Comparison

Stria vs SynthScaper

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

Head to head
About

Stria

This app is a multilevel interactive sound synthesizer that utilizes Frequency Modulation and Wavetable Additive techniques. It offers extensive control over oscillators, pitch grids, and effects, with support for various audio and MIDI connections.

Highlights
  • Multilevel interactive sound synthesizer
  • Up to 240 FM or Wavetable Additive Oscillators
  • Five Spectral Pitch Grid Generators
  • MIDI Pad With Scale Grid
  • Extensive effects chain (Doppler, Glitch Gen, Reverb, etc.)
  • Snapshots Presets Morphing Pad
  • Control Manager LFO for Parameters
Features
Read full description

Stria is rated as a Killer App by Apps4iDevices. Multilevel Interactive Sound Synthesizer Idea and Csound-Orchestra by Eugenio Giordani “Stria” is the title of a very important composition by John Chowning and I would like to say that this computer music piece represents the manifest of Frequency Modulation technique applied to audio synthesis, invented by Mr. Chowning himself. + Audiobus and Inter-App Audio support + Up to 240 Frequency Modulation Oscillators or simple Wavetable Additive + Five Spectral Pitch Grid Generators (Geometric, Harmonic, Fibonacci, Scalar, Temperated) + MIDI Pad With Scale Grid + Effects chain: Doppler, Chopper, Glitch Gen, Sync Grain, Spectral Arpeggiator, FDN Reverb, Dynamic Compressor/Expander + Snapshots Presets Morphing Pad + Control Manager LFO for Parameters + Midibus, Virtual Midi and Network: 14 bit NRPN controllers + Capture Master Audio Output + File Manager, sharing common audio files via iTunes, Dropbox and AudioCopy + Post Fx Chain: Doppler, Chopper, Out Of Range, Sync Granulator, Spectral Arpeggiator, Reverb FDN, Dynamisc Processor + Bluetooth A2DP High Quality + etc...

About

SynthScaper

Create unique ambient soundscapes with a powerful synthesizer. Experiment with multi-layered oscillators, filters, and effects to generate everything from melodic instruments to abstract noises. Features a neural network for generating new presets and extensive MIDI/screen keyboard control.

Highlights
  • Multi-layered oscillators
  • Chains of filters and effects
  • Envelope generators and LFOs
  • Designer tool for preset generation
  • Flexible screen and MIDI keyboard control
  • Inter-App Audio and Audiobus 3 support
Features
Read full description

Synthesizer specially designed for creating and experiments with ambient soundscapes in wide range from noises to melodic instruments and everything in between. The sound engine of SynthScaper has its own unique sounding differ from any other software synths. You can construct outstanding melodic pads or atonal soundscapes from different kind of built-in or downloaded samples by using all power of multi-layered oscillators, chains of filters and effects, envelope generators and low frequency oscillators. Or you can create your own sound scenes combining oscillators presets from build-in library. Or just use predefined scenes. Very flexible settings of each module give you a great opportunity for creating unique and colorful sounding from usual instruments or natural samples and adding automated changes and spatial effects for an endless variations. Different ways of assigning screen and MIDI keyboards to the oscillators provide very advanced features to control the sound. The on-screen keyboard is adapted to create special effects and varying the continuous textures and drones. The Designer tool uses the neural network to generates new presets based on already existing by adding some random variations and checking the result so that the new preset remains similar to the selected pattern. Key features: - Three independent oscillators. - Three layers for each oscillator. - Six voices for each layer. - Six envelope generators. - Six low frequency oscillators. - Arpeggiator / sequencer for each oscillator. - Designer tool for generate scenes and presets. - General processing of level, balance, LPF, HPF for each layer. - Three slots for filters and effects after each oscillator. - Twenty additional selectable filters and effects. - Spatial mixer with two different sound space. - Screen keyboard adapted for continuous textures and soundscapes. - Predefined set of keyboard scales and custom scales. - Full screen, double and split features for screen keyboard. - Options of screen keyboard for pitch, continuous, modify, velocity. - Supports for two virtual and two MIDI keyboards at the same time. - Flexible assigning keyboards and controls to the oscillators. - Two main effects controls can combine several parameters. - Uploading samples thru Dropbox, Web access, clipboard. - Auto and manual tuning of samples with frequency analyzer. - Set of predefined and ready-to-use scenes and presets. - Built-in library of samples of instruments, synths, noises, etc. - Possibility to pack and share scenes and samples as single file. - Supports loop points and note info in WAV files. - Detailed application description (built-in and PDF file). - Inter-App audio compatible (with transport and BPM controls). - Supports Audiobus 3 with "State Saving" and MIDI features. - Supports Ableton Link with start / stop sync. Requirements: Recommended at least iPhone 6 / iPad Mini 4 / iPad Air 2 and higher. You can find more details about SynthScaper on the website: http://motion-soundscape.blogspot.com Overview and demo video: Preview - http://youtu.be/qqeWdFVfBCg Preview - http://youtu.be/vyKX0ZfJ_n8 Sound design demo - http://youtu.be/oqCz7ALNhOM Presets demo - http://youtu.be/-pflmiFtHnc Presets demo - http://youtu.be/InWOcfHS6rA

Screenshots

Stria4 screens
SynthScaper4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Stria at 5.0 against SynthScaper's 4.6. Stria also leads on price ($9.99 vs $14.99). SynthScaper's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.6). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Stria costs $9.99 and SynthScaper $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Stria holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 35 and 71 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Stria's written reviews are positive against 87% of SynthScaper's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stria ships an update every 5 months, SynthScaper every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 31, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Stria versus SynthScaper: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStriaSynthScaper
Price$9.99 — better$14.99
Rating5.0 (35 ratings) — better4.6 (71 ratings)
Positive reviews91.1% of reviews — better86.8% of reviews
Number of ratings3571 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.610.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB68 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperapeSoftIgor Vasiliev

Customer experience

Stria

All ratings35 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive91.1%
Neutral4.4%
Negative4.4%

SynthScaper

All ratings71 ratings
Positive91.5%
Neutral2.8%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive86.8%
Neutral4.4%
Negative8.8%

In-app purchases

None

Stria

No in-app purchases

None

SynthScaper

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Stria free?
Stria costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SynthScaper free?
SynthScaper costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Stria or SynthScaper?
Stria is rated higher. Stria averages 5.0 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while SynthScaper averages 4.6 from 71 ratings.
Do Stria or SynthScaper have ads?
Neither Stria nor SynthScaper shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Stria or SynthScaper?
Stria ships an update every 5 months, and SynthScaper every 2 months. Most recently, Stria was updated on August 31, 2026 and SynthScaper on September 7, 2026.

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