Comparison

Phase84 vs Nambu

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

Head to head
About

Phase84

This app is a powerful phase distortion synthesizer that blends digital grit with analog warmth. It offers over 100 presets for various sounds and integrates with other music apps for a modular workflow.

Highlights
  • Over 100 presets
  • MIDI support
  • Inter-App Audio support
  • Tabletop Ready App integration
  • Advanced Keyboard section
  • Expressive Perform Mode
  • Stereo delay with loss modeling
Features
Read full description

Phase84 is a next generation phase distortion synthesizer. It fuses gritty digital sounds with traditional analog punch. +++++ Phase84 is a Tabletop Ready App. Combine Phase84 with drum machines, sequencers, effects, and more inside Tabletop — a free modular music app for iPad. +++++ Phase84 is an extremely capable synthesizer and features over 110 presets, containing all sorts of basses, leads, pads, bell tones, sweeps, atmospheric sounds, pseudo-realistic tones, and more. While you don't need to know much about synthesizers to get a lot out of Phase84, experienced synth tweakers will be thrilled at the sheer variety of unique sounds that can be produced with this incredibly versatile synth. So What's Phase84 All About? Phase84 is what's known as a Phase Distortion synthesizer. This form of waveshaping synthesis has its roots in Casio’s brilliant CZ line of digital synthesizers from the 80s. It is designed to have the warmth of a subtractive (analog) synthesizer, yet be capable of the squelchy tones and sharp attacks of an FM synth. Phase84 in particular can create warm pads, glitchy sounds, dirty basses, filthy sweeps, screaming leads, and anything in-between. For those familiar with the typical Moog-like (or iMini-like!) synthesis, think of the "shaper" as being synonymous with "brightness" or "filter cutoff”. Features: More than 100 presets. MIDI support. inter-App Audio support. Advanced Keyboard section. Expressive Perform Mode with Groove Gate. Tabletop Ready App. Precision Knob mode. Phat, naturalistic unison feature for super thick pads and sweeps. Oscillator Section: 9 Params, 2 General-Purpose Oscillators, 1 Formant Oscillator. Mix Section: 8 Params including Delay Amount and Pulse Width. Envelope Section: Amplitude and Shaper Envelopes. Fully visualized and interactive ADSR plus special Fade Param. Delay/Filter Section: Stereo delay with loss modeling and a punchy overdriven analog-style filter. 3 LFOs: More flexible than your average LFO, this has 4 waveforms, optional delay and repeat count, and can go into the audible frequency range.

About

Nambu

This app is a semi-modular FM synthesizer offering a unique sound design experience. It combines traditional FM operators with six distinct operator types, including analog-style oscillators, noise, filters, and resonators.

Highlights
  • Semi-modular FM synthesis
  • Six operator types
  • Analog synth-style oscillators
  • AM synthesis
  • Noise generator
  • Filters and resonators
Features
Read full description

NAMBU is a semi-modular FM synthesizer that allows you to create sounds by combining not only typical FM operators but also six different types of operators: analog synth-style oscillators capable of AM, noise, texture particles, filters, and resonators. For more detailed information about the product, please visit the website. The website offers detailed product descriptions, manuals and videos, as well as important notices. https://icegear.net/

Screenshots

Phase844 screens
Nambu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Nambu at 4.8 against Phase84's 3.8. Nambu also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 57%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 26 months). Phase84's advantage is price ($12.99 vs $16.00) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Phase84 costs $12.99 and Nambu $16.00 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Nambu holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 41 and 48 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Phase84's written reviews are positive against 92% of Nambu's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Phase84 ships an update every 26 months, Nambu fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Phase84 versus Nambu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhase84Nambu
Price$12.99 — better$16.00
Rating3.8 (41 ratings)4.8 (48 ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.5% of reviews92.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4148 — better
Update frequencyEvery 26 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRetronyms InciceWorks, Inc.

Customer experience

Phase84

All ratings41 ratings
Positive63.4%
Neutral12.2%
Negative24.4%
Written reviews46 reviews
Positive56.5%
Neutral15.2%
Negative28.3%

Nambu

All ratings48 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral2.1%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive92.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.0%

In-app purchases

None

Phase84

No in-app purchases

None

Nambu

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Phase84 free?
Phase84 costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nambu free?
Nambu costs $16.00, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Phase84 or Nambu?
Nambu is rated higher. Phase84 averages 3.8 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Nambu averages 4.8 from 48 ratings.
Do Phase84 or Nambu have ads?
Neither Phase84 nor Nambu shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Phase84 or Nambu?
Phase84 ships an update every 26 months, and Nambu fortnightly. Most recently, Phase84 was updated on October 20, 2026 and Nambu on October 21, 2026.

Other comparisons