Comparison

PhaseRings vs EchoSketch

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

EchoSketch

Shape delay and reverb effects in real-time with a playable X/Y performance surface. Explore four distinct delay types and multiple reverb options, with extensive parameter control for unique sound morphing. Works as a standalone app or an Audio Unit plugin.

Highlights
  • X/Y performance surface for real-time sound shaping
  • Four distinct delay types: digital, analog, reverse, ping-pong
  • Spring, plate, and hall convolution reverb
  • Modulation and tone control for echoes
  • HOLD, LIFT, FREEZE, and MOTION performance gestures
  • Standalone app and AUv3 plugin compatibility
Features
Read full description

EchoSketch turns delay and reverb into a live, playable instrument. Shape your sound in real time using a responsive X/Y performance surface designed for intuitive touch expression. At its core are four great-sounding delays: digital, analog, ping-pong, and reverse. The range for each parameter and the XY axes direction can be set independently, allowing you to easily morph between sounds. It works as an Audio Unit plugin or standalone — iOS or Mac. Comprehensive Delays • Digital (patterned after a legendary '80s rack delay), Analog (warm, with tape-style pitch glide), Reverse, and Left/Right Ping-Pong • Delay times can sync to tempo or be set in milliseconds • Feedback features delay-dependent tone shaping — bright for short delays and darker for long ones Convolution Reverb • Stereo or mono Spring, Plate, and Hall • Reverb path is separate from the delay (same as vintage tape echo units), so repeats don’t get washed out Modulation and Filter • Analog-style modulation for chorused, warbly pitch echoes • Tone control — darken or brighten delays, with a center detent for flat Designed for Hands-On Performance • HOLD / LIFT — leave the XY cursor in place, or touch the pad for momentary delay sounds • FREEZE — set the current feedback into an infinite loop and play over it • MOTION — record a gesture on the XY pad and loop it Presets and More • Presets are transferable between hosts • Two looks — light "Trail" and dark "Glow" • Works standalone with live audio or as an AUv3 plugin • Universal — iPad/iPhone also gets you the Mac version — one purchase • Mac: after installing, open EchoSketch once to use it as a plugin in your DAW • Works in AUM, AudioBus, GarageBand, Logic, and other AUv3 hosts

Screenshots

PhaseRings3 screens
EchoSketch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PhaseRings at Free against EchoSketch's $7.99. PhaseRings also leads on ratings volume (16 vs 2). EchoSketch's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

PhaseRings is free to download; EchoSketch costs $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

EchoSketch holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PhaseRings has 16 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PhaseRings ships an update every 5 months, EchoSketch every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
PhaseRings versus EchoSketch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhaseRingsEchoSketch
PriceFree — better$7.99
Rating4.4 (16 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings16 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS16.0 — better17
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCharles MartinAvi Bortnick

Customer experience

PhaseRings

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

EchoSketch

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

PhaseRings

No in-app purchases

None

EchoSketch

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PhaseRings free?
PhaseRings is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is EchoSketch free?
EchoSketch costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PhaseRings or EchoSketch?
EchoSketch is rated higher. PhaseRings averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while EchoSketch averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do PhaseRings or EchoSketch have ads?
Neither PhaseRings nor EchoSketch shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PhaseRings or EchoSketch?
PhaseRings ships an update every 5 months, and EchoSketch every 2 days. Most recently, PhaseRings was updated on October 15, 2026 and EchoSketch on October 14, 2026.

Other comparisons