# Retro Synth vs Pentaholic Synth

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pentaholic Synth at every 6 days against Retro Synth's every 2 months. Pentaholic Synth also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Retro Synth's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.8). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retro Synth sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Pentaholic Synth sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Retro Synth holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 6 respectively.

Retro Synth ships an update every 2 months, Pentaholic Synth every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retro Synth | Pentaholic Synth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-synth-syntophone/id6754520378/reviews)** | [3.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pentaholic-synth/id6762106586/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | — | 57.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 14 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kerem ERSU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1759709233) | [Andrew Strickland](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892938530) |

## What reviewers say

### Retro Synth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-synth-syntophone/id6754520378)

Create authentic retro music with this vintage-inspired synthesizer app. Explore sound design with tone controls and vibrato, or upgrade for premium waveforms and studio effects. Designed for instant musical creativity, it offers a portable music-making experience.

**Highlights:** Authentic vintage sound recreation, Tone control for sound shaping, Vibrato effect for musical expression, Zero latency real-time response, Premium waveforms (Sine, Sawtooth, Triangle), Studio effects (Reverb, Delay), MIDI export

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Remove ads | $2.99 | one-time |


### Pentaholic Synth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pentaholic-synth/id6762106586)

This app digitally recreates a classic polyphonic synthesizer, offering authentic sound design and songwriting inspiration. It features a 300-note sequencer, multiple oscillators per voice, and performance controls like a joystick and expression pedal inputs.

**Highlights:** Authentic 5-voice polyphony, 3 oscillators per voice with 8 waveforms, Component-level circuit modeling, Dual ADSR envelopes, 300-note polyphonic sequencer, Joystick and expression pedal support

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Features | $28.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retro Synth free?

Retro Synth is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pentaholic Synth free?

Pentaholic Synth is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Retro Synth or Pentaholic Synth?

Retro Synth is rated higher. Retro Synth averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Pentaholic Synth averages 3.8 from 6 ratings.

### Do Retro Synth or Pentaholic Synth have ads?

Neither Retro Synth nor Pentaholic Synth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Retro Synth or Pentaholic Synth?

Retro Synth ships an update every 2 months, and Pentaholic Synth every 6 days. Most recently, Retro Synth was updated on October 30, 2026 and Pentaholic Synth on October 31, 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.*