# Relic Waves vs plugdata

The clearest difference is price: plugdata at Free against Relic Waves's $1.99. plugdata also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 11 months). Relic Waves's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (100% vs 63%). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

plugdata is free to download; Relic Waves costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Relic Waves holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 42 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Relic Waves's written reviews are positive against 63% of plugdata's.

Relic Waves ships an update every 11 months, plugdata every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Relic Waves | plugdata |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/relic-waves/id6472637691/reviews)** | [4.4 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plugdata/id6473122351/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **42** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 63.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 6 MB | 147 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Zolotov](https://appshunter.io/developer/324462547) | [Timothy Schoen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1718448510) |

## What reviewers say

### Relic Waves

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/relic-waves/id6472637691)

Generate unique Lo-Fi sounds, pads, and effects using advanced synthesis algorithms. Explore billions of sonic possibilities with intuitive controls and real-time recording. Perfect for musicians and sound designers seeking experimental audio.

**Highlights:** Billions of unique Lo-Fi sounds, Random sound generation with search, Multiple keyboard input options, Real-time audio recording to WAV, Export to WAV, SunVox, and clipboard, MIDI control and processing, iOS Audio Unit Extension (AUv3)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### plugdata

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plugdata/id6473122351)

This app provides a visual programming environment for audio experimentation, prototyping, and education. It allows users to create and run audio patches on their mobile devices, enabling creative sound design on the go.

**Highlights:** Visual programming environment, Audio experimentation, Prototyping, Educational tool, Standalone application, Audio plugins

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Relic Waves free?

Relic Waves costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is plugdata free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Relic Waves or plugdata?

Relic Waves is rated higher. Relic Waves averages 5.0 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while plugdata averages 4.4 from 17 ratings.

### Do Relic Waves or plugdata have ads?

Neither Relic Waves nor plugdata shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Relic Waves or plugdata?

Relic Waves ships an update every 11 months, and plugdata every 3 months. Most recently, Relic Waves was updated on October 10, 2026 and plugdata on October 9, 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.*