# ARPJAM Studio vs 1981 FM

The clearest difference is price: 1981 FM at Free against ARPJAM Studio's $12.99. ARPJAM Studio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (6 vs 2). On rating, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

1981 FM is free to download; ARPJAM Studio costs $12.99 up front. 1981 FM sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ARPJAM Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for ARPJAM Studio against 5.0 for 1981 FM. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 2 respectively.

ARPJAM Studio ships an update every 2 days, 1981 FM every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ARPJAM Studio | 1981 FM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arpjam-studio/id6775859535/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1981-fm-80s-track-generator/id6805325447/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 3 days |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 84 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Takashi Tsunoda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884742586) | [Soft Brew Mobile](https://appshunter.io/developer/561703410) |

## What reviewers say

### ARPJAM Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arpjam-studio/id6775859535)

This app offers a generative synthesizer experience focused on sound design without requiring keyboard skills. It allows users to shape waveforms, filters, and effects in real-time as music plays, offering a unique approach to music creation for those who enjoy sound sculpting.

**Highlights:** Generative arpeggios with multiple waveforms, Probability-based drum generation, Chord progression locking, Real-time XY pad parameter control, Assignable LFOs for dynamic sound shaping, Play pad for layering live input, Preset saving and sharing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### 1981 FM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1981-fm-80s-track-generator/id6805325447)

This app generates complete, unique musical tracks using chaotic mathematical principles. It offers various styles, modes, and keys, with customizable FM synth sounds and effects. Tracks can be recreated using seeds and exported via MIDI.

**Highlights:** Chaos-driven track generation, Four-operator FM synth engine, Multiple musical styles and modes, MIDI export and input, Customizable effects (chorus, delay, reverb), Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AUv3 Unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ARPJAM Studio free?

ARPJAM Studio costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is 1981 FM free?

1981 FM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ARPJAM Studio or 1981 FM?

ARPJAM Studio and 1981 FM are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do ARPJAM Studio or 1981 FM have ads?

Neither ARPJAM Studio nor 1981 FM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ARPJAM Studio or 1981 FM?

ARPJAM Studio ships an update every 2 days, and 1981 FM every 3 days. Most recently, ARPJAM Studio was updated on October 10, 2026 and 1981 FM on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*