Comparison

PatchLens vs Tonic Synth

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

Head to head
About

PatchLens

Features
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Save synth and pedal settings from a photo, then add editable hotspots and recall notes. The demo and 3 patch records stay free; Pro Lifetime is a one-time unlock. PatchLens helps musicians capture hardware synth, pedal, and semi-modular settings as private local patch records. Take or import a photo, mark the knobs and jacks that matter, add values and notes, then search your local patch library later. Optional on-device text recognition can suggest visible panel labels, but you stay in control of every saved value. PatchLens does not require an account, does not upload your photos, and does not promise automatic universal knob or cable detection. Pro Lifetime is a one-time in-app purchase that unlocks the full local patch library, on-device OCR label assist, and recall-sheet sharing. The bundled demo and 3 patch records stay free. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://bonega.ai/patchlens/privacy

About

Tonic Synth

A powerful synthesizer app offering three oscillators with diverse sound sources, including physical modeling and wavetables. It features eight analog filter simulations, extensive modulation options, and a full effects rack. Available as a standalone app or AU/AUv3 plugin for Mac and iOS.

Highlights
  • Three oscillators with physical modeling, virtual-analog, wavetable, SF2, and sysex FM
  • Eight analog filter simulations (LP/HP/BP/Notch, 12/24 dB)
  • Comprehensive modulation: LFO, envelope follower, note-per-note filter envelope
  • Full effects rack: chorus, delay, reverb, EQ, compressor, flanger, phaser
  • Standalone app and AU/AUv3 plugin support
  • Live performance features: editable presets, six scenes, MIDI Learn
Features
Read full description

Eight sound engines in one instrument — and a whole preset community living inside it. Physical modeling, virtual analog, 3D wavetable, 6-operator FM and a full SoundFont player: stack up to three engines per sound, each with its own filter, envelope and modulation. Play it standalone on iPhone, iPad and Mac, or load it as an AUv3 plug-in — instrument and effect — in your favorite host. One purchase. No subscription, no ads, nothing locked behind a paywall. • TONICA — THE SOUND COMMUNITY Your next signature sound might come from a player on the other side of the world. Browse what the community publishes without ever leaving the app: one tap auditions it under your fingers, two taps keep it. Love an author? Take their whole collection at once, into a bank named after them. And publish yours with a single tap — no account, no sign-up, no cost. • THREE OSCILLATORS Up to three independent layers — each with its own source, filter, envelope and modulation, plus mute/solo and keyboard split. From a simple patch to a fat, detuned stack on one spread knob. The Vector pad morphs across all three layers in real time: draw a path and the sound travels it on its own. • SOUND ENGINES Per layer: physical modeling (string, modal, wind, bowed), virtual analog (sine, saw, square, triangle, pulse and super-saw, with sub-oscillator and noise), wavetables up to 128 frames, SoundFont (.sf2 and compressed .sf3) and 6-operator FM that opens .syx cartridges. Record anything through the mic and turn it into a wavetable — or draw the waveform with your finger and hear it instantly, on a 3D landscape you can drag, rotate and resize. • FILTERS Eight analog-modeled voicings — LP/HP/BP/Notch, 12 or 24 dB per octave, resonance into self-oscillation, drive and 4× oversampling. From warm ladder to creamy SVF, from acid squelch to screaming resonance. • ARPEGGIATOR & SEQUENCER A step editor with a live playhead: ties, ratchets, accents and per-step probability, polymetric rhythm masks, capture of what you just played, swing, gate mode, key range and per-layer arping. Imports .mid patterns, follows MIDI Clock, and with Hold the pattern runs by itself. • EFFECTS RACK Chorus, tempo-synced ping-pong delay, 6-type FDN reverb, 5-band EQ, compressor and a Flanger/Phaser module — each one switchable and routable per layer. • BUILT FOR THE STAGE Six scenes (A–F) swap the entire patch live without cutting the sound: the note ringing out finishes naturally while the next one already speaks with the new tone. Switched apps mid-set? A sustain pedal left down or a mod wheel parked halfway no longer hijacks your sound — every control starts working again the moment you move it. The MIDI filter decides what each pedal, wheel or controller is allowed to do, and can target one specific device when there's more than one keyboard in the rack. Program Change and Bank Select switch sounds from your controller. MIDI Learn on any control, over USB or Bluetooth. • YOUR LIBRARY 280+ factory sounds in banks, and your own collection beside them: favorites, renaming, saving, tagging and search by name, tag or bank. Two file formats of its own — one to share sounds (.tpr) and one for a full library backup (.tbk). Double-click a file, or receive one by AirDrop, and it merges straight in without duplicating anything. • WHERE IT RUNS iPhone, iPad and Mac, from a single purchase. As an AUv3 it runs in the major recording apps on iOS and macOS. Using software that doesn't load AUv3 yet? See rsjb.com.br/support for the route other users have already proven. Thank you for playing with RSJB - made by musicians for musicians! Follow the news at www.rsjb.com.br/en

Screenshots

PatchLens4 screens
Tonic Synth4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PatchLens at Free against Tonic Synth's $20.90. Tonic Synth's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

PatchLens is free to download; Tonic Synth costs $20.90 up front. PatchLens sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Tonic Synth asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PatchLens ships an update weekly, Tonic Synth every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PatchLens versus Tonic Synth: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPatchLensTonic Synth
PriceFree — better$20.90
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Paid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperClashware SàrlRubens Felicio

In-app purchases

1 purchases

PatchLens

One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$4.99
None

Tonic Synth

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PatchLens free?
PatchLens is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tonic Synth free?
Tonic Synth costs $20.90, with no in-app purchases.
Do PatchLens or Tonic Synth have ads?
Neither PatchLens nor Tonic Synth shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PatchLens or Tonic Synth?
PatchLens ships an update weekly, and Tonic Synth every 4 days. Most recently, PatchLens was updated on October 1, 2026 and Tonic Synth on October 10, 2026.

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