Comparison

Heathcliff vs Pixelsynth

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

Head to head
About

Heathcliff

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Heathcliff turns any iOS host into a DJ channel strip. Cut, mix, and blend one track into the next — without thinking about the right preset. Heathcliff isn't your parametric EQ; it's the channel strip for transitions. Heathcliff is built for low latency — aggressive performance targets keep it out of the way when you're playing live, and multiple instances won't tax your CPU. The tuning takes its cue from leading DJ mixers, with user-selectable character profiles so you can match the feel to your mixing style. * 3-band EQ — two character profiles: one cuts clean, one bleeds for feel * FX: Filter — sweeps for builds and washes * Trim and volume — set the gain so the blend sits right * Character profiles — voicing presets for EQ, filter, and FX, matched to your mixing style * MIDI learn — supports legacy and modern 14-bit MIDI controllers (most modern DJ controllers are 14-bit). Map UI controls to your hardware; a DJ controller is the recommended way to play. * Low latency — plays live, stacks across multiple instances * AUv3 — works in any AUv3 host * Note: Heathcliff is an AUv3 plugin, not a standalone DJ app. The app runs inside a plugin host app like GarageBand, AUM, or Cubasis. Your DAW, your DJ moves. That's Heathcliff!

About

Pixelsynth

This app transforms musical input into a vibrant visual experience, allowing users to see and shape their sound in real-time. It offers a playful and immediate way to create music, with all controls and feedback displayed on a single screen. Designed by a Deaf musician, it prioritizes visual feedback as an integral part of the instrument.

Highlights
  • Real-time visual sound shaping
  • Interactive 16-pad grid
  • Adjustable waveforms, filters, and envelopes
  • LFO, delay, and reverb effects
  • AUv3 instrument compatibility
  • Offline functionality
Features
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Make a sound in seconds—and shape it while it plays. Pixelsynth turns taps, drags, melodies, and chords into a colorful instrument you can understand by watching it. Everything you play lives on one screen. Touch a note and start exploring. FROM THE DEVELOPER OF PIXELBOOP Pixelsynth is a new visual instrument from the maker of Pixelboop. Both apps share a love of playful grids, immediate feedback, and musical ideas that begin with one touch. PLAY FIRST. LEARN BY WATCHING. Sixteen pads invite you to find a melody, hold a chord, or strum across the screen. Notes light up as you play, and every sound control moves in front of you. You can see what each gesture is doing while you hear the result. SHAPE THE SOUND LIVE • Switch waveforms to change the character of your sound. • Sweep the filter from bright and open to soft and focused. • Shape attack, decay, sustain, and release for crisp plucks, swelling notes, and long tails. • Add motion with LFO, repeating echoes with delay, and depth with reverb. Each control is a colorful tank. Touch higher or lower inside it to set the value directly. Values in the upper half stay where you leave them; notes in the lower half drain away after you lift. It feels immediate because the picture and the sound follow the same gesture. MADE TO BE SEEN Created by a Deaf musician, Pixelsynth treats visual feedback as part of the instrument. The entire musical surface is drawn on a 40 by 24 pixel grid—just 960 pixels—so every control stays visible and every change has a visual response. PLAY IT YOUR WAY Open Pixelsynth as a standalone instrument on iPhone or iPad, or load the included AUv3 instrument in a compatible iOS music host. Your host can send MIDI notes and save the instrument state with your project. A compatible host is available separately. FREE TO EXPLORE No account. No in-app purchases. No third-party ads. The instrument works offline. The standalone app may occasionally show developer news or an introduction to Pixelboop, which you can close immediately. Pixelsynth does not track you or collect the music you play. Open it. Touch a note. See where it takes you.

Screenshots

Heathcliff3 screens
Pixelsynth4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pixelsynth at every 9 days against Heathcliff's monthly. Pixelsynth also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Heathcliff against 5.0 for Pixelsynth. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 4 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Heathcliff ships an update monthly, Pixelsynth every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Heathcliff versus Pixelsynth: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHeathcliffPixelsynth
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Number of ratings14 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJuan Segoviade Bastion, Inc

In-app purchases

None

Heathcliff

No in-app purchases

None

Pixelsynth

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Heathcliff free?
Heathcliff is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pixelsynth free?
Pixelsynth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Heathcliff or Pixelsynth?
Heathcliff and Pixelsynth are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do Heathcliff or Pixelsynth have ads?
Neither Heathcliff nor Pixelsynth shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Heathcliff or Pixelsynth?
Heathcliff ships an update monthly, and Pixelsynth every 9 days. Most recently, Heathcliff was updated on October 24, 2026 and Pixelsynth on October 24, 2026.

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