Vatanator vs SKIIID
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
Vatanator costs $7.99 and SKIIID $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Vatanator | SKIIID |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 | $3.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (17 ratings) — better | 4.4 (31 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 68.2% of reviews | 73.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 17 | 31 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 337 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | BACKPULLVER SOFTWARE LTD OOD | Stephan Bolch |
Customer experience
Vatanator
SKIIID
In-app purchases
Vatanator
No in-app purchases
SKIIID
No in-app purchases









