# iVCS3 vs Model 15 Modular Synthesizer

The clearest difference is price: iVCS3 at $19.99 against Model 15 Modular Synthesizer's $29.99. Model 15 Modular Synthesizer's advantage is ratings volume (898 vs 206) and device support (4 vs 2). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

iVCS3 costs $19.99 and Model 15 Modular Synthesizer $29.99 up front. iVCS3 sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Model 15 Modular Synthesizer sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for iVCS3 against 4.9 for Model 15 Modular Synthesizer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 206 and 898 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of iVCS3's written reviews are positive against 86% of Model 15 Modular Synthesizer's.

iVCS3 ships an update every 2 months, Model 15 Modular Synthesizer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iVCS3 | Model 15 Modular Synthesizer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$19.99** | $29.99 |
| Rating | [4.9 (206 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivcs3/id665703927/reviews) | **[4.9 (898 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/model-15-modular-synthesizer/id1041465860/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 206 | **898** |
| Positive reviews | **90.7% of reviews** | 86.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 107 MB | 857 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [apeSoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/464660782) | [Moog Music Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/396776421) |

## What reviewers say

### iVCS3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivcs3/id665703927)

This application emulates the iconic EMS VCS3 synthesizer, a pioneering portable synthesizer from 1969. It recreates the original's unique sound generation capabilities, including its oscillators, filters, and patch matrix, allowing users to explore its distinctive sonic palette.

**Highlights:** Official EMS VCS3 emulation, Three oscillators (2 VCOs, 1 LFO), Noise generator, Voltage controlled low pass filter (VCF), Patch board matrix, Joy-stick controller, Voltage controlled spring reverb

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Red Sky Lullaby - 180 Presets | Free | one-time |
| Singe Difficile by RUST(i)K | Free | one-time |
| RUMBLE | Free | one-time |
| OLD GRIT - COLLECTION | Free | one-time |
| JEC 2018 Iconic PinkFloyd | Free | one-time |
| JEC EMS-50 | Free | one-time |
| SINAPSYA - Under The Dust | $2.99 | one-time |
| LALA - Sonic Pleasures | $3.99 | one-time |
| JEC Mega Bank | $4.99 | one-time |
| Essential EMS Modifications | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faithful recreation of the original
- 👍 Powerful and versatile sound
- 🎨 Gorgeous vintage interface
- 💡 Additional features beyond the original
- 🎛️ Excellent integration with MIDI and other apps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🤔 Steep learning curve
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate the matrix

**Reported bugs**

- Presets not loading
- Crashes on iOS 15.04
- Sampler not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Mac compatibility
- Improved preset management
- Expanded sampling capabilities


### Model 15 Modular Synthesizer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/model-15-modular-synthesizer/id1041465860)

This app recreates a legendary modular synthesizer for mobile devices. Explore its iconic modules, experiment with sound design, and create music with intuitive controls and advanced features.

**Highlights:** Iconic Moog module recreation, Monophonic and 4-voice polyphonic operation, Integrated Moog keyboard and ribbon controller, Sequencing arpeggiator, MIDI integration and external control, Looping recorder with overdubbing, AUv3 Audio Unit Extensions support

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Symbiotic Equations | Free | one-time |
| Synthesist Toolkit | Free | one-time |
| Angular Arps | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sonic Mayhem | $2.99 | one-time |
| Sinfonietta Sintesi | $2.99 | one-time |
| Psychotropic Synthesis | $2.99 | one-time |
| Alien Systems | $3.99 | one-time |
| Textural Points | $4.99 | one-time |
| Mid-Century Moog | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dynamic Drones | $4.99 | one-time |
| Mercurial Strategies | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Incredible sound quality
- 👍 Authentic Moog emulation
- 💡 Great for learning modular synthesis
- 🎨 Beautiful and detailed interface
- 🎹 Expressive MIDI capabilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate on smaller screens
- 🕹️ Challenging to patch and tweak
- 🔋 High CPU usage

**Reported bugs**

- Arpeggiator direction not working as expected
- Distortion and audio issues on latest iOS versions
- Incompatibility with certain DAWs

**Requested features**

- More in-depth tutorials
- Ability to customize module layout
- Zoom/overview option for entire system
- Expanded preset library
- Midi mapping for arpeggiator


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iVCS3 free?

iVCS3 costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Model 15 Modular Synthesizer free?

Model 15 Modular Synthesizer costs $29.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iVCS3 or Model 15 Modular Synthesizer?

Model 15 Modular Synthesizer is rated higher. iVCS3 averages 4.9 out of 5 from 206 ratings, while Model 15 Modular Synthesizer averages 4.9 from 898 ratings.

### Do iVCS3 or Model 15 Modular Synthesizer have ads?

Neither iVCS3 nor Model 15 Modular Synthesizer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iVCS3 or Model 15 Modular Synthesizer?

iVCS3 ships an update every 2 months, and Model 15 Modular Synthesizer every 3 months. Most recently, iVCS3 was updated on October 26, 2026 and Model 15 Modular Synthesizer on October 27, 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.*