Comparison

soundtronics vs PlayStems

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

Head to head
About

soundtronics

Features
Read full description

soundtronics reconstructs microphone input in real time. Speak just a single word, and waves of sound begin to ripple outward. This isn’t a simple echo β€” it’s a live remix, a live rework.

About

PlayStems

Features
Read full description

PlayStems is a powerful yet easy-to-use multi-track audio player designed for musicians. Import songs, split them into stems, and play all audio tracks perfectly in sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Build your own song library with custom titles and artists, add multiple audio files to each song, and control every stem independently with a built-in mixer. Adjust playback speed and pitch in real time, jump through tracks with intuitive drag gestures, and create loop ranges for practice or live performance. Features: * Multi-track stem playback in perfect sync * Song library with custom titles and artists * Import and manage multiple audio files per song * Individual and master volume controls * Real-time speed and pitch adjustment * Smooth forward/backward scrubbing gestures * Loop playback for selected time ranges * AI-powered stem splitting into vocals, drums, bass, and other instruments tracks (runs on your device) Whether you’re rehearsing, performing live, remixing, or practicing difficult sections, StemSync gives you complete control over your music. # Free version * Free version is limited to 1 song if the user does not consent to analytics * With analytics consent, the free version is limited to 5 songs # Full version * Full version (perpetual license) has no limitations * HQ stem splitting models available for download (requires iOS 26.4 or later and about 2 GB of available memory on recent iPhone, iPad, or Mac with Apple Silicon).

Screenshots

soundtronics4 screens
PlayStems4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: PlayStems at none against soundtronics's shown. PlayStems also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. soundtronics sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and PlayStems sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

soundtronics ships an update every 2 months, PlayStems every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
soundtronics versus PlayStems: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametersoundtronicsPlayStems
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 11 days β€” better
AdsYesNo β€” better
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.6 β€” better18.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size9 MB48 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMasayuki AkamatsuMatthias Santer

In-app purchases

1 purchases

soundtronics

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$4.99
1 purchases

PlayStems

One-time1
  • Full version$4.99

Questions

Is soundtronics free?
soundtronics is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PlayStems free?
PlayStems is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do soundtronics or PlayStems have ads?
soundtronics shows ads; PlayStems does not.
Which is updated more often, soundtronics or PlayStems?
soundtronics ships an update every 2 months, and PlayStems every 11 days. Most recently, soundtronics was updated on October 14, 2026 and PlayStems on October 2, 2026.

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