santoor HD averages 4.3 out of 5 from 157 ratings, while PolyQuad averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Santoor HD or PolyQuad have ads?
Neither Santoor HD nor PolyQuad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Santoor HD or PolyQuad?
Santoor HD ships an update every 3 months, and PolyQuad every 2 weeks. Most recently, Santoor HD was updated on October 26, 2026 and PolyQuad on October 24, 2026.

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