Synthecaster vs Prog Metronome
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Synthecaster
This app offers a unique polyphonic instrument that blends guitar and keyboard elements, allowing for diverse playing styles and sound generation. It features intuitive controls, motion modulation for expressive performance, and a powerful synth engine with extensive customization options.
- Polyphonic synth engine
- String-like key rows
- Motion Modulation for expressiveness
- MIDI controller functionality
- Built-in effects (flanger, chorus, delay)
- Customizable synth presets
- Inter-App Audio and Audiobus support
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Synthecaster fuses elements from guitars and keyboards into a full range polyphonic instrument that is intuitive, accommodates a wide variety of playing styles, and generates an even wider variety of sounds. The instrument allows for technical playing styles such as shredding and complex chord formation and can be used as a MIDI controller. Now with Motion Modulation, Synthecaster is more expressive than ever. - Keys are arranged in string-like rows (tuned in perfect fourths by default) - Sliding across keys in a row results in legato sliding or portamento gliding from note to note - Sliding a key up or down will bend its pitch in the same direction - Several notes can be played on the same row simultaneously - Simultaneously play up to 10 notes on iPad Pro, 7 notes on iPad, or 5 notes on iPhone - The entire keyboard spans over 6 octaves (not including the range added by oscillator tuning) - Tune each row individually - Highlight or show only the notes from any scale How Motion Modulation works: - Any slider-based synth parameter with blue or green text can be tapped to view its motion settings - The parameter can be modulated by the device's roll (tilting vertically clockwise or counterclockwise) or pitch (tilting upward or downward) - The position of the parameter's slider is the base setting for the parameter - Tilting the device modulates the value either from its base setting to its minimum or maximum setting depending on the tilt, the modulation amount, and the modulation direction. Synthecaster's audio is generated by a powerful and highly configurable polyphonic synth engine: - Dual oscillators with individual tuning - Filter with envelope sweeping - Amplifier ADSR envelope - Soft clip, hard clip, bitcrush, and downsampling distortion - LFO assignable to amplitude, filter cutoff, or oscillator tuning - Stereo flanger, chorus, and delay effects - Over 55 preloaded synth presets including 7 motion presets - Create custom presets and share them using AirDrop or Mail - High quality stereo audio output - Inter-App Audio support - Audiobus compatibility with state saving Synthecaster is Core MIDI compatible as a MIDI controller. In Multi Channel mode, MIDI messages are output in OMNI mode, where each MIDI channel represents a synth voice (channels 1-7 on the iPad, 1-5 on the iPhone). To best replicate Synthecaster’s polyphonic expressiveness, try setting a separate instrument voice for each channel. The following MIDI messages are supported: - Note on/off events, by touching and releasing keys - Pitch wheel change, by sliding a key up or down - Polyphonic legato ties by sliding across keys. Compatible with a variety of apps including Animoog and ThumbJam. - Legato pedal on/off for legato ties, by sliding across keys For best results, play through speakers or headphones. Note: Not recommended for iPhone 4 due to performance issues.
Prog Metronome
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Metronome for musicians who wish to practice to complex rhythmic ideas without fiddling around in DAWs. Features: - Polyrhythm and polymeter - Metric modulations and BPM changes - Any tuplet and subdivision - Nested pattern groupings and repeats - Per-beat volume and sound - Project save and export - Custom sound import - Custom color themes
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Prog Metronome at Free against Synthecaster's $0.99. Prog Metronome also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Synthecaster's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Prog Metronome is free to download; Synthecaster costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Synthecaster ships an update every 2 months, Prog Metronome every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Synthecaster | Prog Metronome |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (14 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 14 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 39 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Daniel Resnick | Zeyu Chen |
In-app purchases
Synthecaster
No in-app purchases
Prog Metronome
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Synthecaster free?
Is Prog Metronome free?
Do Synthecaster or Prog Metronome have ads?
Which is updated more often, Synthecaster or Prog Metronome?
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