Comparison

strng vs Retrocord

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

Head to head
About

strng

This app generates plucked string sounds using a physical modeling synthesis engine. It offers polyphonic voices, a built-in keyboard, and MIDI control. Shape your sound with delay and resonant filters, and integrate with other music apps.

Highlights
  • Physical modeling string synthesis
  • 16 voice polyphony
  • Built-in 25-key keyboard with aftertouch
  • MIDI controller support (USB/Wi-Fi)
  • Stereo ping-pong delay
  • Two-channel resonant filter with LFOs
  • Audiobus, IAA, and AUv3 support
Features
Read full description

Strng is a string synthesiser inspired by the karplus-strong algorithm. The physical modelling starts with a short burst of noise that then guided by a tuned delay buffer and string tension filter, generates plucked string like sounds. No samples are used. Strng is 16 voice polyphonic and can be controlled with an in app 25 key chromatic keyboard or connect prefered midi controller through USB or Wifi. To further shape the sound two post effects are available, a ping-pong stereo delay and two channel resonant filter controlled by two LFOs. Connect to other apps through AudioBus, inter app audio or load in DAWs as AUv3. +++ String synthesis engine +++ 16 voice polyphonic +++ Audiobus, IAA and AUv3 +++ Core MIDI, bluetooth midi and limited MPE +++ 25 multitouch keyboard with aftertouch control +++ Factory presets, save and load your own settings, drag'n drop from files app +++ Aftertouch modulation for attack, sustain, bit crush, resonant filter and detune lfo +++ Stereo ping-pong delay +++ Two channel resonant low pass filter LFOs

About

Retrocord

Features
Read full description

Retrocord is a retroactive multitrack audio recorder. It works like a tape that's always recording from your selected input, so when you play something worth keeping, you can save the last few minutes — after the fact. How it works Choose your audio input and a buffer length. Retrocord records silently in the background. When you want to keep what you just played, tap a duration to capture. The audio lands in your library as a recording you can play back, edit, organize, and export. Multitrack support Retrocord records every channel your audio input exposes, each as its own track. Connect a class-compliant multichannel USB audio interface — such as the Focusrite Scarlett series or similar — and capture individual inputs as separate stems. Mute and solo tracks during playback, then export them to your DAW to mix and arrange later. Edit before you export Retrocord lets you shape a capture without leaving the app: - Trim — set start and end points against a recording to keep only the part that matters - Split — cut a capture in two at the playhead to create separate recordings - Gain — adjust level in 3 dB steps, up to ±24 dB Your library, on every device Recordings live in an organized library — sessions hold captures, captures hold tracks — with waveforms, names, and durations at a glance. Your library syncs privately across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac through your own iCloud account. Lossless, and smaller Captures are stored as Apple Lossless (ALAC) — full 24-bit, 48 kHz quality at roughly half the size of uncompressed WAV. When it's time to move audio out, export individual tracks or a flattened mix as ALAC or 24-bit WAV, with your trim and gain applied. Use cases - Capturing jams and improvisations without arming a DAW - Recording stems from multichannel audio interfaces - Field recording, where the moment you want has already passed by the time you'd hit record - Interviews and spoken word, where restarting a conversation to get a clean take isn't an option - Practice sessions, rehearsals, and songwriting where good ideas surface unpredictably Details - Works with any class-compliant USB audio interface - Also supports the built-in microphone on iPhone and iPad - Stereo pairing toggle for interleaved L/R channels - Per-track mute and solo during playback - Non-destructive trim, split, and gain - Apple Lossless (ALAC) storage; export to ALAC or 24-bit/48 kHz WAV - Private iCloud sync across your devices, through your own iCloud account - No third-party account, no analytics — your recordings are yours

Screenshots

strng4 screens
Retrocord4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: strng at $4.99 against Retrocord's $19.99. strng also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.0). Retrocord's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

strng costs $4.99 and Retrocord $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

strng ships an update every 4 months, Retrocord every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
strng versus Retrocord: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterstrngRetrocord
Price$4.99 — better$19.99
Rating4.7 (35 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews84.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings35 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperErik SigthRocamr Labs, LLC

In-app purchases

None

strng

No in-app purchases

None

Retrocord

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is strng free?
strng costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Retrocord free?
Retrocord costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do strng or Retrocord have ads?
Neither strng nor Retrocord shows ads.
Which is updated more often, strng or Retrocord?
strng ships an update every 4 months, and Retrocord every 3 weeks. Most recently, strng was updated on October 7, 2026 and Retrocord on October 1, 2026.

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