# Roland Zenbeats — user reviews > 205 indexed App Store user reviews of Roland Zenbeats by Roland Corporation, rated 3.70/5 from 268 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roland-zenbeats/id1473380367/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roland-zenbeats/id1473380367.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 122 · 4★ 45 · 3★ 36 · 2★ 20 · 1★ 45 ## What do users think of Roland Zenbeats? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 🚀 Smooth workflow - 👍 Comprehensive feature set - 🎨 High-quality sounds - 💻 Cross-platform compatibility - 🤖 Powerful synth engine - 🎛️ Intuitive interface **Cons** - 🐛 Crashes and stability issues - 🔍 Confusing UI navigation - 💰 Expensive in-app purchases - 🔌 Poor MIDI integration - 🔋 Battery drain - 🕰️ Slow development pace **Commonly reported bugs** - Disappearing audio files - Unresponsive MIDI learn - Incompatibility with iOS 13 - Broken tutorial screens - Inconsistent plugin behavior **Most requested features** - Improved MIDI support - Audio file export options - Sidechain compression - Deeper synth editing capabilities - Audiobus/IAA compatibility - Customizable keyboard layout ## Newest reviews (21 of 205) ### 4/5 — It should be the best DAW, but sometimes it crashes at the worst time. *2026-02-12, version 3.1.12* I’m pretty sure the dev team is small and those guys probably read these comments. Matthew does great work and I realize they had/have their hands full with zenology gx. I think you should seriously take a look at releasing zc1 and zr1 as individual apps and making Zenbeats a closed ecosystem. In my opinion, get rid of auv3. (This is where most crashes come from in my experience). I would also start porting all the vsts in Roland cloud to Zenbeats devices. I would make sure all aira devices have compatibility and integration. For example if I connect my p6 to my phone and I’m in Zenbeats, the p6 should automatically show up as a new instrument. The transport controls should just work and the pads shouldn’t be affected by the key lock. This should happen with all Roland devices. Like a tr-1000 connected to an iPad Pro. It should show up as an instrument with all the sub tracks like a zr1. How does the sp404 have deep integration with koala but not Zenbeats? If you guys would ever hire someone that only knows JavaScript I’d love to work with the team. I’ve asked before on FB lbvs. Even as an intern. ### 3/5 — バックグラウンドでバッテリーを消費し続ける *2025-12-10* バックグラウンド・オーディオをオフに設定していても、バックグラウンドでバッテリーをかなり消費し続ける。他の DAW アプリでは、このようなことはない。学校等で使う iPad に入れる場合、家で充電し、いざ授業で使おうと思ったら、バッテリー切れということが起こるので、悩ましい。 今のところの対処法は、zenbeats のオーディオ設定で、オーディオデバイスが選択されていませんを、毎回オンオフするか、アプリの終了しかない。(大抵し忘れるが) もう一点、3拍子に設定した時の，ピアノロールの小節の区切り線の位置が4拍子のままなため、とても判別しにくい。 改善の検討をお願いします。 2025/12/10 時点 バージョン 3.1.12 **Developer response:** ご不便をおかけして申し訳ございません。レビューをご投稿いただきありがとうございます。カスタマーサポートポータルからお気軽にお問い合わせください。喜んでサポートさせていただきます。 https://www.roland.com/cloud/contact-us/ ### 4/5 — Great app needs added features though *2025-12-03, version 3.1.12* There is a learning curve and although there are other apps on iOS android that are easier to use, Zenbeats still has a lot of potential. Has good sounds out of the box and has expansions you can buy. You can also load your own samples into the drum machine if you have a library of sounds to work with. You can use AUv3 plugins as well so adding your virtual instruments and effects is possible. I think Roland should incorporate the SP 404 Mk ll with Zenbeats (so far only users of the Koala app and Serato Studio have access to that workflow, which is a pity since Roland owns Zenbeats and the SP). ### 4/5 — IOS18 small issue *2025-11-07, version 3.1.12* I really like this