Comparison

Syntien 2 vs DAW Controller

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

Head to head
About

Syntien 2

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Syntien 2 recognizes a variety of input sources, including touch, movement, and sound, and converts them into data for your creative work. Syntien 2 can connect to other devices and software via MIDI, OSC, and BLE. It comes with all the standard controls you'd expect -- buttons, labels, sliders, knobs, etc. -- plus a unique set of tools that go far beyond the basics. โ€ข Use an adjustable, resizable Keyboard control to send MIDI note and velocity data, in addition to pitch bend, expression, and more. โ€ข The Touch Pad control takes full advantage of your device's multi-touch capabilities. Track multiple touches independently. Use a stylus like an Apple Pencil to send highly-expressive data with pressure and tilt sensitivity. โ€ข The IMU control uses data from your device's accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer to transmit your device's acceleration, rotation, or nearby magnetic field strength. โ€ข Use the Level Meter to track audio input levels, and use the Pitch Detector control to detect pitch. โ€ข Transform and scale outputs directly in Syntien 2 without any complex scripting! โ€ข Connect controls to each other using Macros. Use buttons to toggle a Keyboard's sustain pedal, set up a Slider to modulate the frequency of an LFO, and more! โ€ข Create your own interfaces and modify the behavior of controls in-app, on any iPhone or iPad, without the need for a separate desktop editor! Place and resize controls exactly how you want them using intuitive drag-and-drop gestures. โ€ข Modify controls mid-performance by sending data from your computer to Syntien. Incoming OSC messages are displayed on the screen and color-coded, so you'll know exactly what messages Syntien is receiving and whether or not they're being interpreted. Works with Ableton, Max/MSP, SuperCollider, TouchDesigner, and any MIDI- or OSC-compatible software.

About

DAW Controller

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Your sleeping iPhone becomes a wheel and fader controller for your DAW. Digital pianos and synths often have no Pitch Bend or Modulation wheel. Dedicated hardware is hard to find, and small keyboards with wheels tend to feel awkward or fiddly to set up. DAW Controller is a pure MIDI controller built to fill exactly that gap. โ–  Six controls Pitch Bend / Modulation / Expression / Main Volume / Breath / Custom CC. Big wheels let you send nuance with a fingertip. โ–  Three ways to your DAW Network MIDI, Bluetooth MIDI, and USB. No OSC bridge, no extra conversion โ€” it reaches your Mac DAW (Cubase and others) directly. โ–  Haptics you can feel on a desk Solid haptic feedback that comes through even with the phone lying flat. โ–  Fits your hands Manual portrait/landscape switch, a left- or right-side control panel in landscape, and fader looks (metal / color / matte). โ–  Nothing extra No ads. No subscription. Buy once. Try it first, and if you like it, pay once โ€” for good. DAW Controller โ€” to be your obbligato.

Screenshots

Syntien 24 screens
DAW Controller4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Syntien 2 at none against DAW Controller's 1. Syntien 2 also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). DAW Controller's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. DAW Controller sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Syntien 2 asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Syntien 2 ships an update every 3 weeks, DAW Controller every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences ยท 2 level
Syntien 2 versus DAW Controller: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSyntien 2DAW Controller
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 6 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size35 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperModuliiYasuhiro Misawa

In-app purchases

None

Syntien 2

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

DAW Controller

One-time1
  • DAW Controller (Buy Once)$11.99

Questions

Is Syntien 2 free?
Syntien 2 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DAW Controller free?
DAW Controller is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Syntien 2 or DAW Controller have ads?
Neither Syntien 2 nor DAW Controller shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Syntien 2 or DAW Controller?
Syntien 2 ships an update every 3 weeks, and DAW Controller every 6 days. Most recently, Syntien 2 was updated on September 15, 2026 and DAW Controller on September 22, 2026.

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