# Gridplay vs SmashCut Visual Synth

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SmashCut Visual Synth at 100% against Gridplay's 36%. SmashCut Visual Synth also leads on price (Free vs $1.99) and rating (4.9 vs 2.4). Gridplay's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 40 months) and ratings volume (77 vs 14). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

SmashCut Visual Synth is free to download; Gridplay costs $1.99 up front. Gridplay sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SmashCut Visual Synth sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SmashCut Visual Synth holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gridplay has 77 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Gridplay's written reviews are positive against 100% of SmashCut Visual Synth's.

Gridplay ships an update monthly, SmashCut Visual Synth every 40 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gridplay | SmashCut Visual Synth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.4 (77 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gridplay/id861216052/reviews) | **[4.9 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smashcut-visual-synth/id1493237895/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **77** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 40 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 14 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.3** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peta Vision](https://appshunter.io/developer/401432180) | [Secret Base Design](https://appshunter.io/developer/413007812) |

## What reviewers say

### Gridplay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gridplay/id861216052)

Create dynamic, multi-clip music videos with an innovative grid interface. Combine and divide cells, adjust individual clips, and add music to produce unique visual content for social media.

**Highlights:** Multi-clip grid interface, Combine and divide cells, Independent clip sound control, Timeline editing, Clip rotation and scaling, Save to camera roll, Share to social media

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Expend video length to 5minute | $0.99 | one-time |


### SmashCut Visual Synth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smashcut-visual-synth/id1493237895)

Control video playback and transformations using MIDI messages, similar to how musicians control audio samplers. Set cue points, trigger playback, and manipulate video in real-time for presentations, live streaming, or creative video art.

**Highlights:** Load and cue video from camera roll, Control playback with MIDI notes, Transform video with MIDI CC messages, Built-in MIDI controller for second device, Wi-Fi based device connection, Universal app for iOS and Mac

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Watermark Removal | Free | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gridplay free?

Gridplay costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is SmashCut Visual Synth free?

SmashCut Visual Synth is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Gridplay or SmashCut Visual Synth?

SmashCut Visual Synth is rated higher. Gridplay averages 2.4 out of 5 from 77 ratings, while SmashCut Visual Synth averages 4.9 from 14 ratings.

### Do Gridplay or SmashCut Visual Synth have ads?

Neither Gridplay nor SmashCut Visual Synth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Gridplay or SmashCut Visual Synth?

Gridplay ships an update monthly, and SmashCut Visual Synth every 40 months. Most recently, Gridplay was updated on September 29, 2026 and SmashCut Visual Synth on September 18, 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.*