Comparison

Pentatone vs EP

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

Head to head
About

Pentatone

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
Read full description

"Beautiful, fun and inspiringly expressive" - The Arithmophone Pentatone is a music app featuring an easy to play pentatonic keyboard and a built-in synthesizer. Instead of using piano keys or a grid-based interface, Pentatone takes a fresh approach, optimised for the ergonomics of touchscreen devices and inspired by instruments like the kora and mbira. The app also has a sophisticated scale selection system that includes all the common pentatonic scale types and unlocks some more unusual ones. Pentatone features: - An easy-to-play and 'strummable' keyboard, split for two handed playing - An original pentatonic scale system with 9 selectable scales, in just intonation or standard tuning - A custom synth engine (binaural 2x2 op FM with stereo detune, resonant filter, delay and reverb) - 25 preset sounds with macro sliders for tone and ambience - Initial touch and aftertouch response, both polyphonic - AUv3 functionality for use within host apps like GarageBand, Koala Sampler and Loopy Pro Pentatone user feedback: "Amazing! Love the simple UI and the musical keyboard. Also the sounds are lovely!" "This is very cool - beautiful interface and instantly musical." "This really is a joy to play and the tones are really expressive in fun ways that invite different types of creativity." "This app is such a brilliant idea!" "This is amazing. So fun to play. So easy to play with my daughter and my niece. The tones are wonderful." "This is an inspiringly expressive instrument! Really a joy to interact with." "This thing is AWESOME! It’s so easy to make up new stuff with it!" *** Pentatone is part of the Arithmophone project An Arithmophone is a thing that turns numbers into sounds, or math into music. Its name is derived from the ancient Greek words arithmos (number) and phone (sound). Any iPhone or iPad is itself an Arithmophone, because it routinely turns lists of binary numbers into sounds, for example when you use it to listen to music. But this app is a bit more 'arithmophonic' still, because it takes pure and simple harmonic ratios like 3:2 and 5:4 and uses these to build musical scales. You can use it as an easy-to-play instrument, a source of melodic and harmonic inspiration or a tool for learning about music and exploring the deep connection it has with numbers. Keep an eye out, future plans for the Arithmophone on iOS include: - PENTATONE JR., a simplified and text-free version of Pentatone, optimized for young/beginning musicians - DIATONE, the diatonic companion to Pentatone, featuring a 7-note-per-octave keyboard with all the familiar major and minor scales and modes - MIDI / MPE versions of Pentatone and Diatone - TONEHIVE, a microtonal keyboard synth for 7 limit just intonation - HUYGENS, a microtonal keyboard synth for 31 EDO To stay posted, join the community at reddit.com/r/arithmophone or subscribe to the Arithmophone youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@arithmophone

About

EP

Read full description

EP-PatchStudio builds sample kits and multisamples for Teenage Engineering's EP-series hardware, then sends them to your device over USB. Now on iPhone and iPad. If you own an EP-133 K.O. II, EP-1320 or EP-40 Riddim, you know the squeeze: great sounds, a tiny screen and a slow road from a sample on your computer to a pad on your sampler. This app is the shortcut. Import audio, trim it, build a kit and load it onto the hardware. WHAT YOU CAN DO - Import WAV and AIFF from Files, iCloud Drive or straight from another app via the share sheet - Trim, fade and set the start and end of every sample by touch - Build full kits, lay out pads and tune each one (max 8 samples - EP device limitation) - Create multisamples for the EP-40 Riddim, mapped across the keyboard - Send finished kits to your device over USB MIDI - Export kits and backups to Files, AirDrop or your DAW WORKS WITH - EP-133 K.O. II - EP-1320 Medieval - EP-40 Riddim Multisamples are EP-40 Riddim only. No hardware to hand? You can still build and edit everything, then export it for later. Plug in over USB when you are ready to send. FREE AND PRO The Sample Editor is free. Building kits, trimming samples and exporting all work without paying anything. Pro unlocks sending kits straight to your device, as a one-off in-app purchase. Buy once, no subscription. Already bought EP-PatchStudio on Mac or Windows? Enter your licence key to unlock the same here. A NOTE FROM ME I am a solo developer and a sampler nerd. I built EP-PatchStudio because I wanted grown-up software for these little machines, and I keep improving it based on what the community asks for. If something is missing or broken, tell me. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Teenage Engineering AB.

Screenshots

Pentatone4 screens
EP4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pentatone at none against EP's 1. EP's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. EP sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pentatone asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pentatone ships an update every 5 weeks, EP fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Pentatone versus EP: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPentatoneEP
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (13 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings13 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChiel ZwinkelsPhoton Consulting Limited

In-app purchases

None

Pentatone

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

EP

One-time1
  • EP-PatchStudio Pro$24.99

Questions

Is Pentatone free?
Pentatone is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is EP free?
EP is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pentatone or EP have ads?
Neither Pentatone nor EP shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pentatone or EP?
Pentatone ships an update every 5 weeks, and EP fortnightly. Most recently, Pentatone was updated on September 27, 2026 and EP on October 4, 2026.

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