Comparison

Grainsmith Field vs BitDecay

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

Head to head
About

Grainsmith Field

Transform any sound into unique sonic textures using a powerful granular synthesizer. Manipulate audio with multiple playheads, record live input, and play it like an instrument via MIDI. Optimized for mobile, it offers extensive control and export options.

Highlights
  • Granular synthesis engine
  • Multiple independent playheads
  • Live audio recording and manipulation
  • MIDI instrument mode
  • AUv3 music effect
  • Performance recording with Live Activity
  • Built-in reverb and filter
Features
Read full description

Grainsmith Field is a granular instrument for iPad and iPhone. Load a sound or record one live, then pull it apart into grains. Stretch and scatter it until it stops sounding like the source, or pitch it and play it like an instrument. It shares its granular engine with our desktop Grainsmith plugin, but it's rebuilt for touch. Field is a single multitouch screen: four XY pads control paired parameters (Density and Size, Jitter and Spread, Pitch and Reverse, Cutoff and Resonance), and a Morph control sweeps several at once. THREE PLAYHEADS Run up to three independent grain streams from one sample at the same time. Each head has its own position, speed, pitch, level, pan, grain size, and spread. Grab a playhead line on the waveform to move it independently, or move them as a group. Double-tap to gather them. Set a second head a fifth or an octave away and the streams blend into a single granular texture. MODULATION Six modulation slots drive the controls: LFOs and Euclidean patterns with per-route depth, assigned by long-pressing a knob. The MOVE dial sets the Morph macro itself in motion, and each destination drifts on its own phase. Rates sync to tempo, in the app or from the host clock. RECORD AND MANGLE Capture audio from your hardware input and granulate it as it comes in, or loop a phrase and let the engine chew on it. Scrub the waveform directly. Freeze the grain cloud to hold a sound for as long as you want. Run the stereo delay to smear the grain tails into echoes; it syncs to tempo too. Export captures as WAV to the Files app. RECORD YOUR PERFORMANCE Start a recording from the presets menu and everything you play is captured to a WAV file. Keep playing through app switches and screen locks; a Lock Screen Live Activity shows while recording runs. Recordings save to the Files app and share straight from Field. PLAY IT AS AN INSTRUMENT Switch to Instrument mode and play the grain engine from a MIDI keyboard: four-voice polyphony, an attack/release envelope, and a root-note control. The pitch ribbon snaps to musical intervals: Free, Chromatic, Scale, Octaves, or Oct+5ths, with twelve scale options and a probability control. Works with hardware MIDI in the standalone app and with host MIDI in AUv3. USE IT IN YOUR HOST The AUv3 music effect loads in AUM, Logic for iPad, and other AUv3 hosts. Parameters are exposed for host automation and MIDI learn. Your patch saves and restores with the session, including head count, every per-head control, the modulation slots, and pitch snap mode. ALSO IN THE BOX - Ten factory presets grouped by character, with a browser and a Favorites section for your own - Background audio: the standalone keeps playing when you switch apps - Reverb, stereo delay with tempo sync, filter, grain-shape windows, pitch randomization - Runs on iPhone with a compact layout No account and no subscription. Field collects no data.

About

BitDecay

This creative audio effect simulates the character of aging hardware, unstable digital systems, and worn media. It introduces dynamic instability and evolving imperfections to transform pristine audio into lo-fi textures, degraded samplers, or entirely new sound design landscapes.

Highlights
  • Creative digital degradation processor
  • Bit crushing and sample rate reduction
  • Dynamic instability and clock imperfections
  • Musical tone shaping
  • Progressive signal erosion controls
  • AUv3 support
  • Single-page interface
Read full description

Some digital processors sound broken. Bit Decay sounds like they're breaking. Bit Decay is a creative degradation effect that recreates the character of aging hardware, unstable clocks, failing digital systems, worn media, and collapsing fidelity. Instead of simply reducing bit depth and sample rate, Bit Decay introduces movement, instability, and evolving imperfections that bring static digital destruction to life. Shape classic lo-fi textures, degraded samplers, damaged tape transfers, corrupted audio artifacts, and entirely new sound design landscapes. From subtle vintage coloration to complete digital collapse, Bit Decay gives you precise control over how pristine audio slowly falls apart. Whether you're producing electronic music, processing drums, designing cinematic textures, mangling synths, or adding character to vocals, Bit Decay delivers degradation with personality. Features • Creative digital degradation processor • Bit crushing and sample rate reduction • Dynamic instability and clock-style imperfections • Musical tone shaping • Progressive signal erosion controls • AUv3 support for iPad and Mac hosts • Fast workflow with a simple single-page interface

Screenshots

Grainsmith Field3 screens
BitDecay1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: BitDecay at $2.99 against Grainsmith Field's $11.99. BitDecay also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Grainsmith Field's advantage is ratings volume (5 vs 1). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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

Grainsmith Field costs $11.99 and BitDecay $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Grainsmith Field against 5.0 for BitDecay. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Grainsmith Field has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Grainsmith Field versus BitDecay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGrainsmith FieldBitDecay
Price$11.99$2.99 — better
Rating5.0 (5 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings5 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPlastic Factory LLCJeremy Phillips

Customer experience

Grainsmith Field

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

BitDecay

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Grainsmith Field

No in-app purchases

None

BitDecay

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Grainsmith Field free?
Grainsmith Field costs $11.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is BitDecay free?
BitDecay costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Grainsmith Field or BitDecay?
Grainsmith Field and BitDecay are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Grainsmith Field or BitDecay have ads?
Neither Grainsmith Field nor BitDecay shows ads.

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