Surface Builder vs FAC Smash
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Surface Builder
Create custom MIDI control surfaces for audio applications. Design interfaces with buttons, knobs, and faders to send and receive MIDI data, control audio clips, and customize appearance. Supports AUv3 plugins and standalone use.
- Customizable MIDI control surfaces
- AUv3 plugin and standalone modes
- Send/receive MIDI data (notes, controllers, pitch bend)
- Audio clip playback control
- Multi-scene interface design
- Drag and drop interface customization
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Surface Builder is a tool for creating control surfaces that send MIDI data to one or more audio components in order to simplify remote control tasks. You start by creating a surface of a given size, adding buttons, knobs, faders, etc. to the surface and configuring them to generate the required MIDI output. Surface Builder allows you to send note on/off, controller change and program change values as well as being able to emulate modulation wheel and pitch bend data. Buttons can also be configured to send bulk MIDI data using a single key press. You can build surfaces that span multiple scenes and link between them for large complex interfaces. Incoming MIDI data can also be used to control or trigger elements of the interface, giving a bi-directional stream of MIDI data. Surface Builder can be added as a pure MIDI plugin which allows processing of MIDI only, or as an instrument plugin, allowing you to process audio passing through it. You can even load it as an intrument and configure a surface to start and stop audio clips either manually or remotely. Surface Builder was designed to be used as an AUv3 plugin within your favourite DAW, but it can also be used in standalone to send MIDI directly to MIDI hardware using direct access to their MIDI ports. Many different object types are supported including buttons, switches, lights, rotary knobs, faders, sliders, XY-Pad, keyboards, as well as text, image and box objects. Each object has many different styles and colours, so no two surfaces look the same. Drag and drop an audio file onto a button and that button becomes a clip player. Attach rotary knobs to control the clips volume and pan. Throw on top of that a LP/HP filter knob and you are cooking on gas. Drop PNG transparent image icons on buttons to customise the look and feel. A button can record and playback bulk MIDI commands, on both button press and release. So pressing a button could send the notes of a chord when pressed, and appropriate note offs on release. A surface can consist of up to 6 scenes for really complex designs. Buttons and switches can be used to switch scenes and also to show and hide other objects to make better use of screen space. Once your surface is complete switch to presentation mode to hide all the toolbars. Each surface can be saved with compressed audio and images all in a single surface file. Features ○ AUv3 and standalone modes. ○ Bluetooth MIDI support. ○ Drag and Drop interface. ○ Send and Receive Note On/Off. ○ Supports all Control Change parameters. ○ Supports Program Change commands with bank support. ○ Multiple Audio Clip playback. ○ Record and playback bulk midi data. ○ Multi-Scene. ○ Multi-level undo/redo. ○ MIDI Monitor ○ Presentation Mode. ○ iPhone and iPad compatible.
FAC Smash
This app offers powerful sound shaping with extreme compression and unique features to refine audio. It provides multi-band processing, a creative noise gate, and parallel compression with a visual waveform display for effortless adjustments.
- Extreme compression with analog nuances
- Unique 'flatten' feature for dynamics
- Multi-band processing with steep filter slopes
- Creative noise gate
- Parallel compression and brickwall limiter
- Waveform display
- Portrait and landscape views
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• Loud, Aggressive, and Powerful Sound Shaping • Extreme compression, capturing vintage analog nuances and colors • Unique 'flatten' feature to preserve character while restoring dynamics • Fast sound refining with impact and sustain controls • Single or multi-band, with filter slopes ranging from 6dB to an impressive 192dB • Creative noise gate: smoothly blend from single to multi-band • Parallel compression and optional master Brickwall limiter • Intuitive workflow for effortless adjustments • Low latency, waveform display of the pre and post signal • Advanced Responsive Design, portrait and landscape views | Light/Dark Theme • Universal Purchase: AUv3 for iOS (iPad/iPhone), macOS and Vision Pro FAC Smash is all about generating explosive energy for your beats and instruments! Squash, squeeze... SMASH your sound, or simply get that magical gentle touch when you seek refinement and finesse. Behind its unconventional and flashy appearance lies a series of boosted upward compressors meticulously designed to include the specific nuances and colors of vintage analog devices. The plugin can operate on either one or three frequency bands and provides a couple of filter slopes ranging from a subtle and transparent 6dB to an impressive 192dB! The workflow is optimized for simplicity and intuitiveness, enabling effortless transitions between subtle adjustments and complete alterations with its up to 120dB of upwards compression. Yes!, FAC Smash can push the sound to its extreme limits, potentially creating a "sausage-like" signal. But fear not — the 'flatten' feature steps in to restore dynamics while preserving the aggressive character, giving you the best of both worlds. The built-in noise gate circuit at the input adds yet another layer of sonic sculpting possibilities. Whether acting on the entire signal or individual frequency bands, this circuit can transform your sound, expanding your creative possibilities. But the magic doesn't stop there; FAC Smash offers parallel compression, an optional master Brickwall limiter, and a waveform view of both the pre and post signal! You'll have a clear visual representation of your audio as you sculpt it to perfection. The documentation is available at fredantoncorvest.com/FAC_Smash.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Surface Builder at none against FAC Smash's 3. Surface Builder also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). FAC Smash's advantage is price ($9.99 vs $14.99) and chart position (#176 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and monetization model 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
Surface Builder costs $14.99 and FAC Smash $9.99 up front. FAC Smash sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Surface Builder asks for nothing beyond the download.
Surface Builder holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 6 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 80% and 80% positive.
Surface Builder ships an update every 3 weeks, FAC Smash every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Surface Builder | FAC Smash |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99 | $9.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (15 ratings) — better | 4.3 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | 80.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 15 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #176 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 13 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 32 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 4Pockets.com | Frederic Corvest |
Customer experience
Surface Builder
FAC Smash
In-app purchases
Surface Builder
No in-app purchases
FAC Smash
- Small Tip$1.99
- Medium Tip$4.99
- Large Tip$14.99
Questions
Is Surface Builder free?
Is FAC Smash free?
Which has better reviews, Surface Builder or FAC Smash?
Do Surface Builder or FAC Smash have ads?
Which is updated more often, Surface Builder or FAC Smash?
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