Phase Monkey vs Salome
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Phase Monkey
Explore a versatile digital synthesizer inspired by 1980s phase distortion technology. Create a wide range of sounds from warm pads to aggressive basses with its unique engine and eight-stage envelopes. Optimized for touch interaction, it also supports MIDI controllers and runs across Apple devices.
- Phase distortion synth engine
- Eight-stage envelopes
- Touch-first interface
- AUv3 plugin support
- Universal Apple purchase
- MIDI controller support
- iCloud preset syncing
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Phase Monkey is a polyphonic synthesizer inspired by the classic phase distortion synthesizers of the mid-1980s. However, instead of being a direct copy, Phase Monkey presents a fresh take on the classic sound engine, including the rare eight-stage envelopes. The result is a surprisingly versatile digital instrument that can produce anything from warm pads to shimmering leads to snarling basses. Whatever you do, don’t have fun with it! Features: - Focused, fun, and characterful synth engine - Touch-first design, almost the entire screen is part of a control - Runs standalone or as AUv3 plug-in (in compatible host) - Universal purchase on Apple platforms: runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Presets synced across your devices via iCloud - Hook up a MIDI controller to play with a keyboard (optional) Details: - Eight classic phase distortion waveforms - Dedicated modulation oscillator for ring or noise modulation - Three rare eight-stage envelopes - Complex modulation of pitch and timbre possible via envelopes - LFO with five waveforms for classic modulation sounds - Master controls: portamento, random voice pan, onboard chorus, gain - Key behavior modes: poly, monophonic retrig, monophonic legato - Additional MIDI modulation sources: mod wheel, pitch bend, velocity, aftertouch (channel), key follow - Includes 40 highly usable factory presets to get you started making music Check out our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sketchaudio Read the manuals: https://sketchaudio.com/manuals/
Salome
This app lets you record or import sounds, transform them into seamless loops, and play them polyphonically using MPE or MIDI controllers. It offers a fast workflow with onscreen keypads and MPE/MIDI input/output for creative sound manipulation.
- Record or import sounds
- Create seamless loops
- Polyphonic MPE/MIDI playback
- Onscreen MPE keypads
- Latch mode for fader control
- AUv3 plugin for iOS and macOS
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Salome is a tool for recording (or importing) sounds, turning them into seamless loops, and then polyphonically play them using MPE or MIDI. CONTROL: The onscreen keypads can be latched, turning them into 2-dimensional faders for controlling various modulations. Additionally, software and hardware MPE controllers can be used (or normal MIDI, in a pinch). WORKFLOW: The entire process from sampling to playing was designed to be a fast and fluid as possible. Speed > features. UNIVERSAL: AUv3 plugins for iOS (iPhone, iPad) and MacOS (ARM, Intel) are included*. - Full Audio Unit compatibility (note that not all hosts support all AU features) - Built-in MPE keypads for multidimensional onscreen control - MPE/MIDI input and output from the Audio Unit, so you can record your performance or even control other MPE synths - 12 mode filter, based on the Oberheim Xpander design - Latch-mode lets you play the instrument using faders - Basic standalone mode included (for connectivity use the AU plugin) - Record or import sounds (WAV, AIF, MP3) and instantly play them as a polyphonic instrument - Effortless seamless loops using the non-destructive X-Fade feature Find the user manual on ruismaker.com * not all MacOS DAWs fully support Audio Unit plugins. This is not a VST plugin.
Screenshots
Verdict
Phase Monkey and Salome both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 82% of Salome's written reviews are positive against 71% of Phase Monkey's. Salome also leads on iOS requirement (13 vs 15.0). Phase Monkey's advantage is price ($5.99 vs $7.99). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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
Phase Monkey costs $5.99 and Salome $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Phase Monkey against 4.7 for Salome. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 30 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of Phase Monkey's written reviews are positive against 82% of Salome's.
Phase Monkey ships an update weekly, Salome every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on July 16, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Phase Monkey | Salome |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 — better | $7.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (17 ratings) — better | 4.7 (30 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | 82.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 17 | 30 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 9 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sketch Audio, LLC | Bram Bos |
Customer experience
Phase Monkey
Salome
In-app purchases
Phase Monkey
No in-app purchases
Salome
No in-app purchases









