Comparison

MOUND vs Etherpad

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

Head to head
About

MOUND

Create unique music by layering sounds and applying effects with intuitive touch controls. Explore chord progressions, sonic combinations, and evolving soundscapes.

Highlights
  • Collage soundscape sequencer
  • Four mix channels
  • 100+ soundfont instruments
  • Paint to drive effects
  • Euclidean sequencing
  • Choose key, scale, BPM, and sequence length
Features
Read full description

A collage soundscape sequencer. MOUND is a unique touch instrument (standalone and AUv3 instrument and MIDI included) that uses collage and paint to generate music. You get four layers of stamps to populate chord progressions automatically using euclidean sequencing, and up to 6 paintbrush effects to use your gestures for uninhibited sonic combinations. FEATURES - Four mix channels — chord channel, and three other voices to layer. - 100+ soundfont instruments - Paint to drive effects — use X/Y and hold to control effects - Evolve — mutate your canvas and hear new possibilities - Choose key and scale - Choose BPM and sequence length - FREE Cassette Effect and Granular Delay Free to play. Unlock the full SoundFont library, advanced EVOLVE theory settings, and the rest of the spray effects. Built by fourtrack.fm.

About

Etherpad

Create evolving soundscapes and ambient textures with an intuitive touch-based music synthesizer. Explore generative music without needing music theory, perfect for relaxation or creative expression.

Highlights
  • Multi-touch synthesis
  • Multiple sound presets
  • Visual particle effects
  • Effect overlays
  • Scale selection
  • Landscape & portrait modes
  • Low-latency audio
Features
Read full description

Etherpad is an expressive touch-based music synthesis instrument for iPhone, iPad and your Mac. Sweep your fingers across the screen to create evolving soundscapes, ambient drones, and generative textures. (AUv3 support in Beta) Powered by the legendary Csound audio engine, Etherpad turns your device into a portable synthesizer that responds to every touch with rich, organic sound. No music theory required — just touch, listen, and explore. KEY FEATURES • Multi-touch synthesis — Each finger controls pitch and timbre independently • Distinct Soundscapes — Switch between evolving pad sounds and textures • Reactive Visuals — ripples, trails, rings, and column glow respond to every touch • 14 evolving sounds — from lush pads to Glass Choir, PWM Pad, and Morphwave • Advanced Scales & Tuning — Break out of standard keys and explore the Bohlen-Pierce scale, overtone series, pentatonics, and more • Jam Sessions — Load your own audio tracks directly into the app and play along with your creative flow • MIDI 2.0 — per-note expression and full MIDI support for connected controllers (Beta) • AUv3 plug-in — play Etherpad inside Logic Pro, GarageBand, AUM, and other hosts (Beta) • Ultra Low-latency audio — Built on Csound, the industry-standard audio engine PERFECT FOR • Ambient and drone musicians • Meditation and relaxation • Beginners exploring sound synthesis • Live performers and improvisers • Sound designers and experimental composers • Anyone curious about generative music Website: https://etherpad.app Touch the surface. Hear the universe.

Screenshots

MOUND3 screens
Etherpad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Etherpad at none against MOUND's 1. Etherpad also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 days). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. MOUND sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Etherpad asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for MOUND against 4.9 for Etherpad. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 20 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of MOUND's written reviews are positive against 100% of Etherpad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MOUND ships an update every 5 days, Etherpad every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
MOUND versus Etherpad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMOUNDEtherpad
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (8 ratings)4.9 (20 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings820 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size176 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerfourtrack.fm LLCDinesh Yadav

Customer experience

MOUND

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

Etherpad

All ratings20 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

MOUND

One-time1
  • MOUND Lifetime Unlock$4.99
None

Etherpad

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MOUND free?
MOUND is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Etherpad free?
Etherpad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MOUND or Etherpad?
Etherpad is rated higher. MOUND averages 4.8 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Etherpad averages 4.9 from 20 ratings.
Do MOUND or Etherpad have ads?
Neither MOUND nor Etherpad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MOUND or Etherpad?
MOUND ships an update every 5 days, and Etherpad every 2 days. Most recently, MOUND was updated on September 15, 2026 and Etherpad on September 22, 2026.

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