Nanologue vs SynthMaster Player
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Nanologue
This app offers a versatile collection of sounds and professional sound effects with an intuitive multi-touch interface. It features a monophonic synthesizer and brings VST 3 technology to iOS devices, usable standalone or with other audio applications.
- Inspiring sounds and professional sound effects
- Straightforward multi-touch interface
- Great-sounding monophonic synthesizer
- VST 3 technology on iOS
- Inter-App Audio support
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Nanologue boasts a wide scope of inspiring sounds and professional sound effects, sporting a straightforward multi-touch interface and a great-sounding monophonic synthesizer. Used stand-alone and in connection with your iOS host application via Inter-App Audio, Nanologue brings the power of VST 3 technology to the iOS platform.
SynthMaster Player
This mobile synthesizer app provides a vast library of sounds for music production. It allows users to play presets, make limited edits, and access additional sound banks through in-app purchases. It integrates with other music apps and offers a built-in keyboard for immediate playability.
- Preset-based sound library
- Limited parameter editing
- XY pads for modulation
- AUv3 and InterApp Audio support
- Audiobus integration
- Built-in keyboard with pitch/mod wheels
- Scales functionality
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SynthMaster Player for iOS received "2016 Editor's Choice Award" from Electronic Musician Magazine! SynthMaster desktop version is voted as "The Best VST/AU Synth Plugin" by MusicRadar readers and also received "Gear of the Year" award from MusicTech Magazine for "Best Software Instrument" category. SynthMaster has received very positive reviews from acclaimed music technology magazines: "SynthMaster: The most powerful softsynth you may not have heard of" Keyboard Magazine "If ever there was a desert island synth, SynthMaster is it, covering all sonic bases with authority and a superb tone" Computer Music Magazine "Many developers say that they've produced the one and only synth you'll ever need, but we've always felt that was a dubious claim. In SynthMaster’s case, though, it’s one that rings true" MusicRadar INTRODUCTION SynthMaster Player for iOS is the MOBILE PLAYER VERSION of the award winning SynthMaster software synthesizer. It is targeted towards users who prefer to use presets rather than designing their own sounds during music production. Although it is a preset based player, users can edit the following preset parameters: 1) 8 easy parameters assigned by the sound designer 2) 2 XY Pads assigned by the sound designer 3) Effect bypass states and send amounts 4) Layer bypass states and volumes 5) Master volume, polyphony The free app comes with 100 factory presets. When users complete registration by entering their names and email addresses they receive another 100 factory presets as a bonus! After completing registration, users can upgrade to the Pro version of the app by purchasing the "Factory Presets" bank via In-App-Purchase (IAP). With the Pro Upgrade all of the 800 factory presets are loaded and also the following features are unlocked: 1. Users can save the changes they have made to the presets. 2. Users can purchase additional preset banks via In-App-Purchase (IAP). We currently have 28 additional preset banks that contain 1750 presets for various genres/styles. 3. Existing SynthMaster users can download their previously purchased SynthMaster preset banks inside the app, so that they don't have to purchase them again. 4. Existing SynthMaster users can export their own presets in SynthMaster v2.x and import them into SynthMaster Player for iPad using iTunes. AUv3 SynthMaster Player for iOS supports AUv3, you can add multiple instrument instances to your tracks. INTERAPP AUDIO SynthMaster Player for iOS acts as an source/instrument in InterApp Audio. We demonstrate in our user manual how to connect it to InterApp enabled DAW apps. AUDIOBUS SynthMaster Player for iOS acts as a source/instrument in AudioBus, with state saving enabled. We demonstrate in our user manual how to connect it to AudioBus enabled DAW apps. BUILT-IN KEYBOARD The built-in 2 octave keyboard with pitch and modulation wheels lets users play notes without having to connect an external MIDI controller to their iPad. With its Scale functionality, it shows the users the notes on the scale, and with its Chord functionality the user can play a certain chord by pressing a single note. MIDI SETTINGS SynthMaster Player for iOS supports CoreMIDI and also virtual MIDI. It acts as a virtual MIDI destination for other DAW apps. Midi input device, midi input channel, and receive midi beat clock settings can be adjusted from the MIDI Settings window. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Minimum Operating System Supported: iOS 9 Minimum Hardware Supported: iPad4, iPhone 5 and above Recommended Hardware: iPad Air and above, iPhone6 and above
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nanologue at none against SynthMaster Player's 13. Nanologue also leads on review sentiment (68% vs 52%) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 11.0). SynthMaster Player's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 49 months) and rating (4.4 vs 4.0). On price, ratings volume and ads 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
Both are free to download. SynthMaster Player sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Nanologue asks for nothing beyond the download.
SynthMaster Player holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 82 and 55 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of Nanologue's written reviews are positive against 52% of SynthMaster Player's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Nanologue ships an update every 49 months, SynthMaster Player every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Nanologue | SynthMaster Player |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (82 ratings) | 4.4 (55 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 67.6% of reviews — better | 52.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 82 — better | 55 |
| Update frequency | Every 49 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 11.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 308 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH | KV331 Audio |
Customer experience
Nanologue
SynthMaster Player
Bugs and requests
Nanologue
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
SynthMaster Player
Reported bugs
5 issues- Crashes on startup
- Purchased presets not loading
- Stuck notes
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- Audiobus and IAA issues
Requested features
6 requests- Ability to edit and create own sounds
- Improved preset management
- Better integration with DAWs and Audiobus
- Background playback support
- Larger on-screen keyboard
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- More customization options
In-app purchases
Nanologue
No in-app purchases
SynthMaster Player
- Historical Synth Giants Vol 1$1.99
- BigTone Signature Sounds Vol1$4.99
- MK Expansion 2$4.99
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- Nori Ubukata Art Rock Basics$4.99
- Sounds of the World$4.99
- Factory Presets (PRO Upgrade)$4.99
- SynthMaster 2.7 presets$4.99
- SynthMaster 2.8 Presets$4.99
- Extra Factory Presets Bundle$9.99
- SynthMaster EDM Bundle 1$13.99
- Dawn Of Electronic Bundle$13.99
- Synth Giants Bundle$13.99
- Rob Lee EDM Bundle$19.99









