Comparison

WindSynth 16 vs ThereminAir

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

Head to head
About

WindSynth 16

Features
Read full description

[Turn your smartphone into a next-gen wind instrument] WIND Synth is a synthesizer app that lets you enjoy expressive, wind-like performances with just a touch of your fingertip. [16 Versatile Built-in Sound Sources] Equipped with 16 carefully selected tones, ranging from classic synth leads to organic acoustic instruments.

About

ThereminAir

This app transforms your Apple Watch into a unique theremin instrument. Play music through arm gestures, controlling pitch and volume without touching any buttons. Explore different modes and scales to create a variety of sounds.

Highlights
  • Gesture-based pitch and volume control
  • Pure mode for continuous glide
  • Scale modes for staying in tune
  • Adjustable pitch ranges and vibrato depths
  • Live readout of frequency and note name
  • Complication for instant play
Features
Read full description

ThereminAir turns your Apple Watch into a theremin — the legendary instrument you play without ever touching it. Anchor your elbow and sweep your forearm like the hand of a clock: raise it and the pitch rises, lower it and the pitch falls. Rotate your wrist to swell the volume. There are no buttons to press while you play, no strings, no keys — just the motion of your arm in the air, exactly like the real thing. Your arm becomes the antenna. HOW IT WORKS • Sweep your forearm for pitch — glide smoothly or lock to musical notes • Rotate your wrist for volume — from a whisper to full voice • Wobble your wrist on a held note and it sings with real vibrato • Turn the Digital Crown to set your maximum volume • Watch the live readout — frequency, note name, and a scrolling trace of your vibrato PLAY IN KEY Pure mode gives you the classic continuous theremin glide. Prefer to stay in tune? Choose a scale and every note snaps to it: • Major and Minor • Major and Minor Pentatonic • Pick any root note Vibrato sings around the note you land on, so playing in key never sounds locked to a grid. MAKE IT YOURS • Three pitch ranges — Precise for playing in tune, Standard for everyday play, Wide for drama • Three vibrato depths — Subtle, Natural, Wide • The tone brightens as you play louder, the way an acoustic instrument does • Plays the right way round on either wrist, in either crown orientation • Vibrato-only mode, so travelling to a new note stays clean RECOMMENDED SETTINGS Precise range · Pure scale · Dynamic timbre on · Wide vibrato depth · Vibrato only on · Travel-proof vibrato off · Exclusive audio off TAP AND PLAY Add the ThereminAir complication to your watch face and a single tap launches you straight into play mode — no menus, no waiting. Or just say "Hey Siri, play ThereminAir". BUILT FOR THE WATCH • Smooth, low-latency synthesis tuned for Apple Watch • Clean, glanceable interface • Works on the go — your instrument is always on your wrist Whether you're making eerie sci-fi sweeps, practicing pitch, or just playing with sound while you wait for coffee, ThereminAir puts a real instrument on your wrist.

Screenshots

WindSynth 163 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: WindSynth 16 at Free against ThereminAir's $3.99. ThereminAir's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 6 weeks). On in-app purchases 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

WindSynth 16 is free to download; ThereminAir costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WindSynth 16 ships an update every 6 weeks, ThereminAir every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
WindSynth 16 versus ThereminAir: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWindSynth 16ThereminAir
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS26.417.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKouki YoshimotoTom Pardee

In-app purchases

None

WindSynth 16

No in-app purchases

None

ThereminAir

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WindSynth 16 free?
WindSynth 16 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ThereminAir free?
ThereminAir costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do WindSynth 16 or ThereminAir have ads?
WindSynth 16 shows ads; ThereminAir does not.
Which is updated more often, WindSynth 16 or ThereminAir?
WindSynth 16 ships an update every 6 weeks, and ThereminAir every 11 days. Most recently, WindSynth 16 was updated on October 25, 2026 and ThereminAir on October 11, 2026.

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