but since I’ve installed IOS 18 I have to change the default audio device every time I start a new track. ### 2/5 — A button to scroll through drum kits right next to button to play first sound is so % *^ing dumb. *2025-11-06, version 3.1.12* I have hundreds of drum kits. I’m not gonna scroll through them one by one to get to where I want. And it’s in a terrible spot. I like to actually play the pads. Except whenever I do the drum kit changes and ruins my work. Undo doesn’t undo it. And makes me only have one angry thing to say about it when people ask me about it. Rather than all the good stuff about it I actually like. Please fix. Please. ### 4/5 — Drum sampler *2025-09-02, version 3.1.12* I’ve been using Zenbeats for two years now and I love it. It has so much more potential too, but I really don’t understand why you can’t tone or pitch the different samples on the drum sampler like in koala I can make an option to tone the different samples if I want to, but I can’t do that on Z beats and that would make it force to be reckoned with if you could do more with the drum sampler such as being able to tone each and every sample instead of having to go through and manually pitch them. Like with midi controller! ### 4/5 — Really Great Value *2025-08-18, version 3.1.12* Zenbeats is a sometimes overlooked option that has a ton of capabilities for music creation. Being able to write in clips and later transition to timeline recording is nice. For a reasonable price yearly, a full unlock is so worth it. The cross OS platform capability is great. I can use different plugins on my phone and iPad vs on computer is cool. There are a few small workflow quirks that keep it from 5 stars, but they keep adding stuff to it and I enjoy using it regularly. I do have a Verselab and wish they would improve the integration with that device. Being able to use the app for deeper controls of FX and settings on hardware would be great. ### 2/5 — How do i use this in logic pro *2025-08-13, version 3.1.12* It wont show up in the plugin area were i get stuff like bsi I don’t know what im doing wrong ### 4/5 — Googleドライブの対応について *2025-06-29* タイトルの通り。iPadとAndroidスマートフォン、タブレットで試したが2025年6月30日現在では保存先をGoogleドライブにしようとするとあちら側に撥ねられてしまう。One Driveでは問題無し。改善できる問題だったら直して欲しい。 使用するプラットフォームでのアンロックを買えば、モバイル環境でスケッチをしてMac/Windowsで仕上げをする事が出来るので便利です。 ### 2/5 — Not good *2025-06-25, version 3.1.12* Roland makes some great things but all of their software is junk, this included. ### 3/5 — Needs an overhaul *2025-05-07, version 3.1.10* This app interface can do better.so confusing ### 4/5 — Very promising iPad DAW *2025-04-29, version 3.1.9* I ignored Zenbeats for a while because every time I opened it I was presented with a big clunky interface. Then - I discovered that the UI zoom level was defaulting to 170%. I set it to 100% - and wow, what a difference. This is actually a very usable DAW with tons of great sounds (note that I am a RolandCloud subscriber). My votes for improvement: make ZC1 a full ZenCore synth engine - I feel it's quite simplified currently, unless i'm misunderstanding something. Also - make ZC1 accessible as an AU in other DAWs (i'm primarily using Logic). Overall - i'm excited to have another credible DAW option on iPad! ### 3/5 — Suggestion *2025-03-10, version 3.1.9* Really need you guys to come up with your own solution for using the sp 404 mk 2 with ios/android ### 3/5 — もうひと超え！！挙動が、、、 *2025-02-17* とにかく挙動がぎこちない。まずまず落ちる。特にピアノロールでの打ち込みが気持ち悪い。音楽制作系アプリ、ライトユーザーですが。選択する基準はPCのDAWに近いGUIや操作感、機能で。この価格で他と比べるとほぼほぼの事を出来るこのソフトが自分として最良の選択でした。が、あまりに操作感にストレスがあるのでなんとももどかしい。UIがどうのというよりとにかく操作上の動きがカクツクとか突然あるボタンやノブが動かないとか。使っているデバイスのスペック不足ってのもあるかもしれませんが。iOSで使えるものであればやはり軽く作っていただきたいところ。