Echo Pad vs Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Echo Pad
This app is a highly playable and flexible multi-effects processor focused on delay. It offers a vast range of sounds, from authentic dub echoes to chaotic analog delays and bit-crushed effects. It supports live audio processing, MIDI control, and synchronization with external clocks.
- Multi-effects processor
- Delay FX
- Loopers
- MIDI control
- Audiobus 3 compatible
- Inter-App Audio compatible
- Beat synced delays
Read full descriptionHide full description
A highly playable and extremely flexible "echo centric" multi effects processor. Echo Pad is capable of an endless range of sounds including authentic dub echo, crystal echoes and multi-tap delay, to chaotic self-oscillating analog delays and bit crushed mayhem. Compatible with Audiobus 3 including full state saving, Inter-App Audio, and USB audio interfaces. Control Echo Pad's parameters via MIDI and sync to external MIDI clock or IAA clock for beat synced delays. Guitarists will appreciate features like delay ducking and gated feedback. Effects include: Tape Echo, Shimmer Delay, Oil Can Delay, Multi-Tap (up to 6 taps), Stereo Delay, Decimator, Flanger, Distortion,Smooth Filter, Loopers and more. >SmiteMatterMusic: "Echo Pad is so innovative all around. I never knew just how much I needed this until I had it in my hands. I recommend giving it a try." (www.smitematter.com) >Jordan Rudess/Wizdom Music: "This is a super fantastic - extremely trippy effects app, which harnesses the power of an iOS device to offer you control that is only possible on a multitouch device. " Process live audio from nearly any input source, including Audiobus and Inter-App Audio compatible hosts such as Auria and Cubasis, use the built in mic, professional audio interfaces such as the Apogee Jam, Apogee MIC, iRig HD, and more. Guitarists can use our effects live by connecting the output of their audio interface to an amp. Visit our YouTube channel for demonstration videos and tutorials on Echo Pad. https://youtube.com/holdernessmedia More info: www.holdernessmedia.com Check out our entire FX series including Caramel, Crystalline, Stereo Designer and Swoopster! COMPATIBILITY: • requires iOS 12.4 or later • iPad Mini/iPad 2 or newer recommended (performance may suffer on older devices) • iPhone 4s/iPod 5 or newer recommended (performance may suffer on older devices) • Audiobus 3 compatible (Effect, state saving ) • Inter-App audio compatible (effect node) • Compatible with DAW apps such as Auria, Cubasis, and Garageband • Export recordings and loops to AudioShare • Core MIDI compatible Features: • Supports Audiobus 3.0 state saving, Effect slot • Inter-App Audio compatible (effect node) • Stereo input and effects processing • Control Echo Pad via MIDI • Sync to external MIDI clock for beat synced delays • Realtime analog style delay/looper • Delay ducking and gated feedback • 18 Effects • 60 factory presets + save custom presets • Multi-touch XY control of effect parameters + stereo panning for expressive control • Automate effects parameters using the Motion Looper. • Sound on sound looper with feedback control for creating layered loops on the fly • Dual mini scratch loopers - record a loop, then scratch like a turntable • Universal app • Select presets via MIDI program change • Works with headphones as well as most iOS and professional USB audio interfaces including: • Apogee Jam • Apogee Mic • iConnectMidi 2+ • iConnectMidi 4+ • iRig • iRig iMic • Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (*requires USB hub) • Apogee ONE (*requires external power thru USB hub) • Apogee GIO (*requires external power thru USB hub) • many more Sharing/Exporting: • Audiobus 3.0 (Effect, State Saving) • Inter-App Audio compatible (effect node) • supports "Export to AudioShare" functionality. Loops and recordings created with Echo Pad can be exported directly to the AudioShare app for easy audio file management. • recordings & loops are also exported to iTunes File Sharing for access on your Mac/PC
Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer
Transform your guitar or bass into a powerful, expressive polyphonic synthesizer without MIDI. This app synthesizes your instrument directly, capturing every nuance of your playing for rich, responsive synth sounds. No special pickups or hardware needed, just connect to your audio interface.
