Samply vs Koala Sampler
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Samply
Create music compositions on your iOS device by loading samples from your iTunes library. This app offers 16 buttons across three sets, allowing for up to 48 unique samples. You can save and load your custom sets for easy access.
- Load samples from iTunes library
- 16 buttons with 3 sets (48 samples total)
- Save and load custom sample sets
- Edit sample settings
- Easy music composition
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Samply - DJ Sampler lets you compose music easily using your iOS device. You can load different samples from your iTunes library to any button. You have 16 buttons and 3 sets to play with which leaves you with 48 different samples. To load sample hold the button few seconds and iTunes library will appear. When you choose the sample you can play it by tapping the button or you can edit its settings by opening sample settings and do a bunch of other stuff. You can save each set with save option and load it anytime.
Koala Sampler
This app allows you to record sounds with your phone's microphone, transform them with effects, and create beats and tracks. Its intuitive interface focuses on a fast and fun music-making process.
- Record up to 64 samples with mic
- Apply 16 built-in effects
- Load and use own samples
- Create beats with high-resolution sequencer
- Export loops and tracks as WAV
- AI sample separation
- AUv3 and MIDI compatibility
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Koala is the ultimate pocket-sized sampler. Record anything with your phone's mic or load your own sounds. Use Koala to create beats with those samples, add effects and create a track! Koala's super intuitive interface helps you make a track in a flash - there is no brake pedal. You can also resample the output of the app back into the input, through the effects, so the sonic possibilities are endless. Koala's design focuses totally on making the music-making process instant, keeping you in the flow and keeping it fun, not getting bogged down by pages of parameters and micro-editing. "Been putting that $4 koala sampler to good use lately. Undeniably great tool that puts some of these expensive beat boxes to shame. A must cop." -- flying lotus, twitter * Record up to 64 different samples with your mic * Transform your voice or any other sound with 16 superb built-in fx * Load your own samples * Choose from one of 250 built-in sounds * Resample the output of the app back into a new sample * Export loops or entire tracks as professional quality WAV files * Direct export to Ableton Live Set * Copy/paste or merge sequences just by dragging them * Create beats with the high-resolution sequencer * Import samples from the Files app or even from videos * Keyboard mode lets you play chromatically or one of 9 scales * Quantize, add swing to get the right feel * Normal/One-shot/Loop/Reverse playback of samples * 6 Choke groups * Attack, release and tone adjustable on each sample * Mute/Solo controls and note repeat * Add any (or all) of the 16 effects to the entire mix * AUv3 compatible - use in GarageBand, Logic, Cubasis etc etc * MIDI controllable - play your samples on a keyboard, map the effects to knobs * Jam with others over WiFi with Ableton Link * Free copy of Ableton Live Lite included * AudioShare compatible * Use AI to separate samples into individual instruments (drums, bass, vocals and other) * Set your own background image and choose from a growing list of background visual FX 8 Built-in Microphone FX: * More Bass * More Treble * Fuzz * Robot * Reverb * Octave up * Octave down * Synthesizer 16 Built-in DJ Mix FX: * Bit-crusher * Pitch-shift * Comb filter * Ring modulator * Reverb * Stutter * Gate * Resonant High/Low Pass Filters * Cutter * Reverse * Dub * Tempo Delay * Talkbox * VibroFlange * Dirty * Compressor Features included in SAMURAI In-App Purchase * Pro-quality Timestretch (5 modes: Modern, Retro, Beats, Re-pitch and Cyclic) * Piano roll editor * Auto-chop (auto, equal, and lazy chop) * 3 Band EQ * Pocket operator sync out * Quokka Synth - powerhouse polyphonic synthesizer * MIDI Out - control external MIDI hardware with Koala's sequencer * Chopper - multimodal sample chopping instrument Features included in MIXER In-App Purchase * Mix your beats professionally with a 4 channel mixer + main bus * Route any sample to any channel * Mute/solo, faders and accurate metering on every channel * 5 effect slots per channel * 29 high-quality effects - compressors, filters, phasers and more, with new effects to come * Host AUv3 plugins - both audio effects and instruments
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Koala Sampler at 88% against Samply's 18%. Koala Sampler also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 15 months) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 2). Samply's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On ads 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
Samply costs $1.99 and Koala Sampler $4.99 up front. Koala Sampler sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Samply asks for nothing beyond the download.
Samply holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Koala Sampler has 1.5K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 18% of Samply's written reviews are positive against 88% of Koala Sampler's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Samply ships an update every 15 months, Koala Sampler fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Samply | Koala Sampler |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 4.8 (1.5K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 18.2% of reviews | 88.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 1.5K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #6 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 60 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Arsosa Network Inc. | Mazbox Limited |
Customer experience
Samply
Koala Sampler
Bugs and requests
Samply
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Koala Sampler
Reported bugs
3 issues- Samples not loading or disappearing after app updates
- Sequencer timing and quantization issues
- Crashes when using certain features or with large projects
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to record and edit MIDI sequences
- More comprehensive effects and sound processing tools
- Improved sample management and organization features
- Support for external MIDI controllers and hardware integration
- Customizable color schemes and UI themes
In-app purchases
Samply
No in-app purchases
Koala Sampler
- Koala AUv3 Plugin$1.99
- Ese-O's Sample Pack$2.99
- Solar Studies Samplepack$2.99
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Soon Come Dub Sample Pack$2.99
- Analog Astronaut Samplepack$2.99
- Cirrus Cuts Sample Pack$2.99
- Samurai Edition$3.99
- Mixer$4.99









