Comparison

TraceSonic vs PLICATA

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

Head to head
About

TraceSonic

Transform images into unique sounds by drawing on a spectral canvas. This app uses brush strokes and imported images to generate additive synthesis, offering a creative way to craft musical instruments and soundscapes.

Highlights
  • Draw on spectral canvas
  • Import images to create sound
  • 128 additive oscillators
  • Multiple brush types
  • Pitch snapping to scales
  • MIDI note input
  • Save custom patches
Features
Read full description

TraceSonic turns pictures into sound. Paint directly on a spectral canvas and hear each mark become part of a playable additive instrument: horizontal position is time, height is pitch, and brightness controls the level of each partial. Start with an empty canvas and draw with solid, soft, textured, tapered, or harmonic brushes. Fill the canvas with generated patterns, or import an image and turn its brightness into sound. Pitch snapping keeps freehand marks on your selected scale. Shape your sound with: • 128 additive oscillators spanning four octaves • Seven classic waveforms and 12 built-in wavetables • Forward, reverse, and ping-pong scanning • Adjustable pass length and tempo-synchronized loops in compatible Audio Unit hosts • MIDI note input for retuning the complete canvas • More than 60 factory patches, including tones, sequences, gestures, textures, drones, and sound effects • User patches that save the canvas and its synthesis settings • Solid, harmonic, soft, textured, and tapered brush families • Undo, redo, erasing, pitch snapping, and scale selection Use TraceSonic as a standalone instrument on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, or load its AUv3 instrument in a compatible host.

About

PLICATA

This is a compact monophonic synthesizer for hands-on sound design and performance. It features a morphing oscillator, wavefolding, a resonant filter, and a flexible VCA contour, with an independent SUB oscillator for added depth. A 28-socket patch system allows for extensive audio, CV, and event routing.

Highlights
  • Morphing oscillator with wavefolding
  • Independent SUB oscillator
  • 28-socket patch system
  • Microtonal XY keyboard
  • 32-step arpeggiator
  • Performance macros
  • AUv3 support
Features
Read full description

PLICATA is a compact patchable monophonic instrument for hands-on sound design and performance. A morphing oscillator feeds wavefolding, a resonant filter and flexible VCA contour, while an independent SUB oscillator adds octave, interval and eight waveform modes. PATCH IT The 28-socket patch system opens audio, CV and event routing. Modulate FOLD without replacing the oscillator path, reset the LFO externally, replace the internal SUB source, control SUB level by CV, distribute modulation through MULT, or build feedback and audio-rate networks. Patch cables are recalled with your sounds. MICROTONAL XY PERFORMANCE The 13-key XY keyboard spans C4–C5. Tune every key independently by ±100 cents or start from 12-TET, Just Intonation, Pythagorean and quarter-tone templates. Horizontal movement adds pitch expression up to ±24 semitones; vertical movement can map each key to as many as eight sound parameters or performance macros. PERFORMANCE VIEW + 32-STEP ARPEGGIATOR Tap PERF for an expanded keyboard-focused surface. The arpeggiator follows INTERNAL, HOST or MIDI clock and offers UP, DOWN, UP/DOWN, AS PLAYED, RANDOM, WALK, CONVERGE, DIVERGE and CHORD styles across up to four octaves. Build patterns from 1 to 32 steps with independent pitch, octave, velocity, gate, probability and ratchet lanes. HOLD captures the note pool; FILL creates a momentary variation. Adjust swing, gate, velocity behavior, probability and ratchets live. Rotate patterns, create temporary MUTATE variations, FREEZE the result, and recall seven ARP scenes with optional MIDI keyswitch control. MACROS, MIDI AND SYNC Six bounded performance macros shape tone, motion, fold, envelope, drive and level. IGNITE is editable: choose multiple targets, ranges and response curves, then store the mapping independently from sound presets. Play compatible instruments from PLICATA’s built-in keyboard using MIDI or MPE OUT, with independent pitch expression for each note in MPE mode. PLICATA also supports MIDI/MPE input, host sync and externally reset or free-running LFO operation. COMPLETE SOUND STATES PLICATA ships with 20 factory sounds and a full user-preset system. User sounds recall synthesis, patch cables and performance configuration together. Search, organize, favorite, duplicate and tag sounds, or use GEN to create a complete new musical state without overwriting your library. USER presets share the same library between standalone and AUv3. Optional private iCloud sync keeps them available across devices using the same Apple Account. Local presets remain available offline; sync requires network access and available iCloud storage. STANDALONE + AUv3 Use PLICATA standalone or as an AUv3 instrument inside compatible Apple music hosts. FEATURES • Morphing oscillator, wavefolding and pulse-width shaping • Independent SUB oscillator with interval and eight waveform modes • Resonant filter, ADSR articulation and drive • 28-socket audio, CV and event patch system • 13-key microtonal XY keyboard with independent tuning • Dedicated PERFORMANCE view with expanded keyboard • 32-step arpeggiator with nine styles and three clock modes • Per-step pitch, octave, velocity, gate, probability and ratchet • HOLD, FILL, rotate, MUTATE/FREEZE and seven ARP scenes • Six performance macros plus editable IGNITE • MIDI/MPE input and built-in keyboard MIDI/MPE output • Factory and user presets with complete-state recall • Complete-state generation with GEN • Standalone and AUv3 operation Explore PLICATA: https://trambustissimo.com/#plicata Support: support@alessandroguardascione.com

Screenshots

TraceSonic4 screens
PLICATA3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TraceSonic at 5.0 against PLICATA's 4.6. PLICATA's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 9 days) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

TraceSonic costs $7.99 and PLICATA $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TraceSonic holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PLICATA has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TraceSonic ships an update every 9 days, PLICATA every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
TraceSonic versus PLICATA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTraceSonicPLICATA
Price$7.99$7.99
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.6 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews—66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings15 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerr6 appzAlessandro Guardascione

Customer experience

TraceSonic

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

PLICATA

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

None

TraceSonic

No in-app purchases

None

PLICATA

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TraceSonic free?
TraceSonic costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is PLICATA free?
PLICATA costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TraceSonic or PLICATA?
TraceSonic is rated higher. TraceSonic averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while PLICATA averages 4.6 from 5 ratings.
Do TraceSonic or PLICATA have ads?
Neither TraceSonic nor PLICATA shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TraceSonic or PLICATA?
TraceSonic ships an update every 9 days, and PLICATA every 3 days. Most recently, TraceSonic was updated on October 31, 2026 and PLICATA on November 8, 2026.

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