# Pentatone vs 16 Drones

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pentatone at 100% against 16 Drones's 50%. Pentatone also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). 16 Drones's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 16 Drones sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pentatone asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pentatone holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Pentatone's written reviews are positive against 50% of 16 Drones's.

Pentatone ships an update every 5 weeks, 16 Drones every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pentatone | 16 Drones |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pentatone/id6757822197/reviews)** | [4.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/16-drones/id6761003327/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 16 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chiel Zwinkels](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869126511) | [Ruben Terron Rodriguez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1876605725) |

## What reviewers say

### Pentatone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pentatone/id6757822197)

This music app offers a unique pentatonic keyboard and built-in synthesizer, inspired by instruments like the kora and mbira. It features a sophisticated scale selection system and is optimized for touchscreen devices, providing an expressive and easy-to-play musical experience.

**Highlights:** Easy-to-play 'strummable' pentatonic keyboard, 9 selectable pentatonic scales, Custom FM synthesizer engine, 25 preset sounds with macro controls, Polyphonic touch and aftertouch response, AUv3 functionality for host apps

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### 16 Drones

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/16-drones/id6761003327)

Create evolving soundscapes and harmonic textures with a powerful ambient drone synthesizer. Shape layered drones using custom wavetables and envelopes, then perform expressively in key. Offers deep timbral control and flexible MIDI integration.

**Highlights:** 16 drone voices for layered textures, Custom wavetable synthesis, Per-voice drone envelopes, Subtractive synthesis layer, Expressive in-key performance voice, Support for musical scales, Standalone and AUv3 operation, MIDI input and learn

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 16 Drones Pro | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pentatone free?

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

### Is 16 Drones free?

16 Drones is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pentatone or 16 Drones?

Pentatone is rated higher. Pentatone averages 5.0 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while 16 Drones averages 4.7 from 12 ratings.

### Do Pentatone or 16 Drones have ads?

Neither Pentatone nor 16 Drones shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pentatone or 16 Drones?

Pentatone ships an update every 5 weeks, and 16 Drones every 2 weeks. Most recently, Pentatone was updated on October 13, 2026 and 16 Drones 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.*