Comparison

EP vs Vagabond Synth

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

Head to head
About

EP

Read full description

EP-PatchStudio builds sample kits and multisamples for Teenage Engineering's EP-series hardware, then sends them to your device over USB. Now on iPhone and iPad. If you own an EP-133 K.O. II, EP-1320 or EP-40 Riddim, you know the squeeze: great sounds, a tiny screen and a slow road from a sample on your computer to a pad on your sampler. This app is the shortcut. Import audio, trim it, build a kit and load it onto the hardware. WHAT YOU CAN DO - Import WAV and AIFF from Files, iCloud Drive or straight from another app via the share sheet - Trim, fade and set the start and end of every sample by touch - Build full kits, lay out pads and tune each one (max 8 samples - EP device limitation) - Create multisamples for the EP-40 Riddim, mapped across the keyboard - Send finished kits to your device over USB MIDI - Export kits and backups to Files, AirDrop or your DAW WORKS WITH - EP-133 K.O. II - EP-1320 Medieval - EP-40 Riddim Multisamples are EP-40 Riddim only. No hardware to hand? You can still build and edit everything, then export it for later. Plug in over USB when you are ready to send. FREE AND PRO The Sample Editor is free. Building kits, trimming samples and exporting all work without paying anything. Pro unlocks sending kits straight to your device, as a one-off in-app purchase. Buy once, no subscription. Already bought EP-PatchStudio on Mac or Windows? Enter your licence key to unlock the same here. A NOTE FROM ME I am a solo developer and a sampler nerd. I built EP-PatchStudio because I wanted grown-up software for these little machines, and I keep improving it based on what the community asks for. If something is missing or broken, tell me. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Teenage Engineering AB.

About

Vagabond Synth

This is a free wavetable synthesizer app that can be used standalone or as an AUv3 instrument. It offers 16 voice polyphony, multiple oscillators, a switchable filter, modulation, and effects. It also includes a MIDI processor for generating musical sequences.

Highlights
  • Standalone or AUv3 instrument
  • 16 voice polyphony
  • Multiple oscillators per voice
  • Switchable filter
  • Modulation and effects
  • Generative MIDI processor
Features
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Vagabond is an idiosyncratic wavetable synthesiser, running standalone or as an AUv3 instrument in compatible hosts such as GarageBand, AUM, Loopy Pro or Cubasis. It features 16 voice polyphony, 4 unison oscillators per voice plus a sub-oscillator, switchable filter, a bit of modulation and some effects. Also built in is a MIDI processor plugin, Twelve, a generative music toy that creates 12-bar blues sequences. Vagabond uses this for demo purposes, but you can load it in other hosts if you like. It's kind of a one trick pony, but one trick is better than none. As always, Vagabond is 100% free, no IAPs, no subs, no spyware, no nag screens. We don't want your money and we don't want your data.

Screenshots

EP4 screens
Vagabond Synth3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Vagabond Synth at none against EP's 1. EP's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, 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

Both are free to download. EP sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Vagabond Synth asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

EP ships an update monthly, Vagabond Synth every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
EP versus Vagabond Synth: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEPVagabond Synth
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—7 — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhoton Consulting LimitedMatthew Caldwell

In-app purchases

1 purchases

EP

One-time1
  • EP-PatchStudio Pro$24.99
None

Vagabond Synth

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is EP free?
EP is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Vagabond Synth free?
Vagabond Synth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do EP or Vagabond Synth have ads?
Neither EP nor Vagabond Synth shows ads.
Which is updated more often, EP or Vagabond Synth?
EP ships an update monthly, and Vagabond Synth every 3 months. Most recently, EP was updated on September 17, 2026 and Vagabond Synth on September 21, 2026.

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