Comparison

The Phil vs Fishtail

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

Head to head
About

The Phil

Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Fancy a synth that actually feels like a "traditional" instrument, but still able to push things a little weirder? The Phil is a fast, expressive AUv3 plucked string synth that brings proper physical modelling to your DAW, no faffing about required. Poke it, pluck it, let it ring out, and it responds like a real string, all wrapped up in a neat little AUv3 plugin for your DAW. Tucked inside is a built in arpeggiator, designed to create "human" feeling patterns without touching a step sequencer. Add in a solid handful of controls over decay, brightness and damping, themselves with "humanize" controls to mimic how a real hand would move on a string and you can go from delicate acoustic plucks to properly synthetic, metallic textures in no time at all whilst also having the option to turn down the robot vibe if you like. What you get: Physical modelling synthesis for genuinely plucky, stringy tones Built in arpeggiator for patterns that keep things moving Real time controls to shape decay, brightness and character Full AUv3 support, slots straight into your host Light on CPU, so it won't grind your session to a halt Plays nicely with AUM, Logic Pro, Loopy Pro, Cubasis and GarageBand Whether you're building layers in the studio or winging it live, The Phil is the sort of instrument that surprises you a little every time you touch it. In a good way. Search for decibelboy83 on YouTube for a walkthrough video. Works with: AUM, Logic Pro, Loopy Pro, Cubasis, GarageBand, and any AUv3-friendly host.

About

Fishtail

This app generates complete musical forms using algorithmic composition based on music theory. Users can shape, perform, and rearrange these compositions, routing seven musical channels to their chosen instruments via MIDI. It offers extensive control over keys, modes, and expressive elements.

Highlights
  • Algorithmic music generation
  • Multi-section compositions
  • Seven-channel MIDI output
  • Retain, reorder, and perform Takes
  • Multiple intonation systems
  • AUv3 MIDI plug-in support
  • Ableton Link integration
Features
Read full description

Fishtail is a generative MIDI instrument for iPhone and iPad. It composes complete musical forms, then lets you shape, perform, retain and rearrange them! Fishtail does not use AI to generate music. Its musical output is created through algorhythmic generation grounded in musical theory. Build pieces from sections with independent keys, modes, meters, cadences and expressive treatments. Generate distinct Takes, compare them, reorder them and hand the next Take over at a natural whole-piece boundary. Fishtail produces MIDI rather than sound. Use it standalone or as an AUv3 MIDI plug-in, and route its seven musical channels to the instruments you choose. Ableton Link supports shared tempo and transport. Features: • Complete multi-section generative compositions • Seven-channel MIDI output • Retain, reorder and perform Takes • Seven intonation systems • Normal MIDI, pitch-bend and MPE output • MTS output • Ableton Link • .fishtail project save and recall • Standard MIDI and per-channel export • Experimental analogue CV file packages • Accessible light and dark interfaces No account, advertising, analytics or tracking. Tested in AUM

Screenshots

The Phil1 screens
Fishtail3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: The Phil at $0.99 against Fishtail's $14.99. The Phil also leads on chart position (#195 vs unranked). Fishtail's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

The Phil costs $0.99 and Fishtail $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Phil ships an update every 2 months, Fishtail every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
The Phil versus Fishtail: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe PhilFishtail
Price$0.99 — better$14.99
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Paid
Best chart rank#195 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhilip VincentAMY NICOLA MCBRIDE

In-app purchases

None

The Phil

No in-app purchases

None

Fishtail

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is The Phil free?
The Phil costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fishtail free?
Fishtail costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do The Phil or Fishtail have ads?
Neither The Phil nor Fishtail shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Phil or Fishtail?
The Phil ships an update every 2 months, and Fishtail every 2 days. Most recently, The Phil was updated on October 15, 2026 and Fishtail on October 1, 2026.

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