Comparison

VinylScratch vs Decaud

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

Head to head
About

VinylScratch

Transform your device into a professional DJ scratch instrument. Load samples, control them with realistic vinyl physics, and shape sounds with live effects. Record and share your creations, or use it as an AUv3 plugin in your favorite music production apps.

Highlights
  • Realistic vinyl physics engine
  • Live XY effects pad
  • Cut and reverse playback
  • Cue points and looping
  • WAV recording and sharing
  • AUv3 plugin support
Features
Read full description

VinylScratch turns your iPhone into a real scratch instrument. Load any audio sample and control it like a record — scratch, cut, loop, cue, and shape the sound with live effects — all with your fingers on the touchscreen. Whether you're a turntablist practicing cuts without decks, a producer sketching DJ-style arrangements, or a beatmaker who wants tactile sample control — VinylScratch gives you the physics, the effects, and the workflow to do it properly. Drop in a sample, feel the vinyl, twist the FX, hit record. VINYL PHYSICS ENGINE The scratch engine models real platter mechanics. Sound accelerates and decelerates the way a record actually does, with natural spin-down when you release. • Drag on the waveform to scratch — velocity and direction tracked sample-accurately • Three inertia modes: VINYL (natural spin-down), PAGE (instant stop), OFF • Adjustable sensitivity from ultra-fine to aggressive • Multitouch scratch support on iPad LIVE FX PAD A Kaoss Pad-style XY touch surface for real-time effects. Slide your finger to shape the sound — both axes control different parameters simultaneously. • Filter — LP/HP sweep and ISO (SP-404 style isolator) • Reverb — room, hall, plate and more • Delay — time, feedback, and LP cutoff control • Distortion — bit crush and lo-fi presets • FX1 & FX2 — two configurable effect slots with custom axis mapping • HOLD — lock the effect in place after lifting your finger • Glow trail visualization on the XY pad CUT & REV • CUT — hold to mute the signal, just like a crossfader kill • REV — flips playback direction • Crossfader strip for blend control CUE POINTS & LOOP • Two cue points: CUE A and CUE B — set, jump, clear • Loop IN/OUT with toggle — keeps the region when disabled • Full waveform view with overview strip TRANSPORT & RECORDING • Play / Pause with repeat mode • Record your scratch + FX session as WAV • Share or save directly from the app • Time display with millisecond precision AUv3 PLUGIN • Load VinylScratch as an instrument in GarageBand, AUM, Audiobus, or any AUv3 host • Full UI inside the host — scratch and effects included APPEARANCE • 15 color themes • Dark interface optimized for stage and studio PRO UNLOCK One-time purchase. No subscription. Unlocks: sample loading, recording, all FX effects, FX Hold, REV CUT, crossfader, themes, and AUv3. Free version includes playback, CUT, and filter with the built-in track.

About

Decaud

This music player verifies the true quality of audio files, revealing if a "lossless" file originates from a lossy master. It offers a transparent signal path, advanced audio analysis tools, and supports a wide range of high-resolution formats.

Highlights
  • TrueHz analysis for file quality verification
  • Transparent signal path inspection
  • Real-time audio meters (spectrum, phase, LUFS)
  • Support for FLAC, DSD, ALAC, and more
  • Internet radio streaming
  • NAS and DLNA server streaming
  • Private listening history
Read full description

Most players display the label on the file. Decaud looks deeper. TrueHz reads sampled windows across a track for spectral evidence consistent with lossy compression or upsampling. It is evidence, not provenance. Decaud is a music player for people who care how their files actually reach their ears: hi-res lossless, DSD, and a signal path you can inspect at any moment. KNOW WHAT YOU'RE HEARING • TrueHz reads sampled windows for spectral evidence consistent with lossy compression or upsampling, on songs whose audio is on this device • Analyzed songs keep their result on the row • Real-time analyzer, goniometer, phase, and LUFS meters BUILT FOR SOUND • An honest signal path: every stage between the file and the output, and what each one does to the audio • FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, DSF, DFF, APE, WavPack, and more • DSD plays through high-quality PCM conversion, shown in Audio Path. On iPhone and iPad, optional native DSD over USB requires a verified DoP-compatible DAC and device volume at 100%; control listening volume on the DAC • Gapless playback, optional crossfade, and headphone crossfeed • Dithered bit-depth reduction, ReplayGain, and a 10-band equalizer MORE WAYS TO LISTEN • Internet radio from Radio Paradise, SomaFM, FIP, and your own stations, with live titles and covers • Station creates an endless session from your own library, chosen locally by sound • Classical browsing understands works, movements, and composers • The waveform is the seek bar • Tap the sound information in Now Playing to open Audio Path ANYWHERE IN THE HOUSE • Stream from NAS and SMB shares and DLNA servers • Cast to AirPlay receivers, Chromecast, Sonos, and other DLNA renderers, with lossless delivery where the receiver allows it. Sending to an Apple TV on tvOS 27 requires an AirPlay password set on that Apple TV • Control your Mac library from your iPhone over the local network • iCloud keeps your catalog, ratings, and artwork on your devices in your own account. Sending audio is always a separate, explicit action A LIBRARY THAT STAYS YOURS • Copy songs and folders from USB and SD drives to this iPhone or iPad for offline listening, even with the drive disconnected • Or play files from an attached drive without copying them • Download seven complimentary DSD64 tracks courtesy of NativeDSD, listen offline, and optionally upload them to iCloud • Sort As fields change ordering without renaming your music and sync across devices • Browse the playable library in CarPlay • Serious tagging, Discogs and MusicBrainz matching, AcoustID identification, and DSF metadata • Smart playlists, synced lyrics, and compilations • Your listening history stays private, with optional export to a server you host PRIVATE BY DESIGN No Decaud account required. No analytics. No tracking. Online metadata lookups are opt-in and send text or audio fingerprints only, never your audio. Decaud is free. No subscription, upgrade, or feature is behind a paywall.

Screenshots

VinylScratch4 screens
Decaud4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Decaud at 5.0 against VinylScratch's 4.0. Decaud also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 11 days vs monthly). VinylScratch's advantage is ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. VinylScratch sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Decaud sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Decaud holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VinylScratch ships an update monthly, Decaud every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
VinylScratch versus Decaud: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVinylScratchDecaud
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB34 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperIvan KorablinPerimtr

Customer experience

VinylScratch

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Decaud

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

VinylScratch

One-time1
  • VinylScratch Pro$7.99
4 purchases

Decaud

One-time4
  • Buy Me a Coffee$0.99
  • Buy Me a Record$2.99
  • Studio Session$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Audiophile Support$9.99

Questions

Is VinylScratch free?
VinylScratch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Decaud free?
Decaud is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, VinylScratch or Decaud?
Decaud is rated higher. VinylScratch averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Decaud averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do VinylScratch or Decaud have ads?
Neither VinylScratch nor Decaud shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VinylScratch or Decaud?
VinylScratch ships an update monthly, and Decaud every 11 days. Most recently, VinylScratch was updated on October 9, 2026 and Decaud on October 4, 2026.

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