# Nave vs iVCS3

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nave at none against iVCS3's 10. Nave also leads on iOS requirement (10.3 vs 17.0). iVCS3's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Nave costs $19.99 and iVCS3 $19.99 up front. iVCS3 sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Nave asks for nothing beyond the download.

iVCS3 holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 77 and 206 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Nave's written reviews are positive against 91% of iVCS3's.

Nave ships an update every 3 months, iVCS3 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nave | iVCS3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | $19.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (77 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nave/id596036905/reviews) | **[4.9 (206 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivcs3/id665703927/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 77 | **206** |
| Positive reviews | 87.2% of reviews | **90.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 198 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.3** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Waldorf Music](https://appshunter.io/developer/516565566) | [apeSoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/464660782) |

## What reviewers say

### Nave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nave/id596036905)

This app is a powerful wavetable synthesizer for creating complex and evolving sounds. It features advanced oscillators, a versatile filter, and extensive modulation options. Users can craft unique wavetables from audio files or speech synthesis, and record their musical ideas.

**Highlights:** Advanced Wavetable Oscillators, Überwave Oscillator Module, Multimode Filter, Extensive Modulation Matrix, Speech and Audio File Wavetable Creation, 4-Track Recorder, Blades for Polyphonic Modulation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful sound engine
- 👍 Intuitive and visually appealing interface
- 🎨 Vast sound design capabilities
- 💯 High-quality presets
- 🎹 Excellent on-screen keyboard

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Stability issues and crashes
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔀 Preset navigation could be improved
- 🔒 Lack of AUv3 support
- 🔇 Some presets rely heavily on built-in effects

**Reported bugs**

- Audio dropouts and glitches when used with other apps
- Presets not saving correctly
- Keyboard issues like lack of lock function

**Requested features**

- Add AUv3 support for better integration with other apps
- Improve preset management and organization
- Implement a basic sequencer or MIDI recording
- Add more modulation options and deeper sound design capabilities


### iVCS3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivcs3/id665703927)

This application emulates the iconic EMS VCS3 synthesizer, a pioneering portable synthesizer from 1969. It recreates the original's unique sound generation capabilities, including its oscillators, filters, and patch matrix, allowing users to explore its distinctive sonic palette.

**Highlights:** Official EMS VCS3 emulation, Three oscillators (2 VCOs, 1 LFO), Noise generator, Voltage controlled low pass filter (VCF), Patch board matrix, Joy-stick controller, Voltage controlled spring reverb

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Red Sky Lullaby - 180 Presets | Free | one-time |
| Singe Difficile by RUST(i)K | Free | one-time |
| RUMBLE | Free | one-time |
| OLD GRIT - COLLECTION | Free | one-time |
| JEC 2018 Iconic PinkFloyd | Free | one-time |
| JEC EMS-50 | Free | one-time |
| SINAPSYA - Under The Dust | $2.99 | one-time |
| LALA - Sonic Pleasures | $3.99 | one-time |
| JEC Mega Bank | $4.99 | one-time |
| Essential EMS Modifications | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faithful recreation of the original
- 👍 Powerful and versatile sound
- 🎨 Gorgeous vintage interface
- 💡 Additional features beyond the original
- 🎛️ Excellent integration with MIDI and other apps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🤔 Steep learning curve
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate the matrix

**Reported bugs**

- Presets not loading
- Crashes on iOS 15.04
- Sampler not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Mac compatibility
- Improved preset management
- Expanded sampling capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nave free?

Nave costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is iVCS3 free?

iVCS3 costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Nave or iVCS3?

iVCS3 is rated higher. Nave averages 4.5 out of 5 from 77 ratings, while iVCS3 averages 4.9 from 206 ratings.

### Do Nave or iVCS3 have ads?

Neither Nave nor iVCS3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nave or iVCS3?

Nave ships an update every 3 months, and iVCS3 every 2 months. Most recently, Nave was updated on October 7, 2026 and iVCS3 on October 14, 2026.

---

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