# Sample Crate — Simple fast sample manager > Mobile sample library manager with instant preview and pad playback. (iPhone/iPad app by Cristina Buga.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sample-crate/id1593900129 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Cristina Buga](https://appshunter.io/developer/973024381) - Category: Music, Productivity - Price: $2.99 - Rating: 4.70/5 from 44 App Store ratings · 28 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 16 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2021-11-10 - Data updated: 2026-08-10 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sample-crate/id1593900129/reviews.md ## What is Sample Crate? Sample Crate allows you to swiftly browse all your sample library on your mobile device. It can instantly preview any sample by just tapping it. If you like a particular sample you can add it to the Crate Player where you can play them via pads like on your favorite instrument. Top features: • Instant play any sample from your iOS device. • Create sample kits by tagging your files • Tags & Favorites are synced via iCloud • Play your samples via pads • Export sample chains to use in your favorite hardware sampler or any other iOS Apps • Batch rename your samples • Extract audio from videos or screen recordings. • Use it side by side with Any other iOS app and just drag over your favorite samples. And much more coming. ## Key features - Instant sample preview - Create sample kits with tags - Play samples via pads - Export sample chains - Batch rename samples - Extract audio from videos ## Recent user reviews (10 of 28) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sample-crate/id1593900129/reviews.md ### 1/5 — Abandoned app. *2026-03-04* Avoid it. On iPad, if you’e in portrait view, you can’t even access your crates. You have to rotate to landscape view in order to see the button. Ridiculous. And since it’s an abandoned app it’ll never get fixed. ### 1/5 — Abandoned app. *2026-02-26* Avoid it. ### 4/5 — Would love a duplicate-cleaner function… *2025-12-18* If you’re anything like me, your devices are brimming over with a gazillion audio files - samplepacks, field recordings, etc. - and after a while it catches up with you… storage isn’t infinite. So this is a great tool to get a bird’s eye view, so to speak, and be able to pluck ‘em up like an eagle instead of futzing around through the subfolders you created (or didn’t) trying to recall where you saved it. @dev - a super useful tool I would love to see would be a duplicate file cleaner like already exists for duplicate photos… tells you where you have two or more identical sounds, which is higher resolution, you get the idea. Thx!!! **Developer response:** Thanks for the nice review! I appreciate it! I'll take your info into account, but I'm not sure at the moment how to tackle the issue ### 5/5 — Wow *2025-03-18* Excellent app glad I found this works falsely ### 4/5 — Tames Sample Profusion! *2025-02-21* If you’re anything like me, your devices are brimming over with a gazillion audio files - samplepacks, field recordings, etc. - and after a while it catches up with you… storage isn’t infinite. So this is a great tool to get a bird’s eye view, so to speak, and be able to pluck ‘em up like an eagle instead of futzing around through the subfolders you created (or didn’t) trying to recall where you saved it. @dev - a super useful tool I would love to see would be a duplicate file cleaner like already exists for duplicate photos… tells you where you have two or more identical sounds, which is higher resolution, you get the idea. Thx!!! ### 5/5 — Wow! *2024-12-27* Immensely useful. This app works in an almost similar manner to the Ableton Live Browser (which I love). Auto-Plays samples as well as midi. Tagging is going to be wonderful. I am glad I found this app before starting to catalog my samples/loops etc... Works with cloud storage. Thank you so much for writing this absolutely fabulous program. **Developer response:** Wow, thanks for the heartwarming review. I'm so glad you like it and find it useful! ### 4/5 — App Support? *2024-01-20* The is no contact info on the dev site, so I had to post my concerns here. I like the app and enjoy the advantages it provides, however, I do have two issues. I am struggling with the batch renaming function, which is one of the main reasons I purchased it. After selecting files, I hit “rename” and receive an error message which basically says that the app needs write permission access to the parent folder I hit “grant access” and I’m taken back to the inside of the folder where the list of samples reappears, but they are now deselected. I hit “open,” type the desired file name and long press “rename.” Nothing happens. I went to settings to confirm that all the permissions available for the app were granted. Same result. It just does not work for me. Any thoughts? Also, the app replaces the icons for all of my my files that it interacts with. Yes, there is an option to disable this behavior, but it doesn’t return the file icons to their normal state. I deleted the app which did work, but when I reinstall it, all the files that I had previously auditioned return back to the black/orange sample crate icons. I even tried restarting the device. The replacement of icons should be disabled by default and offered as an option, in my opinion . How can I fix my icons? As I mentioned, I enjoy the app, but would like to see some revisions or at least a workaround for the above issues, especially the batch renaming. Thanks **Developer response:** Hi, sorry if you had troubles with the app. There's a Send Feedback button directly in the app that is linked to my personal email address. Please use that button so we can get in touch for the renaming bug. As for the icons, after I introduced the button to disable that "feature", nobody said it doesn't work. Sorry to hear that. I"m gonna remove the custom icons for good. Apparently nobody likes "dark mode" :D ### 5/5 — Easier sample management *2024-01-19* If you have your own sample packs, this will make it so much easier. “Files” works but if you want to preview a file it goes to a new window and then have to go back to the previous page to drag it. If you don’t remember what it was it’s a pain in the butt. This does it without that issue. Worth it ### 5/5 — Essential iOS app for musicians *2023-06-01* Finally an easy way to preview audio with one click. I use it to add samples to Logic Pro (iPad) and it’s so seamless it seems like a native feature. Seriously, this is a life saver and time saver. ### 5/5 — You need this *2023-02-13* If you do any audio work on the iOS platform, this is an app you