Comparison

Fugue Machine vs Ruismaker

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

Head to head
About

Fugue Machine

This music sequencer uses multiple playheads to create complex melodic patterns inspired by Baroque and serialist composition techniques. Manipulate speed, direction, and pitch to generate unique soundscapes.

Highlights
  • Multi-playhead piano roll
  • Manipulate speed, direction, and pitch
  • Create complex melodic patterns
  • Inspired by Baroque and serialist music
  • Supports MIDI, AUv3 MIDI, Ableton Link
  • Inter-App Audio and Audiobus compatibility
Features
Read full description

A music sequencer reimagined with multiple playheads. "How Bach would have made a sequencer." (Create Digital Music) "A musical feat." (Creator's Project) "A new approach to sequencing." (XLR8R) "A next generation music sequencer." (Ask Audio) Fugue Machine Classic is a tool inspired by composition techniques used in Baroque music and Serialism — e.g. Bach’s canons and fugues, and Schoenberg’s twelve-tone technique. The idea was to design a tool to manipulate a melody’s speed, direction, and pitch, as well as play multiple variations of the melody simultaneously. As it turned out, the best implementation for this was to reimagine one of the most fundamental building blocks of all music sequencers: the piano roll. Fugue Machine Classic is the world’s first multi-playhead piano roll. Create a music sequence and play it back with up to four playheads at once — each at various speeds, directions, pitches, and more. Watch the playheads dance, and hear the complex patterns that emerge. It’s mesmerizing. Fugue Machine Classic supports iPhone, iPad, MIDI, AUv3 MIDI, Ableton Link, Audiobus, Audiobus 3 MIDI, and Inter-App Audio. Thanks to the AUv3 standard, you can run multiple instances of Fugue Machine Classic on a single device when hosted in an AUv3 MIDI host app — like AUM, Logic Pro for iPad, Loopy Pro, and Cubasis.

About

Ruismaker

This app is an analog drumsynth that creates sounds using authentic synthesis algorithms, not samples. It features a creative Euclidean sequencer for pattern programming and integrates seamlessly with AUv3 hosts like Garageband. It offers customizable sound models and MIDI control for flexible music production.

Highlights
  • Analog and FM synthesis sound modeling
  • Sample-free sound generation
  • Euclidean sequencer
  • AUv3 compatibility
  • MIDI CC control
  • WAV and MIDI export
  • Ableton Link sync
Features
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What the reviews say: "A must-have drum synth for electronic music lovers on iOS" - Keyboard Mag "All of this comes together in a vision that’s really playable [...] this is another excellent choice for the iPad." - CreateDigitalMusic "Small, compact and easy to use, Ruismaker is both inexpensive and a perfectly credible choice if you are after solid drum synth sounds." - MusicAppBlog -- Ruismaker is a unique drumsynth plugin (i.e. it does not use samples), which is coupled with a creative Euclidean sequencer when run in standalone mode. The plugin is fully AUv3 (Audio Unit) compatible: - Seamless integration with Garageband and other AU hosts - Audio Unit Instrument: making music on iOS doesn't get more convenient - Supports Multi-Output AUv3 in AUM and ApeMatrix! - Each sound is modeled using authentic analog and FM algorithms; - Comes with dozens of unique customizable models - Does not use any samples; all sounds are synthesized in realtime, on the fly - Emulates analog components, introducing subtle, natural fluctuations in the sound - Light on the CPU, so you can run lots of Ruismakers simultaneously - Fully automatable parameters (requires host support) and MIDI CC controllable - Has its own preset manager The standalone sequencer is refreshingly different: - Program patterns using Euclidean algorithms - Powerful random feature and mutation probability settings per channel - Syncs with Ableton Link or MIDI Clock - Exports WAV and MIDI - Compatible with Audiobus 3 (including MIDI IN/OUT mode) - CoreMIDI In and Out - AU MIDI output for the on-screen pads User manual available on Ruismaker.com

Screenshots

Fugue Machine4 screens
Ruismaker2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Ruismaker at $4.99 against Fugue Machine's $19.99. Fugue Machine's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 5 weeks) and review sentiment (90% vs 74%). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Fugue Machine against 4.8 for Ruismaker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fugue Machine has 624 ratings behind it against 58, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Fugue Machine's written reviews are positive against 74% of Ruismaker's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fugue Machine ships an update every 8 days, Ruismaker every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Fugue Machine versus Ruismaker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFugue MachineRuismaker
Price$19.99$4.99 — better
Rating4.9 (624 ratings) — better4.8 (58 ratings)
Positive reviews90.3% of reviews — better74.1% of reviews
Number of ratings624 — better58
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexandernautBram Bos

Customer experience

Fugue Machine

All ratings623 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.4%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews238 reviews
Positive90.3%
Neutral5.0%
Negative4.6%

Ruismaker

All ratings57 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.8%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews54 reviews
Positive74.1%
Neutral5.6%
Negative20.4%

In-app purchases

None

Fugue Machine

No in-app purchases

None

Ruismaker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Fugue Machine free?
Fugue Machine costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ruismaker free?
Ruismaker costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Fugue Machine or Ruismaker?
Fugue Machine is rated higher. Fugue Machine averages 4.9 out of 5 from 624 ratings, while Ruismaker averages 4.8 from 58 ratings.
Do Fugue Machine or Ruismaker have ads?
Neither Fugue Machine nor Ruismaker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fugue Machine or Ruismaker?
Fugue Machine ships an update every 8 days, and Ruismaker every 5 weeks. Most recently, Fugue Machine was updated on October 26, 2026 and Ruismaker on October 24, 2026.

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