Comparison

SynthMaster Player vs Factory

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

Head to head
About

SynthMaster Player

This mobile synthesizer app provides a vast library of sounds for music production. It allows users to play presets, make limited edits, and access additional sound banks through in-app purchases. It integrates with other music apps and offers a built-in keyboard for immediate playability.

Highlights
  • Preset-based sound library
  • Limited parameter editing
  • XY pads for modulation
  • AUv3 and InterApp Audio support
  • Audiobus integration
  • Built-in keyboard with pitch/mod wheels
  • Scales functionality
Read full description

SynthMaster Player for iOS received "2016 Editor's Choice Award" from Electronic Musician Magazine! SynthMaster desktop version is voted as "The Best VST/AU Synth Plugin" by MusicRadar readers and also received "Gear of the Year" award from MusicTech Magazine for "Best Software Instrument" category. SynthMaster has received very positive reviews from acclaimed music technology magazines: "SynthMaster: The most powerful softsynth you may not have heard of" Keyboard Magazine "If ever there was a desert island synth, SynthMaster is it, covering all sonic bases with authority and a superb tone" Computer Music Magazine "Many developers say that they've produced the one and only synth you'll ever need, but we've always felt that was a dubious claim. In SynthMaster’s case, though, it’s one that rings true" MusicRadar INTRODUCTION SynthMaster Player for iOS is the MOBILE PLAYER VERSION of the award winning SynthMaster software synthesizer. It is targeted towards users who prefer to use presets rather than designing their own sounds during music production. Although it is a preset based player, users can edit the following preset parameters: 1) 8 easy parameters assigned by the sound designer 2) 2 XY Pads assigned by the sound designer 3) Effect bypass states and send amounts 4) Layer bypass states and volumes 5) Master volume, polyphony The free app comes with 100 factory presets. When users complete registration by entering their names and email addresses they receive another 100 factory presets as a bonus! After completing registration, users can upgrade to the Pro version of the app by purchasing the "Factory Presets" bank via In-App-Purchase (IAP). With the Pro Upgrade all of the 800 factory presets are loaded and also the following features are unlocked: 1. Users can save the changes they have made to the presets. 2. Users can purchase additional preset banks via In-App-Purchase (IAP). We currently have 28 additional preset banks that contain 1750 presets for various genres/styles. 3. Existing SynthMaster users can download their previously purchased SynthMaster preset banks inside the app, so that they don't have to purchase them again. 4. Existing SynthMaster users can export their own presets in SynthMaster v2.x and import them into SynthMaster Player for iPad using iTunes. AUv3 SynthMaster Player for iOS supports AUv3, you can add multiple instrument instances to your tracks. INTERAPP AUDIO SynthMaster Player for iOS acts as an source/instrument in InterApp Audio. We demonstrate in our user manual how to connect it to InterApp enabled DAW apps. AUDIOBUS SynthMaster Player for iOS acts as a source/instrument in AudioBus, with state saving enabled. We demonstrate in our user manual how to connect it to AudioBus enabled DAW apps. BUILT-IN KEYBOARD The built-in 2 octave keyboard with pitch and modulation wheels lets users play notes without having to connect an external MIDI controller to their iPad. With its Scale functionality, it shows the users the notes on the scale, and with its Chord functionality the user can play a certain chord by pressing a single note. MIDI SETTINGS SynthMaster Player for iOS supports CoreMIDI and also virtual MIDI. It acts as a virtual MIDI destination for other DAW apps. Midi input device, midi input channel, and receive midi beat clock settings can be adjusted from the MIDI Settings window. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Minimum Operating System Supported: iOS 9 Minimum Hardware Supported: iPad4, iPhone 5 and above Recommended Hardware: iPad Air and above, iPhone6 and above

About

Factory

Create complex and organic sounds with a powerful modular synthesizer. Explore a vast array of synthesis types, a deep modulation matrix, and dynamic signal flow. Easily find and morph between sounds with a built-in browser and crossfader.

Highlights
  • Modular synthesis with extensive modulation matrix
  • Multiple oscillator engines and synthesis types
  • Dynamic signal flow with 3-FX chain
  • Morph crossfader for sound transformation
  • Preset browser with tagging and rating
  • Sequencers, Arpeggiator, and Quantizer
Read full description

