Comparison

Cymatica vs Cymatics Lab

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

Head to head
About

Cymatica

Explore the universe's hidden mathematics by transforming sound into mesmerizing geometric sand patterns. This interactive physics simulation brings scientific principles to life with real-time calculations and haptic feedback.

Highlights
  • Interactive sand pattern simulation
  • Sound wave visualization
  • Haptic feedback
  • Real-time frequency calculations
  • Adjustable pattern complexity
  • Pattern saving
  • Dark mode
Features
Read full description

Transform sound into stunning visual art. Cymatica is an interactive physics simulation that brings Ernst Chladni's 18th-century discovery to life on your iPhone. Watch as invisible sound waves sculpt thousands of sand particles into mesmerizing geometric patterns, revealing the hidden mathematics that shapes our universe. CREATE & EXPLORE - Draw sand with one finger, erase with two - Adjust pattern complexity with the intuitive XY pad - Switch between square and circular plates - Control pattern modes from 1 to 16 - Up to 100,000 particles flowing in real-time - Shake your device to disturb the sand - Tap the plate to cycle display modes AUDIO MODES - Tone — singing bowl synthesis with frequency dial - Mic — patterns react to your voice or environment - Sounds — 9 procedural ambient instruments that never repeat - Music — play from Apple Music with live waveform visualization - Import — load your own audio or video files (advanced) TONE EFFECTS - Noise — adds grit and organic texture - Reverb — spacious, resonant depth - Decay — longer sustain and release - Detune — shimmering chorus effect GENERATIVE SOUNDSCAPES - Singing bowl, drone, pad, sub bass, piano, rain, shakuhachi, cello, flute - Evolving chord progressions that never repeat - Nordic ambient inspired soundscapes APPLE MUSIC - Search and browse your library - Play any song or playlist - Live waveform and particle visualization from speaker audio VIDEO RECORDING - Record and share videos of your patterns - Optimized for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube - Pro subscribers record without watermark FEEL THE SOUND - Synchronized haptic feedback matching visual patterns - Real-time frequency display - 6 color themes with glow effects ADVANCED MODE - Glow — soft bloom on particles - Streak — motion trails behind particles - Stereo 3D — cross-eye stereoscopic view - Open and closed plate boundaries Whether you're a physicist, musician, meditator, or simply someone who appreciates the elegant patterns underlying reality, Cymatica offers a journey into the profound connection between sound and form. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Cymatics Lab

Visualize sound by creating dynamic patterns from music, microphone input, or beats. Explore sand and liquid simulations, compose music, and share your creations with a community. Offers both free and subscription-based Pro features.

Highlights
  • Live sound visualization
  • Sand and liquid pattern modes
  • Built-in music composer
  • Beat editing and performance tools
  • Frequency tuning
  • Community sharing and remixing
  • Video and audio export
Features
Read full description

Cymatics Lab draws sound as moving patterns. Play a song, hum into the mic or make a beat, and the sound shapes sand on a vibrating plate or ripples of light in water. These are Chladni patterns, the figures a vibrating surface makes, drawn live from what you hear. SAND AND LIQUID Sand Lab has seven modes: Square, Circle, Sphere, Orbital, Cavity, Lissajous and Quasi. Liquid Lab has five: Round, Square, Bubble, Wave Tank and Drop. You can change the plate, the room, the lighting and the colors. MAKE MUSIC YOU CAN SEE The built-in Composer is for anyone, no experience needed, and the pattern moves with every note. • FEEL: tap a preset to start a groove, then turn Energy, Space, Tone and Drive. • BEATS: edit drums, bass, lead and pad on a step grid. • PERFORM: play drum pads or a keyboard and record what you play. • SOUNDS: shape each instrument. • SONG: chain sections into a full song. FIND YOUR FREQUENCY Dial in an exact tone, add a second frequency, or set a timed sweep, and watch the shape change with each hertz. WHAT YOU CAN LISTEN TO The microphone, your own music library, or the Cymatics Lab albums included in the app. Songs from any other music app work through the microphone while they play from your speaker. WAVES Release your patterns as Waves for others to find. Browse, save and remix theirs, follow creators, and like and comment. A shared wave link opens right in the app. MADE FOR IPHONE DUO Open it like a book with the Composer on one half and the pattern on the other, or fold it halfway like a laptop. The outer screen can show your pattern to the people across from you. FULL SCREEN AND AIRPLAY Turn your phone for a full-screen pattern, or AirPlay the pattern and music to a compatible TV. SAVE AND EXPORT Capture photos and videos of a pattern. Export your music as audio, separate instrument tracks or MIDI. CYMATICS LAB PRO The app is free to download. Pro unlocks every mode and tool, as a monthly or yearly subscription. If you bought Pro before version 2.0, you keep it for life as a Founder. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your Apple Account is charged at confirmation of purchase and on renewal. You can manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://cymaticslabs.com/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://cymaticslabs.com/privacy/

Screenshots

Cymatica4 screens
Cymatics Lab4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Cymatica at 4.7 against Cymatics Lab's 4.0. Cymatica also leads on ratings volume (28 vs 4). Cymatics Lab's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 77%). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Cymatica sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Cymatics Lab sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cymatica holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cymatica has 28 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 77% of Cymatica's written reviews are positive against 100% of Cymatics Lab's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cymatica ships an update every 6 weeks, Cymatics Lab every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Cymatica versus Cymatics Lab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCymaticaCymatics Lab
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (28 ratings) — better4.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews76.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings28 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.517.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB542 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShridhar GuptaKiefer Studio LLC

Customer experience

Cymatica

All ratings27 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral7.4%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive76.9%
Neutral15.4%
Negative7.7%

Cymatics Lab

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Cymatica

Subscriptions2
  • Cymatica Pro$3.991 Month
  • Cymatica Pro$19.991 Year
One-time2
  • Unlock Sounds$4.99
  • Cymatica Pro Lifetime$24.99
2 purchases

Cymatics Lab

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Cymatica free?
Cymatica is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cymatics Lab free?
Cymatics Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cymatica or Cymatics Lab?
Cymatica is rated higher. Cymatica averages 4.7 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Cymatics Lab averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Cymatica or Cymatics Lab have ads?
Neither Cymatica nor Cymatics Lab shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cymatica or Cymatics Lab?
Cymatica ships an update every 6 weeks, and Cymatics Lab every 2 days. Most recently, Cymatica was updated on November 8, 2026 and Cymatics Lab on November 11, 2026.

Other comparisons