Comparison

Vatanator vs SKIIID

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

Head to head
About

Vatanator

This app is a drum machine designed for simple and instant rhythm creation. It offers advanced MIDI functionality, 140 vintage hardware emulations, and real-time pattern recording with quantization. It supports various audio integration technologies and allows for sample import and song arrangement.

Highlights
  • 140 vintage hardware emulations
  • Real-time pattern recording with quantization
  • 16/32 step sequencer with advanced MIDI
  • Full MIDI and Bluetooth MIDI support
  • Audiobus, IAA, and Ableton Link support
  • Sample import via Files
  • Real-time effects with XY pads
  • Song arranger
Read full description

Vatanator is a unique drum machine with advanced MIDI functionality. It features 140 built-in presets emulating every classic vintage hardware. It is aimed for simplicity and instant rhythm creation. Vatanator features: – Audio Unit Extension – Record patterns in real-time with quantization, MIDI assignable – 16/32 steps sequencer with advanced MIDI options – Fast loading of presets on the fly – Full MIDI implementation, Bluetooth MIDI – Background audio – Audiobus, Audiobus Remote, Inter-App Audio and Ableton Link support – Ability to import samples via Files – Real-time effects with envelope follower and XY pads, MIDI assignable – Song arranger, ability to store a sequence of patterns and play them in order – Export pattern to MIDI file – 8 channel mixer with volume control and mute/solo for any individual instrument “Vatanator listed in 10 Best iOS / iPad Drum Machines Apps” - ProducerSpot "it’s a solid bread-and-butter drum machine that plays nice with AudioBus, IAA, Ableton Link and CoreMIDI, and, at this price, could find a place in anyone’s iPad studio workflow" - MusicRadar/Computer Music

About

SKIIID

This app is a percussion synthesizer designed for live performance. It features four morphing pads where finger position controls sound parameters and velocity. Explore deep sound design with a step sequencer, auto-mutation, and chaos engine for instant sound generation.

Highlights
  • Four morphing percussion pads
  • Real-time parameter control via touch
  • 16-step sequencer per pad
  • Auto-mutate sound evolution
  • Chaos engine for instant sound generation
  • AUv3 plugin support
  • MIDI input and Ableton Link sync
Features
Read full description

SKIIID is a percussion synthesizer built for real-time performance. Four pads. Each one is a sound sculpted by where your finger lands. Move left or right to morph between synth parameters. Move up or down to control velocity. Simple to play, deep to explore. — PADS — Four independent drum voices. Each pad morphs between parameter extremes based on X-axis position. Velocity is Y-axis. — STEP SEQUENCER — 16-step sequencer per pad. Variable step length for polyrhythms. Reverse playback, shuffle, pin and random step modes. Sync to Ableton Link or run free. — AUTO-MUTATE — Evolves your sound automatically. Individual interval and intensity per pad, synced to tempo. — CHAOS ENGINE — RANDOM, CHAOS, and MUTATE modes generate new sounds instantly. — AUv3 PLUGIN — Run SKIIID inside AUM, ApeMatrix, Audiobus, or any AUv3 host. Multiple instances work independently — different patches, different sequencers, no shared state. — MIDI — MIDI In for pad triggering. MIDI Learn for external controller mapping. Ableton Link for tempo sync. — WORKS ON — iPhone and iPad, all modern screen sizes. Landscape mode.

Screenshots

SKIIID2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: SKIIID at every 4 days against Vatanator's every 3 months. SKIIID also leads on price ($3.99 vs $7.99). Vatanator's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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

Vatanator costs $7.99 and SKIIID $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Vatanator holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 31 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of Vatanator's written reviews are positive against 74% of SKIIID's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Vatanator ships an update every 3 months, SKIIID every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Vatanator versus SKIIID: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVatanatorSKIIID
Price$7.99$3.99 — better
Rating4.6 (17 ratings) — better4.4 (31 ratings)
Positive reviews68.2% of reviews73.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1731 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPad, MaciPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size337 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBACKPULLVER SOFTWARE LTD OODStephan Bolch

Customer experience

Vatanator

All ratings17 ratings
Positive82.4%
Neutral17.6%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive68.2%
Neutral18.2%
Negative13.6%

SKIIID

All ratings31 ratings
Positive83.9%
Neutral6.5%
Negative9.7%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive73.9%
Neutral13.0%
Negative13.0%

In-app purchases

None

Vatanator

No in-app purchases

None

SKIIID

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Vatanator free?
Vatanator costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SKIIID free?
SKIIID costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Vatanator or SKIIID?
Vatanator is rated higher. Vatanator averages 4.6 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while SKIIID averages 4.4 from 31 ratings.
Do Vatanator or SKIIID have ads?
Neither Vatanator nor SKIIID shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Vatanator or SKIIID?
Vatanator ships an update every 3 months, and SKIIID every 4 days. Most recently, Vatanator was updated on September 20, 2026 and SKIIID on September 26, 2026.

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