Made for complex and organic sounds, Factory sports a big modulation matrix with all kinds of features to create a wildlife of sounds. A vast array of DSP is ready to play: Analog style oscillators and filters, but also different flavors of wavetable synthesis, Wavetable driven Waveguide resonators and a 3-FX-Chain in a dynamic signal flow. With the Morph crossfader, sounds can be changed drastically, but always musically. The Preset Browser with tags and rating makes finding sounds easy and fun. Don´t miss out on super sonic modular mayhem and check Factory today! Key Features: • Poly Synth with Mod-Matrix and Sequencers • 2x10 Oscillator Engines • Sub-Oscillator with Ringmodulation • Noise Generator with 5 colors • 8-voice VA-Sync, Wavetable, Waveguide & Fractal Synthesis • 8x10 Mod Matrix with 36 targets • Morph Fader, 2 States & Copy/Paste • Envelopes and LFOs • Sample & Hold Modul • 4x Sequencers for all kinds of Gates and CV's, incl. 36 motion curves, uni/bipolar. • Arpeggiator, Intonation engine, Scale Quantizer • 11 Filter models & 3x Multi-Effect with drag 'n' drop signal flow • Audio Unit v3 & Standalone • Virtual, Network, External & Bluetooth MIDI • Ableton Link • MIDI Learn & Host Automation • Preset iCloud Sync • Preset Share

Screenshots

SynthMaster Player3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Factory at 4.9 against SynthMaster Player's 4.4. Factory also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 52%) and ratings volume (487 vs 55). SynthMaster Player's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. SynthMaster Player sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Factory sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Factory holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Factory has 487 ratings behind it against 55, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of SynthMaster Player's written reviews are positive against 81% of Factory's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SynthMaster Player ships an update every 3 months, Factory every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SynthMaster Player versus Factory: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSynthMaster PlayerFactory
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (55 ratings)4.9 (487 ratings) — better
Positive reviews52.1% of reviews81.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings55487 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS11.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size308 MB347 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKV331 AudioSugar Bytes GmbH

Customer experience

SynthMaster Player

All ratings55 ratings
Positive85.5%
Neutral5.5%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews261 reviews
Positive52.1%
Neutral16.1%
Negative31.8%

Factory

All ratings487 ratings
Positive97.3%
Neutral1.0%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews97 reviews
Positive81.4%
Neutral5.2%
Negative13.4%

User reviews

SynthMaster Player

From 55 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great sounds
  • 👍 Fantastic presets
  • 🚀 Excellent sound quality
  • 👍 Inspiring sounds
  • 👍 Rich and full synth sounds

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Buggy performance
  • 🐛 Presets not loading
  • 🐛 Unstable on newer devices
  • 🐛 Compatibility issues

Factory

From 487 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful synth engine
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use interface
  • 🎨 Vast sound design capabilities
  • 💡 Innovative modulation matrix
  • 🎶 Inspiring and unique presets

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
  • 🔌 Compatibility issues with other apps
  • 🖥️ Pixelated interface on high-res displays
  • 🔇 Note-sticking problems

Bugs and requests

SynthMaster Player

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes on startup
  • Purchased presets not loading
  • Stuck notes
  • Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
  • Audiobus and IAA issues

Requested features

6 requests
  • Ability to edit and create own sounds
  • Improved preset management
  • Better integration with DAWs and Audiobus
  • Background playback support
  • Larger on-screen keyboard
Show 1 more
  • More customization options

Factory

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Presets not loading correctly in DAW projects
  • CC assignment issues causing controls to freeze

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to modulate morph slider
  • Option to modulate effects parameters individually
  • Arpeggiator with retrigger on key press
  • Better integration with GarageBand and other DAWs

In-app purchases

13 purchases

SynthMaster Player

One-time13
  • Historical Synth Giants Vol 1$1.99
  • BigTone Signature Sounds Vol1$4.99
  • MK Expansion 2$4.99
Show 10 more
  • Nori Ubukata Art Rock Basics$4.99
  • Sounds of the World$4.99
  • Factory Presets (PRO Upgrade)$4.99
  • SynthMaster 2.7 presets$4.99
  • SynthMaster 2.8 Presets$4.99
  • Extra Factory Presets Bundle$9.99
  • SynthMaster EDM Bundle 1$13.99
  • Dawn Of Electronic Bundle$13.99
  • Synth Giants Bundle$13.99
  • Rob Lee EDM Bundle$19.99
1 purchases

Factory

One-time1
  • Factory Full Version$24.99

Questions

Is SynthMaster Player free?
SynthMaster Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Factory free?
Factory is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SynthMaster Player or Factory?
Factory is rated higher. SynthMaster Player averages 4.4 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Factory averages 4.9 from 487 ratings.
Do SynthMaster Player or Factory have ads?
Neither SynthMaster Player nor Factory shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SynthMaster Player or Factory?
SynthMaster Player ships an update every 3 months, and Factory every 4 months. Most recently, SynthMaster Player was updated on September 24, 2026 and Factory on August 12, 2026.

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