# Xkey Plus vs iSymphonic Orchestra

The clearest difference is price: Xkey Plus at Free against iSymphonic Orchestra's $9.99. Xkey Plus also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 12) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 12.0). iSymphonic Orchestra's advantage is rating (3.8 vs 2.9) and review sentiment (63% vs 36%). On update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Xkey Plus is free to download; iSymphonic Orchestra costs $9.99 up front. iSymphonic Orchestra sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Xkey Plus asks for nothing beyond the download.

iSymphonic Orchestra holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iSymphonic Orchestra has 103 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Xkey Plus's written reviews are positive against 63% of iSymphonic Orchestra's.

Xkey Plus ships an update every 3 months, iSymphonic Orchestra every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 6, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Xkey Plus | iSymphonic Orchestra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [2.9 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xkey-plus/id698087460/reviews) | **[3.8 (103 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isymphonic-orchestra/id892220800/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **103** |
| Positive reviews | 35.7% of reviews | **62.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ESI Audiotechnik GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1627424644) | [Christian Schoenebeck d/b/a Crudebyte](https://appshunter.io/developer/428367741) |

## What reviewers say

### Xkey Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xkey-plus/id698087460)

This app enhances the functionality of ESI Xkey musical keyboards on mobile devices. It allows users to update firmware, customize velocity curves, and configure key sensitivity and timings for an advanced user experience.

**Highlights:** Check for new Xkey firmware, Velocity curves editor, Configure Xkey sensitivity & timings, Access all Xkey parameters, Configure key & button assignments, Access Xkey documentation & support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### iSymphonic Orchestra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isymphonic-orchestra/id892220800)

This app provides sophisticated, realistic orchestral sounds for musicians. Connect a MIDI keyboard to your device to access a wide range of instruments for live performance or composition. It supports advanced audio and MIDI connections with other apps.

**Highlights:** Realistic orchestral instrument sounds, MIDI keyboard connectivity, Audio Unit and Inter-App Audio support, Low latency audio engine, Integrated effects with presets, MIDI recording and playback

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arpa Sound Set | $8.99 | one-time |
| Vento Sound Set | $8.99 | one-time |
| Pro Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Canto Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Boato Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Voce Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Varia Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Aulos Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Perla Sound Set | $11.99 | one-time |
| Cupra Sound Set | $16.99 | one-time |
| Corda Sound Set | $16.99 | one-time |
| Keys Sound Set | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Exceptional sound quality and realistic orchestral samples
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🎹 Highly responsive to MIDI keyboard input and expression controls
- 🔌 Seamless integration with DAWs like GarageBand, Cubasis, and AUM
- 🎼 Wide variety of articulations and instrument combinations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases for additional sound packs
- 🐛 Crashes when used as AU plugin with multiple instances
- ⚠️ Random loud distortion artifacts at unpredictable times
- 🎹 On-screen keyboard is too small and difficult to use
- 🔊 Inconsistent volume levels across different notes and instruments

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when using multiple AU instances in AUM
- GarageBand integration fails during export and audio merging
- Audio cuts out or plays only partially during export
- Track deletion causes complete app crash and data loss
- Reverberation artifacts on specific notes (C4, C5)

**Requested features**

- Ability to hide unowned sound packs for easier navigation
- Zoom function for keyboard section
- Adjustable attack and release envelope controls
- Filter to show only owned sounds
- Dedicated save/record/play controls on main screen


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Xkey Plus free?

Xkey Plus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is iSymphonic Orchestra free?

iSymphonic Orchestra costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Xkey Plus or iSymphonic Orchestra?

iSymphonic Orchestra is rated higher. Xkey Plus averages 2.9 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while iSymphonic Orchestra averages 3.8 from 103 ratings.

### Do Xkey Plus or iSymphonic Orchestra have ads?

Neither Xkey Plus nor iSymphonic Orchestra shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Xkey Plus or iSymphonic Orchestra?

Xkey Plus ships an update every 3 months, and iSymphonic Orchestra every 2 months. Most recently, Xkey Plus was updated on June 6, 2026 and iSymphonic Orchestra on September 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*