# Retromulator vs Aether Synth

The clearest difference is price: Aether Synth at $2.99 against Retromulator's $9.99. Aether Synth also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 50%). Retromulator's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Retromulator costs $9.99 and Aether Synth $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Retromulator ships an update every 3 days, Aether Synth every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retromulator | Aether Synth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | — | **[4.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aether-synth/id6766131732/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 6 days |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 67 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DiscoDSP LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1465262828) | [Jacob Kirk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893697979) |

## What reviewers say

### Retromulator

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

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


### Aether Synth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aether-synth/id6766131732)

This music creation app offers a professional synthesizer engine with dual-layer sound design and rhythmic motion. It can be used as a standalone workstation or as an AUv3 instrument within compatible iOS hosts for recording and production.

**Highlights:** AUv3 instrument support, Standalone synth workstation, Dual preset layering, Melodic and drum sequencers, Sampler tools, Multitrack audio workspace, Arpeggiator and motion controls

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retromulator free?

Retromulator costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Aether Synth free?

Aether Synth costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Retromulator or Aether Synth have ads?

Neither Retromulator nor Aether Synth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Retromulator or Aether Synth?

Retromulator ships an update every 3 days, and Aether Synth every 6 days. Most recently, Retromulator was updated on September 20, 2026 and Aether Synth on September 14, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*