# Soundstain vs Refract

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Soundstain at none against Refract's 2. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Refract sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Soundstain asks for nothing beyond the download.

Soundstain ships an update every 3 days, Refract every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Soundstain | Refract |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/refract-music-visualizer/id6802356398/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 5 days |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 1 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Francisco Totaro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819796780) | [Greg Wolny](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896084896) |

## What reviewers say

### Soundstain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundstain/id6761776133)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Refract

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/refract-music-visualizer/id6802356398)

Create dynamic music videos from any audio track using your own photos, text, and effects. This app analyzes music to choreograph visuals in real-time, offering a full timeline editor and export options for major social platforms.

**Highlights:** Beat-synced visualizers, Customizable effects and overlays, Full multi-track timeline editor, Import audio from various sources, One-tap presets for social platforms, Offline processing and export

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Refract Pro — Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Refract Pro — Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Soundstain free?

Soundstain is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Refract free?

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

### Do Soundstain or Refract have ads?

Neither Soundstain nor Refract shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Soundstain or Refract?

Soundstain ships an update every 3 days, and Refract every 5 days. Most recently, Soundstain was updated on October 24, 2026 and Refract on October 29, 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.*