BAND BOY vs Dexed Synth
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BAND BOY
Enhance your instrument practice with a versatile tool that offers vocal, LR, and bass cuts for karaoke-style sessions. Adjust key and speed, integrate with other audio apps, and utilize various effects and recording capabilities.
- Vocal/LR/Bass Cut
- Key and Speed Control
- Inter App Audio Integration
- Microphone/Guitar Input
- Various Effectors
- Recording Functionality
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BAND BOY is the BEST tool for instrument practice with plenty of awesome features! BAND BOY will absolutely help you practice instruments in lots of ways. [VOCAL/LR/BASS CUT] Use Vocal Cut for a vocal practice like KARAOKE! Play a part of your favorite band with a guitar/piano-reduced sound by LR cut or a bass-reduced sound by Bass cut! [KEY/SPEED CONTROL] You can change the key and the speed. Control the key and the speed freely as you like for the practice! [INTER APP AUDIO] You can use effect applications of Inter App Audio such as "Amplitube". Moreover this application is available on other applications such as "Garage Band" as sound sources of Inter App Audio. [MICROPHONE(LINE) INPUT/VARIOUS EFFECTORS] Connect to a microphone or a guitar through an audio interface with a 3.5mm 4 pole plug!*2 Reverb, EQ etc. various effectors are available.*3 You can also switch effectors using "iReg Blueboard". (Please execute pairing of it and an iOS device by iRig Blueboard app, and change the setting to "CONTROL CHANGE MODE".) [RECORDING] Recording system is certainly equipped!*4 You can take out the recording file through iTunes. There are plenty of other useful functions on BAND BOY. Surely brings you a marvelous experience, download BAND BOY now! *1 Download add-on within the application. *2 Interfaces using a DOCK connector are not available. Internal microphone is effective when normal stereo earphones are connected. *3 To use more than two effectors at the same time, purchase "Release Effector Restriction". *4 To record longer than 20 seconds, purchase "Release Recording Time Restriction".
Dexed Synth
This app brings a powerful FM synthesizer to your mobile device, offering a vast library of sounds. It integrates with popular DAWs and supports external MIDI controllers for enhanced control and performance.
- FM Synthesizer port
- Over 20,000 cartridges with 32 patches each
- AudioUnit AUv3 plugin support
- MIDI controller input via USB
- Lock scroll and parameter locking
- MIDI CC mapping
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A port of Dexed, a FM Synthesizer. Features over 20,000 Cartridges with 32 patches each. Comes with AudioUnit AUv3 plugin for use inside AUM and other DAW apps like GarageBand. Get a camera kit and plug in a midi controller through USB, or get a 5-PIN DIN 1/in 1/out, to: USB and use the camera kit through USB MIDI Spec, NOTE: some devices handle SysEx differently and therefore we cannot promise support for SysEx, so invest in connectors and cables wisely. If you have questions involving making MIDI-USB work the best for your situation, email support. This iOS app was designed especially with small interfaces in mind. Example: an iPhone 5S or a resizable window inside AUM. If one clicks the menu eye, a feature LOCK SCROLL can be –very– important to set knobs, sliders, et cetera: if screen size is limited. LOCK PARAMs in the eye menu locks the parameters for scrolling without knocking loose the preset. In the CARTs menu double tap a cartridge to load a series of patches, the files will have a .syx extension. To use MIDI CC, in the menu eye you must first turn on MIDI CC. When MIDI CC is on it makes the tap events react like a right mouse button click. NOTE: MIDI CC, in eye menu, doesn't have to be on after CC controls are mapped. MIDI CC touch modifier will also turn off after you have successfully mapped a CC control, or when you delete the current mappings. You can turn it on again later to turn off mappings or create new CC mappings. I would suggest setting CC knobs in the bottom section of the screen – above keyboard (if visible). Currently you must save patch in DAW – for instance: GarageBand or AUM. Once we can determine unity and saving/loading between the AUv3 plugin and the StandAlone app, external save will be eventually developed. There is a pathway set to transfer .syx files through iTunes to the StandAlone app, only. Other plans include fixing pixelated images, a quick zoom to set CC mode and updating GUI to a higher degree, make sure midi CC knobs update.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: BAND BOY at Free against Dexed Synth's $3.99. BAND BOY also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.1) and review sentiment (50% vs 29%). Dexed Synth's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (43 vs 1). On ads 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
BAND BOY is free to download; Dexed Synth costs $3.99 up front. BAND BOY sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Dexed Synth asks for nothing beyond the download.
BAND BOY holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dexed Synth has 43 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of BAND BOY's written reviews are positive against 29% of Dexed Synth's.
BAND BOY ships an update every 5 months, Dexed Synth every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BAND BOY | Dexed Synth |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 3.1 (43 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better | 28.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 43 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 105 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Hiroaki Iwai | George Rosar |
Customer experience
BAND BOY
Dexed Synth
In-app purchases
BAND BOY
- Release Effector Restrictions$0.99
- Release Recording Time Restrictions$0.99
- Release Advertisement$0.99
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- Release All$1.99
Dexed Synth
No in-app purchases









