Comparison

Sound Effects! vs Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads)

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

Head to head
About

Sound Effects!

Play and mix multiple sound effects for any situation, from meetings to jokes. Customize your soundboard with over 50 stock sounds and import your own audio files. Perfect for entertainment and even podcasting.

Highlights
  • Play and mix multiple sounds
  • Import custom audio files
  • Customizable soundboard layouts
  • Sound catalog for quick access
  • Sound timers for delayed playback
  • Supports multiple sound formats
Features
Read full description

Play sound effects for every occasion! Is somebody talking too much in a meeting? Blow the Air Horn or Whistle and silence them! Did a friend just tell a funny joke? Play the laugh track or rim shot and show your support! The joke wasn't funny? Then boo them off the stage! This popular sound machine is perfect for having fun with friends or annoying family members. FEATURES - 50+ Stock Sounds with ability to add new sounds with iTunes File Sharing (visit our website for import instructions) - Playback and Mix multiple sounds at the same time - Sound Board for custom layouts of audio clips w/ multiple pages - Sound Catalog for quick access to all sounds or just your favorites - Sound Timers for playback of sounds after specified time has elapsed - Multiple button sizes including Small, Medium, Large - Multiple color themes including Modern, Blue, and Night - Multiple sound formats including wav, mp3, caf, aac, aiff, aifc, m4a, 3gp, mp4 - Universal app runs at full screen w/ latest iPhones and iPads - Retina display supported with modern layout and design SOUND BOARD Tap a sound tile to play. Tap again to pause. You can drag the tiles into new positions when the board is unlocked. You may lock the tiles in place from the settings page. Swipe left or right or tap the next and previous buttons to change pages. You can even drag multiple tiles at the same time while navigating to other pages. If you want to rewind a sound that is paused just pick up the tile and shake it. SOUND CATALOG Scroll the list to get access to all your sounds. Tap the right arrow button next to the sound to toggle favorites and enable sound timers. Toggle the view between All Sounds and Favorites by tapping the view button located at the top right of screen. PODCASTING Do you have a podcast show? Sound Effects was built for use on the popular Tech 411 Show on iTunes ( https://tech411show.com ) so you'll find the stock sounds can compliment your podcast too. It's also easy to add new audio clips and layout the soundboard like a pro! UPGRADING Removal of ads can be purchased from the settings screen. Sound Effects is also available for your desktop on the Mac App Store. CONTACT TMSOFT Fan us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tmsoft Follow us on twitter at https://twitter.com/tmsoft Visit our website for additional information at https://www.tmsoft.com/soundeffects/

About

Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads)

Create a personalized thunderstorm experience to aid relaxation and sleep. Customize rain intensity, thunder frequency, lightning effects, and background sounds. Includes a sleep timer with audio fade-out.

Highlights
  • Customizable thunderstorm types
  • Adjustable rain and thunder sounds
  • Toggleable lightning effects
  • Background ambient sounds
  • Sleep timer with fade-out
  • Bluetooth and AirPlay support
Read full description

Summon a thunderstorm on your mobile device. Relax and fall fast asleep to the sounds of rain and thunder. The camera flashes when lightning strikes. THUNDERSTORMS • Strong Thunderstorm — Heavy rain with frequent lightning and thunder nearby • Normal Thunderstorm — Steady rain with a full range of lightning and thunder • Weak Thunderstorm — Light rain with occasional lightning and thunder far off • Passing Thunderstorms — Rain and lightning intensity changes as the storms pass Rain • Toggle rain sound effects • Change rain audio: Default, Heavy, Steady, Light, On Tin Roof • Change rain volume Lightning/Thunder • Toggle thunder sound effects • Change thunder volume • Change delay lightning (Wireless audio delay offset) • Toggle delay thunder • Toggle lightning light effects • Change lightning transition effects • Change lightning/thunder occurrence: Default, Occasional, Normal, Frequent Passing Thunderstorms • Change starting storm for Passing Thunderstorms: Weak, Normal, Strong • Change cycle time for Passing Thunderstorms: 15m, 30m, 60m Background Sounds • Toggle background sounds: Birds, Cicadas, Crickets, Frogs • Change background sounds volume ADDITIONAL FEATURES • Sleep Timer — Set a timer with a gradual audio fade-out. • Bluetooth and AirPlay Support — Connect to Bluetooth speakers directly, or connect to speakers with AirPlay using the Control Center. Adjust the Delay Lightning setting to offset wireless audio delay. Please contact me at support@thunderstorm.scottdodson.dev if you experience any issues. I'd love to hear your thoughts and appreciate you taking the time to rate and review the app. I want to continue to improve Thunderstorm Simulator and create a great experience for you and future users. Thank you! —Scott *Ad-free version: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/thunderstorm-simulator/id1200949907

Screenshots

Sound Effects!4 screens
Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads)3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) at 4.6 against Sound Effects!'s 3.4. Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). Sound Effects!'s advantage is review sentiment (63% vs 50%) and ratings volume (51 vs 12). On price, update cadence, 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

Both are free to download. Sound Effects! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 51 and 12 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Sound Effects!'s written reviews are positive against 50% of Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads)'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sound Effects! ships an update every 5 months, Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Sound Effects! versus Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSound Effects!Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads)
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (51 ratings)4.6 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.8% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings51 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB75 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperTMSOFTScott Dodson

Customer experience

Sound Effects!

All ratings51 ratings
Positive60.8%
Neutral7.8%
Negative31.4%
Written reviews129 reviews
Positive62.8%
Neutral11.6%
Negative25.6%

Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads)

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Sound Effects!

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to save favorites
  • Sounds not working properly
  • Compatibility issues across devices
  • Ads taking over the screen

Requested features

4 requests
  • More sound effects
  • Ability to record and import custom sounds
  • Improved layout and navigation
  • Removal of ads or paid version

Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads)

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Sound Effects!

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$0.99
None

Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads)

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sound Effects! free?
Sound Effects! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) free?
Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Sound Effects! or Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads)?
Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) is rated higher. Sound Effects! averages 3.4 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) averages 4.6 from 12 ratings.
Do Sound Effects! or Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) have ads?
Both Sound Effects! and Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) show ads.
Which is updated more often, Sound Effects! or Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads)?
Sound Effects! ships an update every 5 months, and Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) every 4 months. Most recently, Sound Effects! was updated on October 21, 2026 and Thunderstorm Simulator (w/Ads) on October 24, 2026.

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