# SpellSynth vs Retromulator

The clearest difference is price: SpellSynth at $2.99 against Retromulator's $19.99. Retromulator's advantage is chart position (#199 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

SpellSynth costs $2.99 and Retromulator $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SpellSynth ships an update every 6 days, Retromulator every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpellSynth | Retromulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $19.99 |
| Rating | **[3.2 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellsynth-retro-vocal-synth/id6762822700/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **11** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#199** |
| Size | 112 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chih Han Lin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1800248325) | [DiscoDSP LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1465262828) |

## What reviewers say

### SpellSynth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellsynth-retro-vocal-synth/id6762822700)

This app recreates a classic 1978 spelling toy with four engaging game modes. It allows users to type any word or phrase and hear it spoken aloud using vintage synthesized voices. Explore different speech synthesis eras and even play the keypad with a MIDI keyboard.

**Highlights:** Type and hear any word spoken, Four game modes (Free Play, Spell, Mystery Word, Say It), Three distinct vintage voice characters, MIDI keyboard support, Export audio to WAV, Adjustable gap between words

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Retromulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retromulator/id6764767449)

**Currently charting:** #199 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app recreates legendary vintage synthesizers, samplers, and keyboards through accurate emulation. It functions as a standalone application or an AUv3 plugin, offering classic electronic music hardware sounds on iOS devices.

**Highlights:** Cycle-accurate hardware emulation, AUv3 plugin support, Standalone app functionality, Full MIDI control, ROM firmware loading, Background audio support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpellSynth free?

SpellSynth costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Retromulator free?

Retromulator costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do SpellSynth or Retromulator have ads?

Neither SpellSynth nor Retromulator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SpellSynth or Retromulator?

SpellSynth ships an update every 6 days, and Retromulator every 3 days. Most recently, SpellSynth was updated on October 19, 2026 and Retromulator on October 18, 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.*