Comparison

Surviving Audio vs PatchBoy

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

Head to head
About

Surviving Audio

Features
Read full description

Plan the show, before the show. Surviving Audio is the pre-show planning suite for working sound engineers. Built around real-world workflows from the live PA design playbook — McCarthy-grade math, dynamically visualized, with practical guides on every tool. The big six: Stereo PA Quick-Eval — Type room dimensions (W × D), get a complete system recommendation: speaker spacing, coverage range, throw distance, FAR/LAR, plus a class verdict (long-throw, standard, wide, multi-box). Answers "which system do I bring?" in 30 seconds. Multi-Tower Delay Chain — One tower? Five towers? The app calculates the position and electrical delay for every tower based on your venue depth and the 40 ms threshold (temperature-adjusted). Visualizes the entire chain with side-elevation diagram. Spatial Crossover — The exact position where main and delay tower meet at equal level, plus the delay setting in ms and samples. Includes a level-vs-position SPL plot showing the transition zone. Sub Setup Recommende — Number of subs + crossover frequency + stage width = the right configuration. Single, coupled, stereo (with power-alley warning), cardioid stack, end-fire, distributed, or coupled block. Each rendered as a top-down stage diagram with λ/2 reference. Cardioid + End-Fire Sub Designer — Calculate delays, polarity, and forward gain. Interactive polar plots at chosen frequency. Top-down layouts with dimensioned spacing. Line Array Splay (Field Estimate) — Rough estimation of splay angles using only a laser distance meter. Side-elevation showing progressively splayed boxes. Pre-MAPP/ArrayCalc reality check. And much more:

About

PatchBoy

This app streamlines live sound setup by allowing users to visually build stage plots, generate input lists, and automate patching. It supports various band setups, console types, and stage box configurations, simplifying sound checks and exports.

Highlights
  • Drag-and-drop stage plot builder
  • Automated input list generation
  • Stage box and console patching
  • Smart microphone and DI library
  • Sound check progress tracking
  • Exportable PDF and CSV reports
  • Wireless and in-ear monitor management
Features
Read full description

PatchBoy is the stage plot that builds your input list and your patch as you go. Drag a vocal, an amp, a DI or a drum kit onto the stage and PatchBoy turns it into a numbered channel automatically. Drop a stage box where the rack sits and one tap patches every input to the nearest box, then to your FOH, monitor and broadcast desks. The stage, the list and the patch are the same document seen three ways, so they can never drift apart. BUILD THE STAGE • Drag-and-drop stage plot for iPhone and iPad • Start from a band template: full band, rock, worship, singer-songwriter, DJ, corporate AV • Real stage geography: drums upstage, vocals down front, wedges along the edge facing the band • Drum kit builder: explode a kit into 4-piece, 5-piece or full studio channels, named and mic'd GET THE INPUTS RIGHT • The input list builds and renumbers itself as you place and move sources • Drag to reorder, lock a channel so drums stay 1–8 when you add a vocal • Smart mic and DI library: a condenser auto-arms 48V, a dynamic clears it, ribbons get a phantom warning • Per-channel stand choice and notes • On iPad, see the stage and the input list side by side STAGE BOXES ON THE PLOT • Place SD-Racks, Rios, DL32s, Stage 64s, NSBs and more right where they live on stage • Each box shows inputs used against its real capacity • Auto-patch sends every input to the nearest box with a free input, then numbers desk channels 1:1 • Wedges, IEMs, subs and PA are outputs too, patched to box outputs with their own mix numbers KNOW YOUR CONSOLES • Library of about 110 consoles and 85 stage boxes: DiGiCo Quantum, SD and S-Series, Avid S6L, Yamaha RIVAGE, DM7, CL, QL and TF, Allen & Heath dLive, Avantis and SQ, Midas PRO, HD96 and M32, Behringer WING and X32, SSL Live, Lawo mc², Calrec, Soundcraft Vi and Si, PreSonus StudioLive, Waves LV1, QSC • FOH, monitor and broadcast desks on one show, with the split type (gain share, analog split, separate racks) • Live capacity check against real analog I/O and the desk's processing ceiling, plus a warning when a box and a desk don't share a transport SOUND CHECK • Mons, FOH and Truck each confirm every input independently • A progress bar and per-channel indicators show what's good everywhere and what's still hanging WIRELESS AND IN-EARS • Add IEMs and wireless mics and they collect into clean racks • Track brand, model, band and operating frequency per unit SHARE AND EXPORT • Export a clean multi-page PDF: stage plot, input list, input patch for every desk, output patch, stage boxes and RF sheet • Export CSV, including a channel-name file per desk for your console's naming tool • Hand a whole show to the crew with a short share code • Keep every show you've built and switch between them FREE AND PRO The drag-and-drop stage plot, input list, sound-check mode, RF racks and one saved show are free. PatchBoy Pro ($29.99/year) unlocks the console patch with the full desk and stage box library, auto-patch, output patch, unlimited shows, crew share, and PDF and CSV export. Auto-renewing annual subscription, cancel anytime in Settings. Your shows stay on your device. No accounts, no tracking. eighty32 — field tools for AV, RF & broadcast. ——— Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://patchboy.eighty32.com/privacy PatchBoy Pro is an auto-renewable annual subscription ($29.99/year or local equivalent). Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation and renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends.

Screenshots

Surviving Audio4 screens
PatchBoy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PatchBoy at Free against Surviving Audio's $5.99. Surviving Audio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On 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

PatchBoy is free to download; Surviving Audio costs $5.99 up front. PatchBoy sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per year. Surviving Audio asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Surviving Audio versus PatchBoy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurviving AudioPatchBoy
Price$5.99Free — better
Rating—4.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequency—Every 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB1 MB
Age rating+174+
DeveloperJuerg AndresChris DeBrizzio

In-app purchases

None

Surviving Audio

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

PatchBoy

Subscriptions1
  • PatchBoy Pro$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Surviving Audio free?
Surviving Audio costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is PatchBoy free?
PatchBoy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Surviving Audio or PatchBoy have ads?
Neither Surviving Audio nor PatchBoy shows ads.

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