Comparison

Fugue Machine vs tardigrain

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

tardigrain

Create unique sounds by breaking down samples into small fragments and playing them back non-linearly. Explore granular synthesis with adjustable grain size, direction, and step size. Enhance your audio with built-in effects, filters, and modulation options.

Highlights
  • Granular synthesis engine
  • Adjustable grain parameters
  • Built-in effects (reverb, wave shaper, crush)
  • Resonant filter
  • MIDI and MPE modulation
  • Sequencer/arpeggiator
  • LFO modulation
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Tardigrain is a granular synthesiser for iOS that runs standalone or as an AU plugin. Sounds are created by taking smaller fragments of a sample and playing them back in a non linear fashion, with settings for grain size, direction, step size and more. Process the sound further through effects like reverb, wave shaper and sample crush. Tardigrain supports connections with AudioCopy, AudioBus, Inter App Audio and AUv3. Plus all audio parameters can be modulated by MIDI, as AU parameters and by aftertouch on the build in keyboard. Now also a selected set of parameters can be modulated by LFOs och notes triggered by a new sequencer/arpeggiator. +++ Record your own samples or import using AudioCopy/drag'n drop +++ Chromatic granualar playpack +++ Effects (Wave shaper, Reverb, Sample crusher, Pitch and stereo spread) +++ Resonant filter (low, band and high pass) +++ Keyboard and MPE modulation of any audio parameters +++ Note trigger sequencer/arpeggiator +++ 4 LFO sources for modulating a selected set of parameters +++ Multiple factory presets to get you started +++ Save and load your own settings and samples +++ Inter App Audio, AudioBus and AUv3 +++ Core MIDI, Inter App Audio MIDI and AUv3 MIDI

Screenshots

Fugue Machine4 screens
tardigrain4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: tardigrain at $5.99 against Fugue Machine's $19.99. tardigrain also leads on chart position (#178 vs unranked). Fugue Machine's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

Fugue Machine costs $19.99 and tardigrain $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Fugue Machine holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fugue Machine has 624 ratings behind it against 98, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Fugue Machine's written reviews are positive against 76% of tardigrain's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fugue Machine ships an update every 8 days, tardigrain every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Fugue Machine versus tardigrain: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFugue Machinetardigrain
Price$19.99$5.99 — better
Rating4.9 (624 ratings) — better4.6 (98 ratings)
Positive reviews90.3% of reviews — better75.9% of reviews
Number of ratings624 — better98
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#178 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB60 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexandernautErik Sigth

Customer experience

Fugue Machine

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

tardigrain

All ratings96 ratings
Positive88.5%
Neutral4.2%
Negative7.3%
Written reviews87 reviews
Positive75.9%
Neutral9.2%
Negative14.9%

In-app purchases

None

Fugue Machine

No in-app purchases

None

tardigrain

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Fugue Machine free?
Fugue Machine costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is tardigrain free?
tardigrain costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Fugue Machine or tardigrain?
Fugue Machine is rated higher. Fugue Machine averages 4.9 out of 5 from 624 ratings, while tardigrain averages 4.6 from 98 ratings.
Do Fugue Machine or tardigrain have ads?
Neither Fugue Machine nor tardigrain shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fugue Machine or tardigrain?
Fugue Machine ships an update every 8 days, and tardigrain every 2 months. Most recently, Fugue Machine was updated on October 26, 2026 and tardigrain on October 24, 2026.

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