Comparison

Cymatica vs Music Visualizer

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

Music Visualizer

Transform your music into a dynamic visual experience. This app analyzes audio in real-time to generate over 70 unique visual scenes that react to beats, bass, and highs. Enjoy immersive audio-reactive light shows on your device or cast them to a larger screen.

Highlights
  • Real-time audio analysis
  • 70+ unique visual scenes
  • System audio or microphone input
  • AirPlay to TV/projector
  • Adjustable speed and intensity
  • On-device sound analysis
  • No account or tracking
Features
Read full description

Your music, made visible. LIQUIDWAVE is a music visualizer that reacts to what's playing in real time. It hears the bass, the beat and the highs apart, and 70+ scenes move with your music on iPhone and iPad. REACTS TO WHAT'S PLAYING Choose System Audio and the scenes follow what other apps play, such as a video or a streaming app. Pick System Audio from the microphone button's menu, then follow the steps on screen to start iOS's screen broadcast. Protected audio, such as Apple Music, can't be captured; use the microphone for it instead. LIVE SOUND, TOO Choose the microphone and the scenes respond to the music in the room: speakers, a record or a live set. EVERY PART OF THE SOUND Band levels, beat strength, kicks and snares, down to a fine spectrum. Each part of the sound turns into a line that sways, a light that flickers or a liquid that swells. 70+ SCENES. 10 STYLES. • Line — waveforms and contour lines. • Graphic — op art, geometric patterns and halftone dots. • Wire — wireframe oceans and rolling landscapes. • Raster — point clouds, particles and data-inspired forms. • Lighting — stage lights, lasers and haze. • Chroma — auroras, curtains and fields of color. • Cyber — neon grids and retro-futuristic worlds. • Metal — liquid chrome, foil and iridescent surfaces. • Fluid — ferrofluid, lava, honey and liquids that heave and drip. • Spectral — oscilloscopes, field lines and forms drawn from a fine spectrum. SET THE SCENE FOR THE PARTY Send the visuals to a TV or projector with AirPlay or a compatible display cable: the big screen shows the visuals while your device becomes the controller. PRESS PLAY. LET IT RUN. Shuffle keeps the scenes coming. Save your favorites and adjust speed and intensity — or, with Full Unlock, shuffle playlists of your own. Touch the canvas and the scene reacts at your fingertip, too. With no sound coming in, Ambient Auto on the microphone button keeps the scenes moving (Ambient Auto plays no music). The screen stays awake while the app is in use. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Sound is analyzed on your device and is not recorded or uploaded. No account, no tracking and no ads. Wave and one scene you choose during the welcome tour are free. Buy once, or subscribe yearly — either one unlocks every scene and scene playlists on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ · Privacy Policy: https://liquidwave.app/privacy Requires iOS or iPadOS 17 or later.

Screenshots

Cymatica4 screens
Music Visualizer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cymatica at 77% against Music Visualizer's 0%. Cymatica also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (28 vs 1). Music Visualizer's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 weeks). 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 Music Visualizer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. 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 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cymatica has 28 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Cymatica's written reviews are positive against 0% of Music Visualizer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cymatica ships an update every 6 weeks, Music Visualizer every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 14, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Cymatica versus Music Visualizer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCymaticaMusic Visualizer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (28 ratings) — better2.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews76.9% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings28 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.517.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShridhar GuptaAppnics, LLC

Customer experience

Cymatica

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

Music Visualizer

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

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

Music Visualizer

Subscriptions1
  • Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • LIQUIDWAVE Full Unlock$39.99

Questions

Is Cymatica free?
Cymatica is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Music Visualizer free?
Music Visualizer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cymatica or Music Visualizer?
Cymatica is rated higher. Cymatica averages 4.7 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Music Visualizer averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Cymatica or Music Visualizer have ads?
Neither Cymatica nor Music Visualizer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cymatica or Music Visualizer?
Cymatica ships an update every 6 weeks, and Music Visualizer every 3 days. Most recently, Cymatica was updated on November 14, 2026 and Music Visualizer on November 11, 2026.

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