Comparison

Jam Synth vs Pegboard

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

Head to head
About

Jam Synth

Transform your guitar into a synthesizer with this app. It accurately tracks pitch and amplitude to control digital oscillators, offering unique synth leads and effects. Go beyond MIDI with expressive, organic sounds and advanced modulation options.

Highlights
  • Monophonic guitar synthesizer
  • Pitch and amplitude tracking
  • Multiple oscillator wave shapes
  • Dynamic filter tracking
  • Advanced FX section (LFO, Delay, Harmonizer, etc.)
  • MIDI output for external synths
  • High-accuracy pitch tuner
Read full description

Jam Synth is a fully featured monophonic guitar synthesizer / multi FX for iOS. It tracks the pitch and amplitude of an incoming guitar signal and uses this information to control digital oscillators, adding a unique guitar infused edge to your synth leads. Unlike typical pitch to MIDI converters, Jam Synth forgoes MIDI altogether when producing sounds internally because it is impossible to shoehorn the expressive pitch and dynamics of a stringed instrument into the MIDI standard. Jam Synth can accurately track string bends and vibrato with the extreme accuracy of a strobe tuner (1/10 of 1 cent) to produce much more organic synth sounds than other guitar to MIDI converters, including its own MIDI output (though its MIDI output still creates quite a unique guitar / synth hybrid sound because of its pitch bend abilities). It also features some of the most esoteric and unique FX you can get for your guitar. Features: • 3 Phase Distortion Oscillators (4 on iPad) with 8 different wave shapes: Saw, Square, Pulse, Double Sine, Saw-Pulse, Resonant 1, Resonant 2, and Resonant 3 • Filter can be set to track picking dynamics • Input section with Gate, Compressor, ADSR, and Input Filter • FX section - A fully featured LFO with 5 wave shapes and an invert switch for a wide range of pulsating effects - Stereo Delay with a stereo width control for ping pong effects and a filter for emulating analog delay - 3D Chorus, a classic "motionless" chorus that adds a stereo DIMENSION to the synth - Intelligent Harmonizer: This creates musically correct harmonies based on the key you are playing in. The harmonies can be altered by choosing a specific interval and one of the seven musical modes: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. It works on MIDI output using multi-channel pitch bending for synths that support such fancy things. It also works on your dry guitar output using high quality formant corrected pitch shift. It is just the best. - Rotary Vibe: This recreates the swirling psychedelic sounds of the 1960's by combining a thick 12-stage stereo phaser with a 3D rotary panning effect. Create anything from a slow stereo swirl to a futuristic synth organ with this. - Rainbows: Adds analog modeled auto rainbows to your sound. Adds extra rainbows when used with the harmonizer. - Time Stopper: Freezes time... • LFO / Stereo Delay / Rotary Vibe can be synced to tap tempo or incoming MIDI clock sync / Inter App Audio sync • Highly accurate pitch tracking and tuner, accurate to 1/10th of a cent • MIDI OUT and guitar to MIDI conversion for controlling other MIDI synths with your guitar through Core MIDI accessories and Virtual MIDI • string bends and vibrato are converted to MIDI pitch wheel data • picking dynamics are converted to MIDI volume expression data • compatible with guitar and audio interfaces made for iPhone and iPad • detailed user manual • Fat Bass • Super Chip Leads • Beagle Time • Little Cesars Jam Synth is designed to be easy to use even for users who don't have a lot of experience programming or playing synthesizers. When in doubt, just press buttons and turn knobs while plucking a string until you find a sound you like! J a m S y n t h 2 coming soon ---------------- http://www.facebook.com/PrimitiveDigitalSoftware

About

Pegboard

This app offers an intuitive mobile wavetable synthesizer with a virtual analog filter. It features a harmonic table keyboard layout that highlights scales for easy improvisation and chord playing. The free version provides extensive sound design capabilities, while a pro upgrade unlocks MIDI controller functionality.

Highlights
  • Harmonic table keyboard layout
  • Scale highlighting for improvisation
  • Virtual analog filter
  • 8-voice polyphony
  • 7 effect modules
  • 16-row modulation matrix
  • MIDI over USB (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Pegboard is a mobile synth designed to make playing music more intuitive. The app is a full-featured mobile subtractive synthesizer with a virtual analog filter. Use it as a melody writing app, music scale finder, or just as a MIDI keyboard controller. How you use it is completely up to you. The keyboard is arranged in a harmonic table layout. Scales you choose are highlighted for easy improvisation. Each chord has a simple shape that is the same in every key. This layout greatly simplifies playing chords, borrowing chords, and modulating between keys. Music theory apps tend to impose constraints and can be uninspiring. Pegboard will give you an intuitive feel for harmony and allow you to come up with your own amazing riffs all through improvisation. Most of the app features are free. The synth is fully playable and programmable in the free version. Included in the free version: • Over 400 unique scales. • 70 factory presets. • 16-voice polyphony. • 4 oscillators. • 7 effect modules. • 16-row modulation matrix. • Unlimited use, no ads. Included in the pro version: • Unlimited saved presets. • MIDI over USB. The pro version is available as an in-app purchase. It will allow you to use the app as a MIDI controller. You can then connect the app to your DAW or another synthesizer.

Screenshots

Jam Synth4 screens
Pegboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Jam Synth at 5.0 against Pegboard's 4.3. Jam Synth also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 56%) and ratings volume (28 vs 9). Pegboard's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months). 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

Both are free to download. Jam Synth sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Pegboard sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Jam Synth holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Jam Synth's written reviews are positive against 56% of Pegboard's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Jam Synth ships an update every 4 months, Pegboard weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Jam Synth versus Pegboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJam SynthPegboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (28 ratings) — better4.3 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews84.2% of reviews — better55.6% of reviews
Number of ratings28 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB109 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDerek MesecarBrandon Murray

Customer experience

Jam Synth

All ratings28 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive84.2%
Neutral10.5%
Negative5.3%

Pegboard

All ratings9 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative22.2%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive55.6%
Neutral11.1%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Jam Synth

One-time4
  • Intelligent HarmonizerFree
  • Rotary VibeFree
  • RainbowsFree
Show 1 more
  • Time StopperFree
1 purchases

Pegboard

One-time1
  • Pegboard Pro$19.99

Questions

Is Jam Synth free?
Jam Synth is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pegboard free?
Pegboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Jam Synth or Pegboard?
Jam Synth is rated higher. Jam Synth averages 5.0 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Pegboard averages 4.3 from 9 ratings.
Do Jam Synth or Pegboard have ads?
Neither Jam Synth nor Pegboard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Jam Synth or Pegboard?
Jam Synth ships an update every 4 months, and Pegboard weekly. Most recently, Jam Synth was updated on October 6, 2026 and Pegboard on October 14, 2026.

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