# Sparkle vs Bark Filter

The clearest difference is price: Bark Filter at $3.99 against Sparkle's $9.99. Bark Filter also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Sparkle's advantage is review sentiment (96% vs 72%) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Sparkle costs $9.99 and Bark Filter $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sparkle holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 48 and 29 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of Sparkle's written reviews are positive against 72% of Bark Filter's.

Sparkle ships an update every 6 weeks, Bark Filter every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sparkle | Bark Filter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$3.99** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkle-cross-synthesis/id818477094/reviews)** | [4.8 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-filter/id1257672871/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **48** | 29 |
| Positive reviews | **95.8% of reviews** | 72.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 37 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [apeSoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/464660782) | [Harry Gohs](https://appshunter.io/developer/382428644) |

## What reviewers say

### Sparkle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkle-cross-synthesis/id818477094)

Transform audio by transferring the temporal structure of one sound to another while preserving spectral properties. Create unique sound transformations with advanced spectral hybridization algorithms. Ideal for musicians and sound designers seeking innovative audio manipulation.

**Highlights:** Spectral hybridization, Envelope preservation, Phase-sync processing, High-quality sound transformations, Temporal structure transfer, Spectral property preservation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Bark Filter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bark-filter/id1257672871)

This audio effect processor mimics the human ear's critical band filtering and compression. It offers a multi-band compressor with up to 27 bands for precise audio manipulation and analysis.

**Highlights:** Multi-band dynamic range compressor (up to 27 bands), Variable number of compressor bands, Threshold, Ratio, Attack, Release, Makeup Gain controls, Linear phase precision filters, Real-time spectrum analyzer, AudioUnit (AUv3), Inter-app audio, and Audiobus 3 compatible, Low latency live usage

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sparkle free?

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

### Is Bark Filter free?

Bark Filter costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sparkle or Bark Filter?

Sparkle is rated higher. Sparkle averages 5.0 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Bark Filter averages 4.8 from 29 ratings.

### Do Sparkle or Bark Filter have ads?

Neither Sparkle nor Bark Filter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sparkle or Bark Filter?

Sparkle ships an update every 6 weeks, and Bark Filter every 3 months. Most recently, Sparkle was updated on October 29, 2026 and Bark Filter on October 24, 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.*