Comparison

Synesthesia Synth vs PocketTone

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

Head to head
About

Synesthesia Synth

An experimental audio-visual instrument that allows users to sculpt evolving spatial audio by manipulating floating capsules. Position, rotation, and pulse changes affect tone, texture, and synchronized particle generation. It's a visual synthesizer, not a game.

Highlights
  • Experimental audio-visual instrument
  • Sculpt evolving spatial audio
  • Manipulate floating capsules
  • Control tone, texture, and particles
  • Visual synthesizer
Read full description

Synthaestesia is a free experimental audio-visual instrument. Three capsules float in space. Every contraction produces sound. Move them, rotate them, reshape their pulse — and sculpt evolving spatial audio. Position changes tone. Rotation alters texture. Delay generates synchronized particles. This is not a game. It’s a spatial synth you can see.

About

PocketTone

This app recreates the experience of a hand-drawn, retro pocket synthesizer. It features a vintage LCD display, slide switches, and chunky buttons, allowing users to play various retro voices, program custom sounds, and jam along to built-in rhythms. Users can also record and share their musical creations.

Highlights
  • Five retro voices (Piano, Flute, Violin, Fantasy, Guitar)
  • Program custom synth voices
  • Ten built-in rhythms
  • Sound shaping controls (octave, volume, balance)
  • Tape-style Delay and lo-fi Crush effects
  • Record and share audio
  • Melody memory (Auto-Play, One-Key play)
Features
Read full description

PocketTone is a hand-drawn, retro pocket synthesizer you can play anywhere. Tap the keys and a tiny lo-fi synth comes to life — complete with a green LCD, slide switches and chunky buttons, all lovingly hand-drawn. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Play five retro voices — Piano, Flute, Violin, Fantasy and Guitar. • Program your own voice the way the original did it — an eight-digit code typed on the calculator keys: waveform, envelope, vibrato, tremolo. • Jam over ten built-in rhythms — March, Rock, Bossa, Samba and more. • Shape the sound with octave, volume and a melody/rhythm balance. • Add tape-style Delay and lo-fi Crush effects. • Record what you play and share the audio with anyone. • Use the melody memory — Auto-Play, One-Key play and a built-in demo tune. • Flip to calculator mode… then play the keypad as a melody. The classic pocket-toy party trick, faithfully recreated. POCKETTONE PRO A single one-time purchase unlocks everything: all voices, all rhythms, recording & sharing, the melody memory, and the effects. No subscription — yours forever. Made as a love letter to the pocket musical toys of the 80s.

Screenshots

Synesthesia Synth2 screens
PocketTone4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Synesthesia Synth at 5.0 against PocketTone's 2.0. Synesthesia Synth also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support 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

Both are free to download. PocketTone sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Synesthesia Synth asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Synesthesia Synth holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Synesthesia Synth ships an update every 10 days, PocketTone every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Synesthesia Synth versus PocketTone: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSynesthesia SynthPocketTone
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better2.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size141 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMICHELE ZACCAGNINIChih Han Lin

In-app purchases

None

Synesthesia Synth

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

PocketTone

One-time1
  • PocketTone Pro$3.99

Questions

Is Synesthesia Synth free?
Synesthesia Synth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PocketTone free?
PocketTone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Synesthesia Synth or PocketTone?
Synesthesia Synth is rated higher. Synesthesia Synth averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while PocketTone averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Synesthesia Synth or PocketTone have ads?
Neither Synesthesia Synth nor PocketTone shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Synesthesia Synth or PocketTone?
Synesthesia Synth ships an update every 10 days, and PocketTone every 2 months. Most recently, Synesthesia Synth was updated on October 19, 2026 and PocketTone on October 25, 2026.

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