Comparison

SLAP vs PLICATA

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

Head to head
About

SLAP

Capture everyday sounds and transform them into music. Record, trim, and arrange your own audio samples on responsive pads to create unique beats and songs. Unlock advanced features and unlimited kits through in-app purchases or by watching rewarded ads.

Highlights
  • Record and import audio samples
  • Non-destructive sample trimming
  • Adjust sample volume, pitch, and speed
  • Create and arrange patterns into songs
  • Nine responsive playable pads
  • Export and import custom kits
  • Apply audio effects with Pro version
Read full description

Your world is full of sounds. SLAP turns them into beats. Record a clap, tap a desk, snap a pencil, or capture something wonderfully weird. Drop each sound onto a colorful pad, trim it until it hits just right, and start playing. SLAP stands for Sample, Loop, Arrange, Play—a focused beat-making flow that stays fun instead of feeling like homework. MAKE IT YOURS • Record sounds with your iPhone microphone • Import audio you already have • Trim samples non-destructively with detailed waveform controls • Adjust volume, pitch, and speed • Choose whether repeated hits restart or overlap • Name and customize every pad BUILD A BEAT • Play nine responsive pads • Capture taps into simple one-bar patterns • Switch between four patterns • Arrange patterns into an eight-bar song • Record a live performance or export your arranged song • Export and import kits to share them START FAST, THEN GET WEIRD Factory kits give you a quick starting point, but SLAP is built around sounds that are yours. Create three custom kits free, then watch optional rewarded ads to unlock up to three additional kit slots. GO FURTHER WITH SLAP PRO Unlock SLAP Pro with one purchase—no subscription. • Create unlimited custom kits • Save and reuse favorites with Your Sounds • Chop one recording of up to 30 seconds into an entire kit • Shape pads with Echo, Space, Crush, Wobble, Tone, and Reverse effects No account required. Your samples, kits, songs, and recordings stay on your iPhone unless you choose to export or share them.

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
Currently charting
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. The keyboard can output 12-TET MIDI or preserve microtonal tuning through pitch bend with ±1, ±2, ±12 and ±24 semitone ranges. 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. 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 microtonal MIDI output • Factory and user presets with complete-state recall • Complete-state generation with GEN • Standalone and AUv3 operation Support, bug reports and feature requests: support@alessandroguardascione.com

Screenshots

SLAP4 screens
PLICATA3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SLAP at Free against PLICATA's $7.99. SLAP also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). PLICATA's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On ratings volume, 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

SLAP is free to download; PLICATA costs $7.99 up front. SLAP sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PLICATA asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SLAP holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of SLAP's written reviews are positive against 67% of PLICATA's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SLAP ships an update weekly, PLICATA every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
SLAP versus PLICATA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSLAPPLICATA
PriceFree — better$7.99
Rating5.0 (8 ratings) — better4.5 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings8 — better4
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#108 — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPATRICK H WALKERAlessandro Guardascione

Customer experience

SLAP

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

PLICATA

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SLAP

One-time1
  • SLAP Pro$1.99
None

PLICATA

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SLAP free?
SLAP is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PLICATA free?
PLICATA costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SLAP or PLICATA?
SLAP is rated higher. SLAP averages 5.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while PLICATA averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.
Do SLAP or PLICATA have ads?
SLAP shows ads; PLICATA does not.
Which is updated more often, SLAP or PLICATA?
SLAP ships an update weekly, and PLICATA every 2 days. Most recently, SLAP was updated on October 19, 2026 and PLICATA on October 30, 2026.

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