# REF vs DAW Controller

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: REF at none against DAW Controller's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DAW Controller sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. REF asks for nothing beyond the download.

REF ships an update every 3 days, DAW Controller every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | REF | DAW Controller |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 6 days |
| Size | 6 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Amr Rashed](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864768976) | [Yasuhiro Misawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892754235) |

## What reviewers say

### REF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ref-440-tuner/id6757130720)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### DAW Controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daw-controller/id6782663388)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DAW Controller (Buy Once) | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is REF free?

REF is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is DAW Controller free?

DAW Controller is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do REF or DAW Controller have ads?

Neither REF nor DAW Controller shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, REF or DAW Controller?

REF ships an update every 3 days, and DAW Controller every 6 days. Most recently, REF was updated on October 5, 2026 and DAW Controller on October 9, 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.*