need. I put it right up there with AudioShare and Audiobus (along with a plethora of of apps I always suggest to people who are branching out to make music on their iOS devices) but this is a needed app. It is just as important to me as Apple implementing the file system. The ability to access my files in a cohesive way and also organize them is fantastic. It seems like such a basic concept, but Apple is always late to the game when it comes to audio on iOS. It always takes a brilliant and small developer to come up with simple solutions that we all take for granted. As someone who has been making music on their iOS devices since 2011 I can tell you how nice it is to not have to jump through hoops like we had to just evil six or seven years ago. I also beta test many apps and have been beta testing for over 10 years so I see a lot of crappy audio apps that just want money and it is so nice and refreshing with a small developer comes around and makes a game changing app that is not price gouging us. This app is so affordable. I feel like I’m cheating the developer. It’s always updated and does far more than we all think it does. Midi preview, video to audio, and other little gems are a great thing to have especially when you have hundreds or even thousands of samples to deal with. I don’t know how anyone could give this app under five stars just because they can’t change the icon color. It is a real shame that we ask so much of certain apps without understanding just how hard and time-consuming they are to make. Thank goodness this developer has made such a crucial and needed app that in my humble opinion, will go on as one of the apps that has helped iOS audio into main stream production. I am in no way affiliated with this app. I’m just a huge fan and a a satisfied customer. To the developer. Thank you for making this app. You have saved me hours of endless headaches. **Developer response:** Thank you so much! I really appreciate you for taking the time to write this. This is what drives us small developers to get better. Also I'm super glad you find it as useful as I do! ## Frequently asked questions about Sample Crate ### What does Sample Crate do? Sample Crate is a mobile application designed to help you manage and interact with your sample library. It allows for instant previewing of samples, creating custom kits, and playing them using pads, similar to a musical instrument. ### What are the key features of Sample Crate? Key features include instant playback of any sample from your device, the ability to create sample kits by tagging files, iCloud syncing for tags and favorites, pad-based sample playback, and the option to export sample chains for use in other applications or hardware samplers. ### Is Sample Crate free to use? Yes, based on the provided information, Sample Crate is available for free. It does not have in-app purchases or advertisements. ### What kind of devices is Sample Crate compatible with? The application is designed for iOS devices, allowing you to browse and manage your sample library directly on your iPhone or iPad. It also supports side-by-side usage with other iOS apps. ### How can I use Sample Crate in my music workflow? You can use Sample Crate to quickly find and audition samples, organize them into playable kits, and then export these kits for use in your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) or hardware samplers. It also facilitates easy transfer of samples to other iOS music apps. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.1.3 — 2023-02-13 This is a quick quality of life update for SampleCrate. More stuff coming! What's new: • Fixed drag to export. Now it's a separate button. Also let's not forget about: • MIDI File preview • Set playback volume – tap the top toolbar button • Option to disable the custom icons set by SampleCrate on wav files. It might take a bit until iOS recaches them • Other bug fixes ### 1.1.2 — 2022-12-31 Hey, Happy Holidays! This is a quick quality of life update for SampleCrate. More stuff coming! What's new: • MIDI File preview • Set playback volume – tap the top toolbar button • Option to disable the custom icons set by SampleCrate on wav files. It might take a bit until iOS recaches them • Other bug fixes ### 1.1.1 — 2022-12-29 Hey, Happy Holidays! This is a quick quality of life update for SampleCrate. More stuff coming! What's new: • MIDI File preview • Set playback volume – tap the top toolbar button • Option to disable the custom icons set by SampleCrate on wav files. It might take a bit until iOS recaches them • Other bug fixes ### 1.1 — 2022-12-29 Hey, Happy Holidays! This is a quick quality of life update for SampleCrate. More stuff coming! What's new: • MIDI File preview • Set playback volume – tap the top toolbar button • Option to disable the custom icons set by SampleCrate on wav files. It might take a bit until iOS recaches them • Other bug fixes ### 1.0.23 — 2022-01-03 Happy New Year! • Fixed dragging multiple files from the crate to other apps (Koala in particular) • Batch rename now works with external folders. You just need the samples to be in the same folder, and grant access to that folder. • Various bug fixes & improvements. • Laid foundation for new exciting features. ## Apps similar to Sample Crate | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [FL Studio Mobile](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fl-studio-mobile/id432850619) | 3.8 (577) | $14.99 | Music | | [Skratch It](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skratch-it/id6474067478) | 4.7 (27) | $3.99 | Music | | [AudioLayer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audiolayer/id1381478666) | 4.4 (178) | $12.99 | Music | | [Samplr](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samplr/id560756420) | 4.7 (149) | $19.99 | Music | | [Sitala](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sitala/id1605657678) | 4.8 (57) | $9.99 | Music | | [Sample Shuffler](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sample-shuffler/id6748366243) | — | $0.99 | Music | ## More apps by Cristina Buga - [PayBacks](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paybacks/id973145698) - [Food Mood](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/food-mood/id1052721877) - [Samplist](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samplist/id1347142920) - [Batch WaterMarker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/batch-watermarker/id1438399124) - [Ampere Watch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ampere-watch/id6502711943) All apps by Cristina Buga: https://appshunter.io/developer/973024381 --- *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 2026-08-10.*