Comparison

PhaseRings vs Refader

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PhaseRings

Create expressive music with intuitive touch gestures. Explore various sound schemes and generative composition tools to craft unique musical pieces. Supports MIDI and Audiobus for advanced integration.

Highlights
  • Expressive touch gesture music creation
  • Seven unique sound schemes
  • Generative composition engine
  • Customizable pitch compositions
  • Core MIDI support
  • AudioBus and Inter-App Audio support
Features
Read full description

PhaseRings is a musical instrument for performing expressive music with touch gestures. Anyone can create a beautiful piece of music with our sound schemes and generative composition engine! Each ring on the screen represents a different pitch, and you can tap and swirl on each ring to create combinations of long and short notes. The angle and size of your tap will change the timbre of the notes you create! New in version 3.0, PhaseRings is also an AUv3 Audio Unit plugin. Load it as an instrument in hosts like AUM, GarageBand, Logic Pro for iPad, and Cubasis — play the rings inside your host, run several instances at once, drive it from MIDI tracks, and record it through your host's effects. PhaseRings includes seven expressive "sound schemes" featuring percussive sounds like marimba and singing bowls as well as pure synth sounds like phase and string synthesis. Four "compositions" of pitches are included in the app, but you can also create your own custom composition by choosing three base notes and scales. PhaseRings will do the rest, generating a series of great setups from the harmony you choose! Features: - AUv3 Audio Unit instrument for AUM, GarageBand, Logic Pro, Cubasis, and other hosts - 7 sound schemes - 4 built-in compositions - Custom generative composition - 11 scales and modes - Core MIDI in and out for iOS MIDI accessories and MIDI-enabled apps - VoiceOver support and light/dark appearance

About

Refader

Control MIDI devices and hosts remotely via USB or Wi-Fi. Connect your device to a computer using "Audio MIDI Setup" to establish a networked MIDI session.

Highlights
  • MIDI fader controller
  • Control MIDI devices
  • Control MIDI hosts
  • USB connectivity
  • Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Networked MIDI sessions
Features
Read full description

Refader is a MIDI fader controller to control MIDI devices and hosts via USB or wi-fi sessions. To connect to your computer, use "Audio MIDI Setup" and join the networked MIDI session on the "MIDI Studio" app.

Screenshots

PhaseRings3 screens
Refader3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Refader at every 2 days against PhaseRings's every 5 months. PhaseRings's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.2). On price, review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PhaseRings holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 6 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 80% and 80% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PhaseRings ships an update every 5 months, Refader every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PhaseRings versus Refader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhaseRingsRefader
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (16 ratings) — better4.2 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews80.0% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.2
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCharles MartinPedro Yamada

Customer experience

PhaseRings

All ratings12 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative15.0%

Refader

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

In-app purchases

None

PhaseRings

No in-app purchases

None

Refader

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PhaseRings free?
PhaseRings is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Refader free?
Refader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PhaseRings or Refader?
PhaseRings is rated higher. PhaseRings averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Refader averages 4.2 from 6 ratings.
Do PhaseRings or Refader have ads?
Neither PhaseRings nor Refader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PhaseRings or Refader?
PhaseRings ships an update every 5 months, and Refader every 2 days. Most recently, PhaseRings was updated on September 30, 2026 and Refader on September 29, 2026.

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