# Caustic vs Mela

The clearest difference is price: Mela at Free against Caustic's $9.99. Mela also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). Caustic's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 18.0). On ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Mela is free to download; Caustic costs $9.99 up front. Mela sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Caustic asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mela holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 178 and 80 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Caustic's written reviews are positive against 85% of Mela's.

Caustic ships an update every 4 months, Mela every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Caustic | Mela |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.6 (178 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caustic/id775735447/reviews) | **[4.8 (80 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mela-auv3-synth-fx-midi/id1668299428/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **178** | 80 |
| Positive reviews | 57.8% of reviews | **85.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 52 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rejean Poirier](https://appshunter.io/developer/775735450) | [Nikolozi Meladze](https://appshunter.io/developer/1612048764) |

## What reviewers say

### Caustic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caustic/id775735447)

Create music with a virtual synthesizer and sampler rig. Build your sound by adding up to 14 machines, including synths and drum machines. Features a mixer, effects, and a song sequencer for real-time audio production.

**Highlights:** Virtual analog subtractive synthesizer, Multi-sample wave synthesizer, Sampling drum machine, Effects rack with 20 effect types, Mixer desk with EQ and effects, Song sequencer, AudioBus and AudioCopy/Paste support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and feature-rich
- 👍 Intuitive workflow
- 🎨 Excellent sound quality
- 💸 Great value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 🔇 No Bluetooth audio support
- 📁 Difficulty accessing/exporting files
- 🔧 Needs more updates and bug fixes

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes on newer iPhones
- Interface scaling problems on larger screens
- Unresponsive controls in certain scenarios

**Requested features**

- Bluetooth audio support
- Improved file management and export options
- More synth/instrument options
- Expanded effects and mixing capabilities


### Mela

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mela-auv3-synth-fx-midi/id1668299428)

Create complex synthesizers, audio effects, and MIDI processors with a modular music-making tool. Design instruments from simple patches to intricate custom setups, with a vast library of modules and extensive modulation capabilities.

**Highlights:** Modular instrument design, Polyphonic synthesis, Audio effect creation, MIDI processing, AUv3 plugin support, Extensive module library, Sample-accurate modulation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Collection 1 | $24.99 | one-time |
| Collection 2 | $24.99 | one-time |
| Collection 3 | $24.99 | one-time |
| Collection 4 | $24.99 | one-time |
| Collection 5 | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Caustic free?

Caustic costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mela free?

Mela is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Caustic or Mela?

Mela is rated higher. Caustic averages 3.6 out of 5 from 178 ratings, while Mela averages 4.8 from 80 ratings.

### Do Caustic or Mela have ads?

Neither Caustic nor Mela shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Caustic or Mela?

Caustic ships an update every 4 months, and Mela every 2 weeks. Most recently, Caustic was updated on October 29, 2026 and Mela on October 30, 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.*