Scissor Hands vs Recodec
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Scissor Hands
This powerful audio effect offers dual high-pass and low-pass filters with adjustable steepness and extensive modulation options. Shape clean tones or create extreme sonic destruction with internal saturators and versatile modulation sources.
- Dual high-pass and low-pass filters
- Four independent modulation sources
- Internal saturators up to +36 dB
- Morph settings for smooth transitions
- Standalone app with trial and license purchase
- HQ mode with 4x oversampling
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Scissor Hands is a dual filter with internal drive and modulation to boot. High-pass and low-pass filters in series, four modulation sources, and internal saturators you can push up to +36 dB. It may look straightforward, but this little filter is extremely capable, equally useful for clean tone shaping and brutal sonic destruction. Dual Filters - High-pass and low-pass filters in series - Selectable steepness per filter - Drive internal saturators up to +36 dB. At 0 dB, perfectly clean and linear - Per-filter Q-Gain Compensation for taming output at high resonance settings - Updated drive gain compensation for louder output at high settings Modulation - Stereo LFO with nine waveforms, warp, and swing - Envelope follower with optional sidechain input - Eight-step sequencer - Self FM, filter audio output to cutoff for spicy audio-rate modulation - Freely mixable modulation sources per filter - Repeatable Random engine for consistent bounces Core Features - Morph Settings for smooth transitions between two complete configurations - Auto Bypass saves CPU when input is silent - AB settings comparison - HQ mode with 4x oversampling - One-click loudness matching - All parameters automatable with precise playback - Light and dark interface modes - Internal undo/redo - Standalone app includes support, manual links and in-app purchase options for license purchase Two-week trial included, one-time purchase for full unlock. Unlock your plug-in via in-app purchase from the standalone app or activate in the plug-in using an existing desktop license. Your in-app purchase activates the plug-in on all of your iOS devices. Owners can claim a crossgrade code in the standalone app to receive a discount on a desktop license. Check out our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sketchaudio Read the manuals: https://sketchaudio.com/manuals/
Recodec
Transform clean audio signals into rich, textured tones with a suite of powerful effects. Experiment quickly with a classic interface, save custom presets, and gain hands-on control via MIDI and host learning. Includes a companion app for routing and a user manual.
- Bit-depth and sample-rate reduction
- Harmonic drive and tone shaping
- Dry/Wet blend and limiter
- 35 factory presets
- User preset saving
- MIDI and Host Learn
- Mono/stereo operation
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Recodec is an AUv3 audio effect for turning clean signal into textured, character-rich tone. Use Crusher for bit-depth style reduction, Reducer for sample-rate style degradation, Refine for smoother oversampled processing, Drive for added harmonic color, and Bass and Treble to rebalance the result. Then place the effect exactly where it belongs with Dry / Wet and the always-on Limiter. Recodec is built for fast experimentation. The classic interface keeps the core controls close, supports mono and stereo operation, includes factory presets across multiple categories, and lets you save your own user presets for quick recall. Recodec also includes MIDI Learn, Host Learn, CC assignment, and optional CC broadcast feedback for hands-on control workflows. Features: - Crusher for digital bit-depth style reduction - Reducer for sample-rate style degradation - Refine oversampling control - Drive, Bass, and Treble tone shaping - Dry / Wet blend and always-on Limiter - 35 factory presets across multiple categories - User preset save and recall - MIDI Learn, Host Learn, CC assignment, and CC broadcast - Mono and stereo operation Great for: - drums and percussion - vocals - synths and keys - bass and guitar - loops and transitions - creative sound design
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Scissor Hands at Free against Recodec's $14.99. Scissor Hands also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Recodec's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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
Scissor Hands is free to download; Recodec costs $14.99 up front. Scissor Hands sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Recodec asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Scissor Hands against 5.0 for Recodec. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 3 respectively.
Scissor Hands ships an update every 3 weeks, Recodec every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Scissor Hands | Recodec |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $14.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sketch Audio, LLC | Christian Thompson |
Customer experience
Scissor Hands
Recodec
In-app purchases
Scissor Hands
- Two-week TrialFree
- Full Unlock$6.99
Recodec
No in-app purchases









