Comparison

WretchUp vs Pulsar

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

Head to head
About

WretchUp

This app offers a unique audio manipulation experience, allowing users to create sonic mayhem with pitch-shifted delays, filters, and sampling. It's designed for live performance and studio use, enabling musicians and sound enthusiasts to generate wild noises and unique effects.

Highlights
  • Pitch-shifted delay with feedback and filter
  • Live performance-oriented controls
  • Gesture-based play
  • Record vocals and instruments
  • Sample and manipulate loops
  • Inter-App-Audio and Audiobus support
Features
Read full description

An effect instrument anyone can play - sonic anarchy in the palm of your hand. iOS Mars: "Barely controlled chaos“, "sonic extremes“, "well suited for live use“ Music App Blog: "if you like the occasional dose of sonic mayhem, then this is an app that will let you make it" WretchUp is the sonic instrument from the imagination of Mouse on Mars Instruments. Used by the duo in their live performances, it's a playable effect inspired by analog hardware. Sing into it, speak into it, plug in an instrument, sample sounds, and then make sonic mayhem. It's been tested in Mouse on Mars' live shows and used in studio albums. But now it's available to anyone - whether you're a musician wanting to create unique sounds or you just want to make some wild noises and frighten friends and enemies. // FEATURES - Pitch-shifted delay with feedback and filter - Unique controls, designed to be used in live performance and tested onstage - Play with gestures, even without looking closely at the screen - Record vocals or instruments from the built-in mic or another input - Sample loops and change their speed - Adjust the feedback loop, pitch, and filter for unique sounds - Make inputs by holding down your finger, or lock input for continuous sampling - Inter-App-Audio supported - Audiobus supported www.mouseonmars.com/mominstruments Features artwork by Rupert Smyth. Pure Data-based, open source patch created by Florian Grote and Peter Kirn with Mouse on Mars. App design by Oliver Greschke. Powered by free and open source software libpd. Note: like all mic-based effects, you need to enable microphone input. If you accidentally did not allow mic input, you can allow later via: Device settings, WretchUp, Data settings, Microphone, allow mic input.

About

Pulsar

This music app provides a virtual drum machine with 8 pads for improvising and playing along to built-in rhythm presets. It features real-time rhythm switching, tempo control, and various effects. It also supports Ableton Link and MIDI for seamless integration with other music software and hardware.

Highlights
  • 8-pad drum machine
  • Built-in rhythm presets
  • Real-time rhythm switching
  • Tempo and accent control
  • Drive, reverb, and filter effects
  • Ableton Link synchronization
  • MIDI In/Out support
  • AUv3 compatibility
Features
Read full description

Make beats anywhere with Pulsar-ES, an authentic preset drum machine expanded into a mobile groovebox for iPhone and iPad. Inspired by the rare Soviet/Ukrainian PULSAR hardware, Pulsar-ES keeps the original industrial rhythm-box character while adding the missing modern features producers expect: MIDI editing, deeper FX, Ableton Link sync, AUv3 workflow, and mobile project control. Play ideas fast on the 4x2 drum pad grid, then turn them into full patterns with the MIDI Clip Editor. Draw, move, and resize notes directly on the grid so your rhythm stays editable after the first take. Shape your sound with a hands-on FX rack built for quick decisions: - Filter with low-pass, band-pass, high-pass, and notch modes - Reverb with room, hall, and plate spaces - Overdrive with overdrive, distortion, fuzz, and tube modes - Delay with digital, tape, and ping-pong modes - Chorus and compressor for extra movement and control Pulsar-ES also supports Ableton Link sync, project save/load, rhythm presets, and a portrait layout designed for making music on the go. Start a beat, edit every note, shape it with FX, and keep your ideas moving.

Screenshots

WretchUp3 screens
Pulsar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pulsar at 4.3 against WretchUp's 3.1. WretchUp's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 67%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

WretchUp costs $4.99 and Pulsar $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pulsar holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 7 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 91% of WretchUp's written reviews are positive against 67% of Pulsar's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
WretchUp versus Pulsar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWretchUpPulsar
Price$4.99$4.99
Rating3.1 (9 ratings)4.3 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews90.9% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings9 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB61 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMoMinstruments GbRDmytro Kiro

Customer experience

WretchUp

All ratings9 ratings
Positive55.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative44.4%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive90.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.1%

Pulsar

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%

In-app purchases

None

WretchUp

No in-app purchases

None

Pulsar

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WretchUp free?
WretchUp costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pulsar free?
Pulsar costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WretchUp or Pulsar?
Pulsar is rated higher. WretchUp averages 3.1 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Pulsar averages 4.3 from 7 ratings.
Do WretchUp or Pulsar have ads?
Neither WretchUp nor Pulsar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WretchUp or Pulsar?
WretchUp ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pulsar every 3 weeks. Most recently, WretchUp was updated on October 3, 2026 and Pulsar on October 17, 2026.

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