Comparison

Etherpad vs Hoverophone

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

Head to head
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.

About

Hoverophone

This app reimagines the theremin for your iPhone, allowing you to play music by waving your hands in the air without touching the screen. It offers a polyphonic synthesizer with various sound options and microtonal capabilities for unique musical exploration.

Highlights
  • Air-based theremin playing with front camera hand tracking
  • Polyphonic synthesizer with multiple voice options
  • Microtonal keyboard with 12-TET or 24-TET quarter tones
  • Stack up to twelve notes by pinning voices
  • Continuous pitch glide and volume control
  • Fully offline functionality
Features
Read full description

Play a theremin in the air with your hands—no screen taps, controller, or antenna required. Hoverophone uses the front camera to follow your hands. Raise or lower a hand to glide the pitch, change the distance between your thumb and any finger to control volume, and move from side to side to pan the sound. Raise a hand and you are already playing that unmistakable, otherworldly theremin voice. A POLYPHONIC SYNTH Choose a sine, triangle, saw, or square wave, then add drive and ring modulation. Movement across the camera controls the stereo field. Hoverophone tracks up to four hands at once, so you can play chords instead of a single melody. Bring two sounding hands together to pin a note in place. Pinned notes continue to ring while you play, giving you as many as twelve simultaneous voices: four live and eight sustained. MICROTONAL NOTES IN THE AIR Leave the note grid off for the classic continuous theremin glide. Turn it on to snap the pitch to 12-TET notes or 24-TET quarter tones on an isomorphic hexagonal grid. Move your hand into a cell and the note lands in tune without touching the screen. The 24-TET mode opens the door to microtonal and xenharmonic music while preserving the instrument's in-air control. FEATURES - Front-camera hand tracking with no screen contact - Continuous theremin pitch or an isomorphic note grid - 12-TET and 24-TET tuning with quarter tones - Up to four tracked hands and twelve simultaneous voices - Four waveforms, drive, ring modulation, and stereo panning - Sound through the speaker or headphones, even in silent mode - No account required; plays without a network connection HOW TO PLAY THE THEREMIN A theremin is an electronic musical instrument played without physical contact. In Hoverophone, simply raise a hand in front of the camera. Move up and down to change pitch, open and close the space between your fingers to shape volume, and move left or right to place the sound in the stereo field. If you are learning how to play the theremin, start in continuous mode and practice smooth pitch glides. Switch to 12-TET when you want help landing on familiar notes, or choose 24-TET to play quarter tones and explore microtonal music. Hoverophone is a touch-free theremin app and polyphonic synthesizer app for iPhone and iPad, built for musicians who want expressive camera control without extra hardware. Camera frames are processed entirely on your device and never leave it. Hoverophone does not use the microphone. Create a soft ambient pad, build a dense drone, or summon the eerie sweep of a science-fiction soundtrack. For the most reliable tracking, play in a well-lit room where the camera can see your hands clearly.

Screenshots

Etherpad4 screens
Hoverophone4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Etherpad at 100% against Hoverophone's 50%. Etherpad also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 9 days). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Etherpad holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Etherpad has 20 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Etherpad's written reviews are positive against 50% of Hoverophone's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Etherpad ships an update every 2 days, Hoverophone every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Etherpad versus Hoverophone: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEtherpadHoverophone
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (20 ratings) — better4.3 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings20 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDinesh YadavMaxim Oransky

Customer experience

Etherpad

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

Hoverophone

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Etherpad

No in-app purchases

None

Hoverophone

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Etherpad free?
Etherpad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hoverophone free?
Hoverophone is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Etherpad or Hoverophone?
Etherpad is rated higher. Etherpad averages 4.9 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Hoverophone averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.
Do Etherpad or Hoverophone have ads?
Neither Etherpad nor Hoverophone shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Etherpad or Hoverophone?
Etherpad ships an update every 2 days, and Hoverophone every 9 days. Most recently, Etherpad was updated on September 22, 2026 and Hoverophone on October 15, 2026.

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