# iVCS3 vs Ripplemaker

The clearest difference is price: Ripplemaker at $8.99 against iVCS3's $19.99. Ripplemaker also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

iVCS3 costs $19.99 and Ripplemaker $8.99 up front. iVCS3 sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Ripplemaker asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for iVCS3 against 4.8 for Ripplemaker. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 206 and 95 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 91% and 91% positive.

iVCS3 ships an update every 2 months, Ripplemaker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iVCS3 | Ripplemaker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **$8.99** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (206 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivcs3/id665703927/reviews)** | [4.8 (95 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ripplemaker/id1207806723/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **206** | 95 |
| Positive reviews | 90.7% of reviews | 90.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 107 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [apeSoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/464660782) | [Bram Bos](https://appshunter.io/developer/325340444) |

## 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


### Ripplemaker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ripplemaker/id1207806723)

Explore sound with a West Coast-style modular synthesizer. This app offers a versatile playground for creating evolving drones and morphing basslines, with or without patching cables. It also includes a standalone sequencer with advanced pattern generation and mutation features.

**Highlights:** West Coast-style modular synthesis, Prewired monosynth functionality, Virtual patch cables for experimentation, Standalone sequencer with random pattern generation, Realtime probability-based mutation engine, AUv3 plugin support, Ableton Link and MIDI Clock Sync

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iVCS3 free?

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

### Is Ripplemaker free?

Ripplemaker costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iVCS3 or Ripplemaker?

iVCS3 is rated higher. iVCS3 averages 4.9 out of 5 from 206 ratings, while Ripplemaker averages 4.8 from 95 ratings.

### Do iVCS3 or Ripplemaker have ads?

Neither iVCS3 nor Ripplemaker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iVCS3 or Ripplemaker?

iVCS3 ships an update every 2 months, and Ripplemaker every 2 weeks. Most recently, iVCS3 was updated on October 14, 2026 and Ripplemaker on October 8, 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.*