# Melthaven vs AU Studio

The clearest difference is rating: Melthaven at 5.0 against AU Studio's 4.5. Melthaven also leads on price ($2.99 vs $9.99). AU Studio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Melthaven costs $2.99 and AU Studio $9.99 up front. Melthaven sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. AU Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

Melthaven holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 4 respectively.

Melthaven ships an update every 6 weeks, AU Studio monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Melthaven | AU Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melthaven/id6761633340/reviews)** | [4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/au-studio/id6763809742/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 4 |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 23 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [quantovox](https://appshunter.io/developer/484686124) | [Christian Thompson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511795684) |

## What reviewers say

### Melthaven

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melthaven/id6761633340)

This app provides a note-triggered phase shifter for guitarists, bassists, and synthesizers. It offers organic, rhythmic movement that syncs to your playing, with analog-modeled filters for diverse sonic textures. Enhance loops or create experimental sounds with its input-dependent modulation.

**Highlights:** Note-triggered phase shifting, Analog-modeled OTA filters, Responds to guitar and bass transients, Enhances pre-recorded loops, Input-dependent synth modulation, Low-latency engine

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Melthaven Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


### AU Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/au-studio/id6763809742)

This app acts as a dedicated host for Audio Unit extensions, allowing musicians and developers to inspect, audition, and test installed audio plugins. It provides detailed information about each unit's capabilities and behavior without requiring a full digital audio workstation.

**Highlights:** Scan and catalog installed Audio Units, Filter plugins by developer, type, and status, Load AUv3 interfaces or use detailed inspector, Inspect registry identity, MIDI support, and parameters, Route CoreMIDI sources and audition audio effects, Monitor runtime CPU and memory usage, Built-in manual for guidance

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Melthaven free?

Melthaven costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is AU Studio free?

AU Studio costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Melthaven or AU Studio?

Melthaven is rated higher. Melthaven averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while AU Studio averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Melthaven or AU Studio have ads?

Neither Melthaven nor AU Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Melthaven or AU Studio?

Melthaven ships an update every 6 weeks, and AU Studio monthly. Most recently, Melthaven was updated on October 14, 2026 and AU Studio on October 1, 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.*