# Sidecar MIDI Controller vs Xequence 2

The clearest difference is price: Sidecar MIDI Controller at $4.99 against Xequence 2's $19.99. Sidecar MIDI Controller also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). Xequence 2's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (65 vs 14). On review sentiment, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Sidecar MIDI Controller costs $4.99 and Xequence 2 $19.99 up front. Xequence 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sidecar MIDI Controller asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sidecar MIDI Controller holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 65 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Sidecar MIDI Controller's written reviews are positive against 78% of Xequence 2's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Sidecar MIDI Controller ships an update every 3 months, Xequence 2 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sidecar MIDI Controller | Xequence 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $19.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidecar-midi-controller/id1073305840/reviews)** | [4.6 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xequence-2/id1464669442/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **65** |
| Positive reviews | 76.2% of reviews | **77.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 6 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Secret Base Design](https://appshunter.io/developer/413007812) | [Alexander Ewering](https://appshunter.io/developer/1743777532) |

## What reviewers say

### Sidecar MIDI Controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidecar-midi-controller/id1073305840)

Transform your QWERTY keyboard or game controller into a powerful MIDI controller for your iOS music apps. Play melodies, trigger chords, and adjust synth parameters with ease, even while running other apps in the background.

**Highlights:** QWERTY keyboard piano mapping, Configurable pads for notes, chords, and messages, Scale-configurable virtual keyboard, Game controller support, AUv3 plugin integration, Slide-over and side-by-side mode compatibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Xequence 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xequence-2/id1464669442)

A powerful MIDI sequencer, editor, and controller for digital music production on iPhone and iPad. It offers a desktop-class editing experience, robust import/export, and advanced features like MPE support and Ableton Link.

**Highlights:** MIDI sequencer, editor, arranger, and controller, Desktop-class editing experience, Robust MIDI file import/export, MPE support with per-note editing, Scale support in editors and keyboard, Ableton Link and Audiobus 3 integration, Advanced clip-based arranger

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Enhanced Pack | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sidecar MIDI Controller free?

Sidecar MIDI Controller costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Xequence 2 free?

Xequence 2 costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sidecar MIDI Controller or Xequence 2?

Sidecar MIDI Controller is rated higher. Sidecar MIDI Controller averages 4.9 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Xequence 2 averages 4.6 from 65 ratings.

### Do Sidecar MIDI Controller or Xequence 2 have ads?

Neither Sidecar MIDI Controller nor Xequence 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sidecar MIDI Controller or Xequence 2?

Sidecar MIDI Controller ships an update every 3 months, and Xequence 2 every 2 weeks. Most recently, Sidecar MIDI Controller was updated on September 21, 2026 and Xequence 2 on September 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*