Comparison

Cyclop for iPad vs SoundForest

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

Head to head
About

Cyclop for iPad

This app is a monophonic synthesizer designed to create powerful, deep bass sounds. It offers extensive sound design possibilities with a versatile modulation system, integrated effects, and real-time control. Ideal for electronic music production, it delivers unique and thick low-end frequencies.

Highlights
  • Monophonic bass synthesizer
  • Advanced sound design capabilities
  • Integrated effects sequencer
  • Versatile modulation system
  • Real-time control knobs
  • Preset browser with iCloud sync
  • Full MIDI support
Read full description

Cyclop is a monophonic synthesizer. It does one thing very well: delivering cutting-edge digital madness at the low end of the frequency spectrum to unleash monstrous bass sounds to the mobile world. Cyclop is the master of subs, beautifully controlling even the lowest notes, always sounding stomach-rumblingly thick. It uses mid/side processing to introduce stereo imaging between 250Hz and 4kHz. This ensures wide, interesting sounds that retain their punch and bass. There are no phasing issues, which means Cyclop cuts through the mix very nicely. Enjoy an incredible depth of sound design possibilities, great real-time control with the Wobble Knob and FX knob. Integrated effects sequencer, vast modulation system and the preset browser will take your inspiration to new levels. FEATURES AT A GLANCE: • Audio Unit v3 & Standalone • Monophonic Bass Synthesizer • 6x2 Synthesiser Engines, 10x2 Filter Engines • Analog Sync, FM, Sample Transformer, Spectromat, Saw Regiment, Phase Stressor • Vowel Filter Mode • Free Signal Flow for 2 Oscillators, Filters and Distortions. • Incredibly versatile modulation system • Multi FX Knob/Sequencer • Powerful Preset Browser with tagging and rating • Preset iCloud Sync • Full MIDI Support (Virtual, Network, External) • Transformer import: Audiocopy, Audioshare, Music Library • Ableton Link DJ Mag: “It is decidedly digital-sounding, but not in a bad way, and as the growing list of fans proves, it can be turned to good use in just about any electronic genre, past, present and (probably) future.” Rating: 9.5/10 Producer Spot: “Very good for his complexity, very versatile and easy to use if you need sub bass sound for your productions. Sugar Bytes offers High quality and good prices with all their products.” Rating: 9.5/10 Computer Music: “Anyone will find it powerful and unique-sounding, adding spice to existing tracks and inspiring new ones.” Rating: 4.5/5.0

About

SoundForest

Instantly compose music by tapping on unique musical creatures that represent notes. Create hypnotic tunes and build a musical ecosystem with various environments and pitch levels. Explore endless song possibilities with this intuitive mini music maker.

Highlights
  • Instant music loop composition
  • 160 unique musical elements
  • 4 distinct musical environments
  • Adjustable pitch levels
  • Create quick loops or mini songs
  • Endless song creation possibilities
Features
Read full description

SoundForest is a mini music maker that allows you to instantly compose a song using a collection of musical creatures. Compose a loop by tapping animal instruments and mix them into a hypnotic tune. Make a musical ecosystem with SoundForest. FEATURES: * Instantly compose awesome music loops * 160 elements, each a unique music note * 4 musical environments (SoundForest, ElectroJungle, SynthSavanna, EchoOcean) * 6 pitch levels for each music note * Make a quick loop or compose a mini song * Endless song possibilities TUTORIAL: 1. Listen to whatever the Alien says. 2. Creating music is best with headphones 3. Swipe and tap on the music note bar to select a music note 4. Tap on the song grid to add the music note to your song 5. Tap on the sky to pause or play your song 6. Double tap the sky to change you song's speed 7. Swipe the song grid over to make your song longer 8. Tap the menu button to return to the song modules 9. Tap a blank circle to create a new song 10. Swipe for more environments Visit Soundforestapp.com for more information.

Screenshots

SoundForest4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Cyclop for iPad at 4.7 against SoundForest's 4.2. SoundForest's advantage is ratings volume (449 vs 85) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, 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

Both are free to download. Cyclop for iPad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SoundForest 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

Cyclop for iPad holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SoundForest has 449 ratings behind it against 85, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Cyclop for iPad's written reviews are positive against 68% of SoundForest's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Cyclop for iPad versus SoundForest: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCyclop for iPadSoundForest
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (85 ratings) — better4.2 (449 ratings)
Positive reviews74.0% of reviews — better67.5% of reviews
Number of ratings85449 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.67.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size303 MB89 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSugar Bytes GmbHJustin Alexander

Customer experience

Cyclop for iPad

All ratings85 ratings
Positive95.3%
Neutral1.2%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews50 reviews
Positive74.0%
Neutral8.0%
Negative18.0%

SoundForest

All ratings447 ratings
Positive79.9%
Neutral9.2%
Negative11.0%
Written reviews200 reviews
Positive67.5%
Neutral15.0%
Negative17.5%

User reviews

Cyclop for iPad

From 85 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Beautiful and futuristic UI
  • 🎵 Amazing and unique sound possibilities
  • 💡 Powerful modulation options
  • 🎛️ Versatile and complex synth
  • 🎹 Great for electronic music producers

Room to improve

  • 🤔 Difficult to learn/use
  • 💸 Expensive for some users
  • 💻 High CPU usage
  • 🐢 Slow patch switching
  • 📱 UI elements too small on iPad Air

SoundForest

From 449 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎨 Cute and creative visuals
  • 🎶 Diverse and fun sound palette
  • 💰 Affordable unlock of full features
  • 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
  • 🤩 Engaging and entertaining music creation

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🔌 Ads not working to unlock features
  • 💳 In-app purchases not working as expected
  • 🔍 Limited ability to delete/modify songs
  • 🔊 Audio quality/tuning issues

Bugs and requests

Cyclop for iPad

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Sticky keys
  • App crashes
  • Unstable with Audiobus and Ableton Link
  • Patches don't change when selected
  • Notes get stuck
Show 2 more
  • User presets not recalling
  • Lags and freezes on older iPads

Requested features

8 requests
  • Tutorials for recording own sounds
  • More downloadable presets for simple users
  • Bigger search window for iPad Pro
  • Hotkeys
  • Sequencer
Show 3 more
  • Ability to limit keyboard to specific key
  • More presets for various genres
  • Update graphics for higher resolution

SoundForest

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Repeated tutorial loops
  • Restore purchases button not working
  • Compatibility issues on newer devices
  • Audio not working with headphones
  • Crashes when trying to unlock features

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to export/share created songs
  • Option to create longer/more complex songs
  • More themes, environments, and sound options
  • Customization and personalization features
  • Community features to discover and collaborate

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cyclop for iPad

One-time1
  • Cyclop Full Version$24.99
1 purchases

SoundForest

One-time1
  • Unlock Everything$1.99

Questions

Is Cyclop for iPad free?
Cyclop for iPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SoundForest free?
SoundForest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cyclop for iPad or SoundForest?
Cyclop for iPad is rated higher. Cyclop for iPad averages 4.7 out of 5 from 85 ratings, while SoundForest averages 4.2 from 449 ratings.
Do Cyclop for iPad or SoundForest have ads?
Neither Cyclop for iPad nor SoundForest shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cyclop for iPad or SoundForest?
Cyclop for iPad ships an update every 2 months, and SoundForest every 2 months. Most recently, Cyclop for iPad was updated on October 21, 2026 and SoundForest on October 24, 2026.

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