# Sidecar MIDI Controller vs Circa Looper

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sidecar MIDI Controller at 76% against Circa Looper's 33%. Sidecar MIDI Controller also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and price ($4.99 vs $7.99). Circa Looper's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Sidecar MIDI Controller costs $4.99 and Circa Looper $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

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 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Sidecar MIDI Controller's written reviews are positive against 33% of Circa Looper's.

Sidecar MIDI Controller ships an update every 3 months, Circa Looper every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sidecar MIDI Controller | Circa Looper |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $7.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidecar-midi-controller/id1073305840/reviews)** | [4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circa-looper/id6739890878/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **76.2% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 6 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Secret Base Design](https://appshunter.io/developer/413007812) | [Audio Damage, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1248448317) |

## 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


### Circa Looper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circa-looper/id6739890878)

A powerful multi-channel looping instrument for iPad, designed for musicians and producers. It offers six independent stereo loop layers, deep modulation, precision syncing, and built-in effects for creating complex patterns and evolving soundscapes. Its touch-friendly interface allows for hands-on creative control and seamless DAW integration.

**Highlights:** Six independent stereo loop layers, Deep modulation control, Precision syncing, Built-in reverb and delay, Touch-friendly interface, Full MIDI mapping, Drag-and-drop audio export

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sidecar MIDI Controller free?

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

### Is Circa Looper free?

Circa Looper costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sidecar MIDI Controller or Circa Looper?

Sidecar MIDI Controller is rated higher. Sidecar MIDI Controller averages 4.9 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Circa Looper averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

### Do Sidecar MIDI Controller or Circa Looper have ads?

Neither Sidecar MIDI Controller nor Circa Looper shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sidecar MIDI Controller or Circa Looper?

Sidecar MIDI Controller ships an update every 3 months, and Circa Looper every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sidecar MIDI Controller was updated on September 21, 2026 and Circa Looper on June 11, 2026.

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