# HEXBEAT vs SWAY

The clearest difference is price: HEXBEAT at Free against SWAY's $3.99. SWAY's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs every 8 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

HEXBEAT is free to download; SWAY costs $3.99 up front. HEXBEAT sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SWAY asks for nothing beyond the download.

HEXBEAT ships an update every 8 months, SWAY weekly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HEXBEAT | SWAY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | — | **[4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sway-rhythm-instrument/id6811997833/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Size | 19 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gregory Hogan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1835199521) | [弢 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/6773991027) |

## What reviewers say

### HEXBEAT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hexbeat/id6760261126)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HEXBEATOTP | $7.99 | one-time |


### SWAY

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sway-rhythm-instrument/id6811997833)

Create synthesized rhythms using touch and motion. Build complex patterns with independent track lengths, parameter locks, and live recording. Shape your sound with LFOs, effects, and vinyl textures. Export your creations as WAV or MP3.

**Highlights:** 16 synthesized tracks, Independent track lengths, Parameter locks and live recording, Swipe-to-paint sequencing, Independent track effects, Device motion control, Export WAV/MP3

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HEXBEAT free?

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

### Is SWAY free?

SWAY costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do HEXBEAT or SWAY have ads?

Neither HEXBEAT nor SWAY shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HEXBEAT or SWAY?

HEXBEAT ships an update every 8 months, and SWAY weekly. Most recently, HEXBEAT was updated on October 31, 2026 and SWAY on October 31, 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.*