PC以外のモバイルデバイスでDAWの様な物を使うメリットに、やはりタッチで操作するアナログ的な気持ち良さが自分としては大切だと思っているので。 そこがとにかく気持ち悪いので、そこさえなんとかなればDAW系としては申し分無いと思ってます。 **Developer response:** レビューをありがとうございます。あなたのフィードバックは非常にありがたく、メモしてあなたに伝えておきます。 ### 3/5 — Good *2025-01-29, version 3.1.8* Performance is not that great on m4 iPad Pro. Editing drum velocities and sample verse stutters the ui Overall it’s good on iPad easy to make beats and tunes but performance could be better. ### 4/5 — Très bon daw *2025-01-19* Très bon daw avec une bonne compilation des sons Roland et de très bons effets, mais la fonction synthétiseur est réduite à sa plus simple expression (filtre avec attack release et c’est tout). Ça serait pas mal de faire une version Zenology Pro sur iPad. **Developer response:** Heureux d'apprendre que vous aimez l'application ! Merci d'avoir laissé un avis réfléchi. Vos commentaires sont très appréciés et je les transmettrai pour vous. ### 4/5 — Roland d50 *2024-12-19, version 3.1.8* I would like to have the original vintage Roland d50 in this app we have iPad Pro now with m2 chip please bring the Roland d50 original sounds inside this app or ZENOLOGY for iPad Pro ### 3/5 — Where are the updates? *2024-11-10, version 3.1.8* I see potential but your development speed is like running under water, in a bad dream, on an incline with the wind against you! Are you a team of 0.25 people? Is zenbeats really developed by a quarter of a person, in their spare time? ^^ Now read that again and digest it all properly ^^ The scrum master should be fired. ### 3/5 — Slow development *2024-10-24, version 3.1.8* Not really much going on new…Roland doesn’t seem to care a lot about ZenBeats these days tbh …new features aren’t really being added ### 3/5 — Come on Roland *2024-09-23, version 3.1.7* iPadOS regards very highly of you, don’t give the chance to be ridiculed as people are always and will be trying to bring you down!Integrity Integrity integrity, don’t leave, The way you’re stepping up , A definite hall of famer in this New Dawn! ### 4/5 — Close but not ready yet *2024-09-05, version 3.1.7* I really really wanted to use this as my DAW but I ran into some dealbreakers. I don’t have the best eyesight so if I use any auv3 plugins they are to small to read and unusable. Using auv3 plugins also has some bugs as I’m sure you’re aware. Also I get popping sounds from my audio interface (komplete audio 6 powered via usb hub) and changing the buffer size doesn’t fix it. I don’t get this popping sound in other DAWs. I really like the u.i. And the workflow so I might try it again after you have some more updates. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — iPad mini5ですと *2026-03-15* iPad mini5ですと画面の右側が見切れます。スクロールもできないので設定ができない部分があります。旧機種は非対応でしょうか。 **Developer response:** この度はご不便をおかけしており、誠に申し訳ございません。また、レビューをお寄せいただきありがとうございます。よろしければ、弊社のカスタマーサポート窓口よりお気軽にお問い合わせください。喜んでサポートさせていただきます。 https://www.roland.com/cloud/contact-us/ ### 1/5 — User Interface is Horrible *2025-12-22, version 3.1.12* Out of all the apps that can make music on the iPhone, this user interface is the most cramped and unusable I’ve ever seen. There are constant pop-ups trying to sell a bunch of add-ons and the option to “Never Show Again” is unclickable. All of the buttons are too small. I want to use this app so badly but Roland appears incapable of hiring a UI/UX team that designs for modern devices. This feels like a low-res junk app for the iPhone 4. ### 1/5 — Waste of time and energy *2025-03-03, version 3.1.9* Doesn’t connect to VERSELAB Mv1 on this iPad mini 2 or my iPhone. Even when not connected, the app crashes when I choose ZC1. Roland fan here but this ain’t it. Wouldn’t have bought the VERSELAB if I’d known ### 1/5 — Auv3 