- Direct guitar synthesis (no MIDI)
- Metamorphic signal generators (oscillators)
- Dual filter banks with custom virtual-analog filters
- Guitar-optimized envelopes with adjustable triggers
- Powerful arpeggiator with multiple algorithms
- Modulation matrix for parameter control
Read full descriptionHide full description
Introducing a revolutionary new way to turn your guitar or bass into a fully featured polyphonic synth: Roxsyn, the world’s first metamorphic guitar synthesizer. Expressive, fast and responsive to every nuance, it is a league apart from all other guitar synths to date. Unhappy with cold and temperamental guitar-to-MIDI synths that dominate the market, we developed a completely new approach to guitar synthesis. Our all-original technology synthesizes your guitar directly, without the use of MIDI notes. Rescued from being a poor keyboard substitute, your guitar suddenly becomes an integral part of the synth. It's alive! There is no pitch tracking involved. There are no pitch estimation errors, octave glitches, or garbled chords. There is no over-complicated G2M between your guitar and synth to destroy everything human about your playing. Instead, Roxsyn’s metamorphic sound generation technology retains all the personality of your sound: vibrato, slides, bends, dynamics, even extended technique. The result is a polyphonic synthesizer that is as fast and accurate as it is richly expressive. No need for special MIDI pickups or hardware, either: just plug into your favorite Lightning/USB audio interface, and start synthing! ::Powerful Synth Engine:: Roxsyn’s big synth heart is its three metamorphic signal generators (AKA oscillators). Each generator offers 5 unique waveforms, and has a 4+ octave range to cover a wide spectrum of frequencies. They also feature stereo panning, and can route into either of Roxsyn’s dual filter banks. You can even dial in your guitar directly into the synth engine for even bigger sounds. ::Dual Filter Banks:: Each containing four custom virtual-analog filter types and dedicated envelopes, the filter banks help sculpt the synth generators in countless new ways. The envelopes are specially designed for the guitar, and are driven by a fully adjustable automatic trigger generator controlled by your playing dynamics. Envelopes offer original features like finite-duration sustain stages, as well as the ability to receive or ignore trigger-off messages. They can also be triggered externally via MIDI controllers like an expression pedal. An additonal envelope controls the amplitude of the signal, giving you even more options in creating synth sounds. ::Arpeggiator:: Instantly transform sustained guitar notes into fast (or slow), complex patterns with Roxsyn’s powerful yet easy to use arp. There are 8 stepping algorithms to choose from, as well as settable note value, swing, and note repeats. You can even route the arp to any combination of the 3 voice generators — enabling you to layer a non-arpeggiated sound with an arp pattern. What's more, the arp can send trigger signals into any of Roxsyn’s 4 envelopes, and even reset the LFOs. So it’s also a handy rhythmic / trance tool as well! ::Modulation & FX:: Roxsyn’s user friendly modulation matrix lets you manipulate parameters (pitch, amplitude, filters, etc) using its two LFOs and mod envelope. Add subtle vibrato, even glide simulation, or go full-on berserk. LFOs each have 9 waveforms, and feature beat syncing. Each matrix row can take LFOs or the mod envelope as a modulator or control, and can even use external control sources. And if you like your synths on the spicy side, Roxsyn comes with top-notch stereo FX specially developed to evoke extra synthiness: Powerful algorithmic reverb with the sound of countless rooms, phasing, modulating, 2-channel delay, and graphic EQ. ::Pro Features:: 500+ factory presets with bass, lead, pad, arp sounds & more. Easily create & share your own presets. Audio Unit v3, Ableton Link. Native 64-bit processing at up to 96kHz. 160+ MIDI controllable parameters; MIDI learn & map save/share; tapedeck (in the standalone app), so you can record, loop & share your ideas on the go, and many more handy features.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Echo Pad at $4.99 against Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer's $19.99. Echo Pad also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer's advantage is ratings volume (90 vs 11). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
Echo Pad costs $4.99 and Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Echo Pad holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer has 90 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Echo Pad's written reviews are positive against 75% of Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer's.
Echo Pad ships an update every 2 months, Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 5, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Echo Pad | Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $19.99 |
| Rating | 4.9 (11 ratings) — better | 4.7 (90 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 85.6% of reviews — better | 74.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 11 | 90 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 9 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.4 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Holderness Media | Yonac Inc. |
Customer experience
Echo Pad
Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer
In-app purchases
Echo Pad
No in-app purchases
Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Echo Pad free?
Is Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer free?
Which has better reviews, Echo Pad or Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer?
Do Echo Pad or Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Echo Pad or Roxsyn Guitar Synthesizer?
Other comparisons















