# The Oscillator vs Viking Synth

The clearest difference is price: The Oscillator at Free against Viking Synth's $3.99. The Oscillator also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 71%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). Viking Synth's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

The Oscillator is free to download; Viking Synth costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Viking Synth holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 58 and 42 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of The Oscillator's written reviews are positive against 71% of Viking Synth's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The Oscillator ships an update every 5 months, Viking Synth every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Oscillator | Viking Synth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [4.3 (58 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-oscillator/id640819682/reviews) | **[4.7 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viking-synth/id1085274012/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **58** | 42 |
| Positive reviews | **84.8% of reviews** | 71.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 4 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kymatica AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/522046659) | [Blamsoft, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1051938244) |

## What reviewers say

### The Oscillator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-oscillator/id640819682)

Generate tones and noise with adjustable lowpass filters and panning. Choose from sine, triangle, sawtooth, and square waveforms. Precisely tune frequencies in Hz or MIDI notes.

**Highlights:** Two oscillators, One noise generator, Individual lowpass filters, Panning control, Four waveforms (sine, triangle, sawtooth, square), Precise frequency tuning (Hz/MIDI), Audiobus and Inter-App Audio support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 💡 Useful for various purposes (sleep, tinnitus, testing)
- 🎵 Good for sound experimentation
- 🔊 Precise frequency and gain control
- 🎚️ Multiple oscillators and noise generator

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Stopped working properly
- 🐛 Only noise comes out
- 🐛 Output levels wildly different
- 🐛 Not working in new version
- ❌ Basic and incomplete

**Reported bugs**

- Stopped working properly
- Only noise comes out
- Output levels wildly different
- New version is not working
- Can't play one osc without the other

**Requested features**

- More functions (e.g., shorten waves, good bass)
- Multiple layers for simultaneous playback
- AUV3 support
- Run in background and mix with audio
- Four oscillators simultaneously


### Viking Synth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viking-synth/id1085274012)

This app emulates a classic monophonic analog synthesizer with advanced DSP technology. It features three variable wave oscillators, dual ladder filters, an LFO, and two modulation busses for versatile sound design.  An intuitive interface and extensive preset library make it ideal for creating thick bass and rich lead sounds.

**Highlights:** Three continuously variable wave oscillators, Dual ladder filters (Lowpass/Highpass), Multi-wave LFO, Two modulation busses, Intuitive user interface with expandable controls, 228 presets including Bass, Lead, and Synthwave, State-of-the-art DSP for authentic sound

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Great sound quality
- 💡 Versatile sound options
- 💰 Excellent value (free)
- 💻 Lightweight and efficient
- 🎹 Good for learning synthesis

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❓ Preset issues
- 🔌 Not a standalone app
- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 💾 Settings not saving
- 🤷‍♂️ Difficult to find/use

**Reported bugs**

- Presets not showing up
- Presets disappear
- App not showing in AUv3 menu
- Settings not saving after iOS 14 update
- Crashes when opening presets browser

**Requested features**

- More subtle drive mode
- Categorized preset browser
- Polyphony option
- Dark mode
- More apps from developer


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Oscillator free?

The Oscillator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Viking Synth free?

Viking Synth costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Oscillator or Viking Synth?

Viking Synth is rated higher. The Oscillator averages 4.3 out of 5 from 58 ratings, while Viking Synth averages 4.7 from 42 ratings.

### Do The Oscillator or Viking Synth have ads?

Neither The Oscillator nor Viking Synth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Oscillator or Viking Synth?

The Oscillator ships an update every 5 months, and Viking Synth every 4 months. Most recently, The Oscillator was updated on October 17, 2026 and Viking Synth on October 16, 2026.

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