Comparison

JULY vs TAPESCAM

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

JULY

This app faithfully emulates a classic 1980s polyphonic analog synthesizer. It meticulously models the original's circuits, offering its warm sound and signature chorus effect in a software format. It functions as both an AUv3 plugin and a standalone application.

Highlights
  • Faithful emulation of iconic 1980s polyphonic analog synth
  • Detailed circuit modeling
  • Warm DCO sound
  • Silky filter
  • Unmistakable chorus effect
  • AUv3 plugin and standalone operation
Features
Read full description

JULY is a faithful emulation of one of the most iconic polyphonic analog synthesizers from the early 1980s. We spent months living with the original, studying every quirk and charm, from the warm, steady DCO to the silky filter and that unmistakable chorus, then modeled its circuits in detail to bring its soul into software. Available as AUv3 and Standalone

About

TAPESCAM

Simulate the warm, imperfect sound of analog tape machines. Add drive, color, and tape-like artifacts like dropouts and wow/flutter to your audio projects. Offers granular control over saturation, hiss, and tape wear.

Highlights
  • Dual gain stages with randomized dropouts
  • Wow/flutter motion control
  • Controllable hiss and tape wear
  • Drive + Color blending
  • Tone tilt and shelving EQs
  • Tape Speed presets
Read full description

Bring the sputter, wobble, and magnetic warmth of a well-loved four-track into any project. TapeScam stacks dual gain stages with randomized dropouts, wow/flutter motion, and controllable hiss so you can dial in everything from gentle glue to saturated cassette chaos. - Blend Drive + Color to morph between smooth compression and spitty, asymmetrical crunch - Wow/Flutter knob moves from subtle drift to dreamy vibrato, with Age-based randomness that keeps both channels alive - Tone tilt plus Bass/Treble shelves let you brighten guitars, thicken keys, or scoop space for vocals without leaving the plugin - Tape Speed presets shift headroom, bandwidth, and dropout behavior for “new”, “used”, or “worn” tapes - Noise and Comp switches give instant texture and level matching, while Output trims sit post-saturation for easy gain staging - Randomized dropout envelopes with smooth attack/hold/release phases create musical dips and wear NOTE: This is a plugin! It doesn't make any sound on its own. Available as an AUv3 for iOS/iPadOS. TapeScam slots into your DAW of choice. Interested in using this on desktop? VST3 and AU plugins are available at https://charles.pizza/apps/tapescam

Screenshots

JULY3 screens
TAPESCAM2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: TAPESCAM at $3.99 against JULY's $19.99. TAPESCAM also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 73%). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

JULY costs $19.99 and TAPESCAM $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TAPESCAM holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of JULY's written reviews are positive against 100% of TAPESCAM's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

JULY ships an update every 6 weeks, TAPESCAM every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
JULY versus TAPESCAM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJULYTAPESCAM
Price$19.99$3.99 — better
Rating4.7 (15 ratings)5.0 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAudioThing Ltd.Charles Vestal

Customer experience

JULY

All ratings15 ratings
Positive86.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive72.7%
Neutral18.2%
Negative9.1%

TAPESCAM

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

JULY

No in-app purchases

None

TAPESCAM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is JULY free?
JULY costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is TAPESCAM free?
TAPESCAM costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, JULY or TAPESCAM?
TAPESCAM is rated higher. JULY averages 4.7 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while TAPESCAM averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.
Do JULY or TAPESCAM have ads?
Neither JULY nor TAPESCAM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, JULY or TAPESCAM?
JULY ships an update every 6 weeks, and TAPESCAM every 2 days. Most recently, JULY was updated on October 30, 2026 and TAPESCAM on October 30, 2026.

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