Perc8 vs Oktopus Synthesizer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Perc8
Create complex electronic music with a professional drum synthesizer and step sequencer. Design unique sounds with multiple engines, filters, and effects. Build intricate patterns and full arrangements with advanced sequencing features.
- 8 independent synthesizer voices
- Multiple percussion engine families
- Advanced filters and distortion
- Step sequencer with probability and p-locks
- Pattern chaining for full arrangements
- AUv3 and standalone app support
- Professional effects: delay, reverb, chorus
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Perc8 is a professional drum synthesizer and step sequencer designed for techno, acid, industrial, and experimental electronic music. Build anything from tight loops to complete arrangements with eight independent synthesizer voices, deep per-step control, flexible effects, and a dedicated master bus. SOUND DESIGN Choose from a broad collection of kick, snare, clap, cymbal, hat, percussion, noise, tonal, and synth engines. Five purpose-built FM engines cover FM Kick, Snare, Hat, Perc, and Tone. Digital Perc adds a 16 × 16 WAVE × SHAPE sound space for animated digital percussion. Start quickly with 40 curated factory voice presets, then reshape them through Perc8’s complete synthesis and processing architecture. Every voice provides eight expressive engine macros plus resonant filters, EQ, drive, amplitude shaping, dual LFOs, effects sends, and output routing. Optional Drive Match on each voice and the master bus helps you judge saturation character without added loudness dominating the comparison. SEQUENCING & ARRANGING Program beats with probability, trigger conditions, fills, retriggering, ties, variable pattern lengths, and up to 16 parameter locks per step. Arrange pattern entries into Blocks, set repeats and Fill behavior, mute voices independently per entry, and draw long-form parameter automation with multiple interpolation shapes across the chain. ADAPTIVE WORKSPACE Perc8 adapts its editor to the available space. Work quickly in the compact iPhone and AUv3 layouts, or use dedicated full-screen Pattern, Chain, FX, and Master workspaces on iPad. Controls remain direct and touch-focused across standalone and hosted use. EFFECTS & MIXING Process voices through a dub-style stereo delay, algorithmic reverb, and chorus/flanger modulation, all with sequencer automation. Mix all eight voices with level, pan, mute, solo, EQ, sends, and flexible bus routing. Finish the kit with stereo image controls, master EQ, drive, Drive Match, trim, and limiting. STANDALONE & AUV3 Use Perc8 as a standalone instrument or as an AUv3 plug-in in hosts such as AUM. Route voices to individual outputs, synchronize to host transport, automate parameters, control voices over MIDI, and save complete projects, kits, or individual voice presets. KEY FEATURES • Eight independent drum-synth voices • FM Kick, FM Snare, FM Hat, FM Perc, and FM Tone • 16 × 16 Digital Perc WAVE × SHAPE sound space • Broad analog-inspired, digital, metallic, noise, and tonal engine collection • Eight musical macros per engine • Resonant filters, EQ, drive, amplitude shaping, and dual LFOs per voice • Optional voice and master Drive Match • Probability, conditions, fills, ties, retriggering, and up to 16 parameter locks per step • Block-based arrangements, per-entry voice mutes, and timeline automation • Delay, reverb, and chorus/flanger effects • Eight-channel mixer and complete master bus • Multiple audio outputs and MIDI routing • Standalone and AUv3 operation • Adaptive iPhone, iPad, and hosted layouts MANUAL & TUTORIALS See the Help page in Perc8 for the full manual and guided workflows, or visit terrarum.net/perc8.html.
Oktopus Synthesizer
This powerful iOS synthesizer and AUv3 extension allows for deep sound design and music creation. Shape sounds with 8 synth blocks, combine oscillators and samples, and utilize a flexible effects chain. It functions as a standalone instrument or within compatible DAWs.
- 8-block synth architecture
- Oscillator and sample combination
- AUv3 instrument support
- Sample loading and playback
- Flexible effects chain
- MPE and MIDI input support
- Built-in spectrometer
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Oktopus is a deep synthesizer and AUv3 extension instrument with a modular spirit built for sound design, performance, and music creation in any compatible DAW or standalone. This app includes an AUv3 extension! Shape sounds across 8 synth blocks, combine oscillators and samples, route MIDI creatively, and build movement with LFOs, arpeggiators, modulation, and a flexible effects chain. Use Oktopus as a standalone instrument or load it inside AUv3-compatible iOS hosts / DAWs. Features: + 8-block synth architecture for layered and evolving sounds + MIDI Sequencer for limitless song arrangement + MPE and MIDI input support + AUv3 instrument support for compatible hosts + Sample loading, slicing, and playback tools + Built-in recording and sample export workflow + Built-in spectrometer to clearly see what you're creating + Per-block arpeggiator and sequencing controls + LFOs, modulation routing, and performance macros + Factory presets and factory samples included + Share Voice Memos/Audio Files/Photos/Video clips to the app to sample almost anything you can imagine. Supported files: AIFF, MP3, WAV, MP4, MOV, JPEG, HEIF, PNG, SVG + Spectral synthesis + Flexible effects chain with EQ, distortion, bitcrusher, compressor, phaser, flanger, chorus, filter, delay, and reverb + Touch-friendly interface for iPhone and iPad music creation + Custom zoom level Oktopus is made for producers, composers, and experimental musicians who want a powerful synth environment that can move from quick ideas to detailed sound design.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Oktopus Synthesizer at 4.8 against Perc8's 3.3. Oktopus Synthesizer also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly) and price ($4.99 vs $6.99). Perc8's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 90%). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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
Perc8 costs $6.99 and Oktopus Synthesizer $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Oktopus Synthesizer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 12 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Perc8's written reviews are positive against 90% of Oktopus Synthesizer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Perc8 ships an update monthly, Oktopus Synthesizer every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Perc8 | Oktopus Synthesizer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6.99 | $4.99 — better |
| Rating | 3.3 (3 ratings) | 4.8 (12 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 90.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 12 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 26 MB | 111 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joe Topjian | Vyacheslav Koristov |
Customer experience
Perc8
Oktopus Synthesizer
In-app purchases
Perc8
No in-app purchases
Oktopus Synthesizer
No in-app purchases