Kompatibilität *2024-10-29* 48 Khz 24 Bit? Nicht möglich? **Developer response:** ​Es tut mir leid, dass Sie Probleme haben. Ich bin ein wenig verwirrt, was Sie erleben, aber wir helfen Ihnen gerne, wenn Sie uns über unser Kundensupportportal erreichen. https://www.roland.com/cloud/contact-us/ ### 1/5 — Leider instabil *2024-09-30* Anscheinend lässt Roland gerne kritische Kommentare löschen, aber ich schreibe nochmals was ich bei der Benutzung Unerfreuliches erlebt habe: Die App crasht nach kurzer Zeit der Benutzung. Etwas mehr Stabilität ist wünschenswert. **Developer response:** ​Es tut mir leid, dass Sie von der App enttäuscht sind. Ich garantiere Ihnen, dass niemand Kommentare löscht. Im App Store ist das nicht möglich. Wir freuen uns, wenn Sie eine Bewertung hinterlassen. Wenn Sie uns über unser Kundensupport-Portal kontaktieren, helfen wir Ihnen gerne weiter. https://www.roland.com/cloud/contact-us/ ### 1/5 — 選ぶ理由がなさすぎる *2023-11-14* Androidならまだしも、GarageBandがあるiPhoneでこれを選ぶ理由がない。問題点が多すぎる。 ・音が再生されない、勝手に止まる等のバグが多い ・日本語がおかしい ・オートメーションが絶望的に書きづらい ・無料で使える範囲が狭すぎる ・たまにワイヤレスイヤホンが反応しない など他にも探せば多くの問題点があるので星1とした。大人しくGarageBandにすべき。 **Developer response:** ​思慮深いレビューをありがとうございました。 皆様からのフィードバックは大変ありがたく、メモしてお送りさせていただきます。 弊社のカスタマー サポート ポータルを通じてご連絡いただければ、喜んでお手伝いさせていただきます。 https://www.roland.com/backstage/support ### 1/5 — 2 free trials then make an account. 3 crashes later. *2023-06-10, version 3.1.5* The crashes counted for usage. Totally pointless. ### 1/5 — Weak MIDI editing, no IAA, Single velocity sample layering *2023-06-03, version 3.1.5* UPDATE: VERSION 3.0 AND 3.1 destroy MIDI FX capabilities. They are completely GONE! Does no one at Roland ever use or try a MIDI effect? All my projects are unusable. If there is some new secret handshake to make them appear and be useable, please share it. As to the previous review below; MIDI FX allowed me to use a full featured MIDI editor like Atom or Helium (along with Rozeta plug ins) THAT NO LONGER WORKS. ---------------------------------------------- Why this would not be important is unfathomable. I keep waiting and meanwhile I stay with BeatMaker 3. BM3 has great MIDI editing AND a multilayer sampler. Bring those things to ZenBeats and you’ll have a serious contender. ### 1/5 — Need to pay to hide the browser window?? *2023-04-23* seriously?? I need to pay to hide the browser window which covers more than half of the screen and makes the app useless? I was considering purchasing but now seeing those shady methods marketing people use to get people to buy the product, no thanks, I don’t want to support such marketing oriented developers. **Developer response:** Hello! For $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year you can get access to our Max Unlock feature. We also have a few one time payment options listed in the link below. Thank you! https://support.roland.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050114191-Zenbeats-How-much-does-Zenbeats-cost-#:~:text=%2D%20Paid%20Roland%20Cloud%20members%20can,in%20the%20in%2Dapp%20store. ### 1/5 — Waste of time. *2023-03-14, version 3.1.4* I found that despite having paid I can’t actually export anything, so whatever I record can only be played back on my iPad. I think I’ll stick with AUM and Cubasis, at least they have the option to export songs. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — 音は悪くない *2026-08-07* 無線ヘッドホンだととにかく重い。遅延があるものなのでバッファが足りなくなるんだと思う。Air Podsでも気軽に打ち込みできるようにしてほしいな。 あと、タイムラインの打ち込みメインだと少し面倒。いいやり方があるのかな？ アンドゥがうまく機能しないことがあったり、楽曲のロード時にプラグインの設定がおかしくなるバグがたまに起こるね。なんでだろ。 **Developer response:** 遅延が高すぎるため、Zenbeats (またはプロオーディオアプリ)でワイヤレスイヤホンを使用することは推奨しない。 最高の音質と低遅延体験のために有線接続を使用すること。 ### 5/5 — Sp-404 Mkll Companion *2026-06-08, version 3.1.12* If you own a Roland Sp 404 Mkll, this app with your sp is a beast. The resampling feature of the sp from zenbeats and back into the daw is a powerhouse. And the sp can use this feature with any daw, this allows you to build a custom library of kits and loops for both. Don’t sleepRoland users,the two together is such a powerful workflow that many users overlook. ### 5/5 — もう少しで神アプリなんですが *2025-10-09* ZR1のgraph automationにfine tuneが欲しいです。 TR1000みたいにサンプルだけでなくシンセも入れて欲しい。そして一音一音いっぱいいじりたい。 **Developer response:** アプリを気に入っていただいて嬉しいです! 思慮深いレビューを残していただきありがとうございます。あなたのフィードバックは大変ありがたく、あなたに伝えさせていただきます。 ### 5/5 — LOVE THIS APP! *2024-09-06, version 3.1.7* This is an incredible vast app with everything I was looking for. Very glad there is a Desktop version as well to keep all work in sync. Thank You, ROLAND, ### 5/5 — Fonctionne parfaitement bien *2023-10-17* Après quelques années de bugs et autres plantages plus qu’agaçant les dev de chez Roland ont mis un coup de rein, et ça se sent ! En plus d’être de loin la plus complète des Daw sur IPad, Zenbeat fonctionne parfaitement bien ( IPad Pro 2021 ). Tout y est ou presque. Manque tout de même un sampler dans le style Quick Sampler de Logic avec possibilité d’importer de stretcher et de slicer ses samples ( comme dans BeatMaker 3 par exemple ) Encore un petit effort et on sera au top ! Merci d’avance ! **Developer response:** Merci beaucoup pour la critique ! Heureux d'apprendre que vous appréciez l'application. ### 5/5 — ZENBEATS FOREVER!! *2023-08-10, version 3.1.6* EASILY the best iOS DAW! The workflow is incredible! Sampleverse is the best kept secret weapon! My IG is @ImDopeAsFvck ! The effects “look” basic, but ARE the real deal! ZENBEATS FOREVER!! ### 5/5 — Super DAW *2023-06-20* Zenbeats has the best workflow on my IPad/IPhone/Windows. Now we have groups and an beat sampler. Please add a support for a clip launching controller and an strumming input to keys an pads. Thank you Roland. **Developer response:** Thank you for your review. ### 5/5 — My favorite DAW all around! *2023-03-23, version 3.1.5* Since my first use of ZenBeats, it has been the most effective way for me to go from an idea to a song. The fact that it runs on my iPhone, iPad and Mac makes it super flexible. I just wish it would provide hardware integration (like it does with the Verselab) for the MC-101 and MC-707. Good job Roland ! ### 5/5 — Polyvalent *2023-02-26* Malgré des avis assez négatifs, je continue à upgrader Zenbeats, et franchement je ne suis pas déçu. Certes, le design et la logique sont assez particuliers mais je m’y suis très bien adapté; la logique, une fois comprise s’avère plutôt agréable. Pour ce qui est des packs de sons, ils sont abordables et très corrects dès qu’on y ajoute quelques effets. Zenbeats est de toute façon suffisamment "ouvert" pour utiliser ses propres synthés si l’envie s’en fait sentir. Moins "tape à l’œil” que certains de ses concurrents (même s’ils sont parfois très performant), ouvert, polyvalent, Zenbeats est une application très intéressante 👍 **Developer response:** Merci beaucoup pour les notes et commentaires, et nous sommes si heureux que vous continuiez à profiter de Roland Zenbeats ! Nous améliorons et ajoutons constamment de nouvelles fonctionnalités, alors restez à l'écoute ! ### 5/5 — Please add Dropbox!!!!! *2023-01-13, version 3.1.3* I am an Ultimate subscriber. I love that this app is multi platform! Roland sounds are awesome! I would like to have the ability to share stems, mixes, and songs to my Dropbox. Great job Developers ! Please keep the updates coming! This app is just getting better and better. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-04.*