Ruismaker vs Xequence 2
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ruismaker
This app is an analog drumsynth that creates sounds using authentic synthesis algorithms, not samples. It features a creative Euclidean sequencer for pattern programming and integrates seamlessly with AUv3 hosts like Garageband. It offers customizable sound models and MIDI control for flexible music production.
- Analog and FM synthesis sound modeling
- Sample-free sound generation
- Euclidean sequencer
- AUv3 compatibility
- MIDI CC control
- WAV and MIDI export
- Ableton Link sync
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What the reviews say: "A must-have drum synth for electronic music lovers on iOS" - Keyboard Mag "All of this comes together in a vision that’s really playable [...] this is another excellent choice for the iPad." - CreateDigitalMusic "Small, compact and easy to use, Ruismaker is both inexpensive and a perfectly credible choice if you are after solid drum synth sounds." - MusicAppBlog -- Ruismaker is a unique drumsynth plugin (i.e. it does not use samples), which is coupled with a creative Euclidean sequencer when run in standalone mode. The plugin is fully AUv3 (Audio Unit) compatible: - Seamless integration with Garageband and other AU hosts - Audio Unit Instrument: making music on iOS doesn't get more convenient - Supports Multi-Output AUv3 in AUM and ApeMatrix! - Each sound is modeled using authentic analog and FM algorithms; - Comes with dozens of unique customizable models - Does not use any samples; all sounds are synthesized in realtime, on the fly - Emulates analog components, introducing subtle, natural fluctuations in the sound - Light on the CPU, so you can run lots of Ruismakers simultaneously - Fully automatable parameters (requires host support) and MIDI CC controllable - Has its own preset manager The standalone sequencer is refreshingly different: - Program patterns using Euclidean algorithms - Powerful random feature and mutation probability settings per channel - Syncs with Ableton Link or MIDI Clock - Exports WAV and MIDI - Compatible with Audiobus 3 (including MIDI IN/OUT mode) - CoreMIDI In and Out - AU MIDI output for the on-screen pads User manual available on Ruismaker.com
Xequence 2
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.
- 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
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This app is targeted at digital music production enthusiasts & professionals. Xequence is a comprehensive, fast & reliable MIDI sequencer, editor, arranger & controller for iPhone & iPad. Providing a desktop-class editing experience, it is the perfect centerpiece for a hardware studio, or for apps like AUM & Audiobus 3 to create a modular mobile music production environment. HIGHLIGHTS: - Efficient & fast User Interface for an amazing editing workflow - Robust MIDI File Import & Export (notes, controllers, program changes, etc.) - Extensive support for MPE (In-App Purchase) with per-note expression data editing - Support for scales everywhere (keyboard, pianoroll, etc.) - Over 70 included scales in 10 categories - MIDI Time Stretching in all editors - Best-in-class MIDI timing and clock output - Full Ableton Link 3 support - Full Audiobus 3 support - MIDI In & Thru with re-channelization & re-routing - MIDI Sync Master (Clock/Start/Stop/Continue/SPP) to sync other DAWs & sequencers to Xequence, e.g. to use audio tracks, or external drum machines. Several options for compatibility ARRANGER: - Unlimited Clips - Unlimited Tracks - Unlimited Sub Tracks per Track - 64 Undo/Redo steps - Flexible grid - Per-track non-destructive Swing & MIDI Delay - Linked Clips / Clones (editing the original changes all copies) - Powerful clip-based, per-track independent looping - Program changes - Selection tools: Marquee/Rectangle, Same Track, Same Instrument, Linked Clips, Invert, etc. - Editing tools: Create Copy, Create Linked Copy, Unlink, Split, Join, Convert loops to clips, etc. - Global clipboard, even between projects - Movement/Trimming Handles at screen edges for efficient editing PIANOROLL EDITOR: - 256 Undo/Redo steps - Scale-awareness ("folding") - Relative or absolute grid (move by grid increments or snap to nearest grid lines) - Live MIDI previews of all edits - Selection tools: Box, Same Note, Same Key, Same Beat Position, Invert, etc. - Editing tools: Copy, Legato, Quantize, Quantize Ends, Octave +/-, Flip H/V (mirror), Fill clip with selection, etc. - Smart Draw mode: Touch to create, touch again to delete, drag up/down to transpose, drag left/right to change length - Global clipboard, even between projects - Configurable "ghost" overlays - Note velocities quickly adjustable via a handle, or editable like controllers, see below: CONTROLLER EDITOR: - 256 Undo/Redo steps - Selection tools: Box, Same Beat Position, Invert - Selection modes: Add & Replace - Editing tools: Copy, Reduce, Quantize, Compress/Expand, Flip H/V (mirror), Ramp (various curves), Fill clip with selection - Smart Draw mode - Note Velocities can be shown as controllers and edited with the same tools - Configurable vertical grid & value entry KEYBOARD / CONTROLLER: - Scale-aware, very playable single or dual keyboards - Glide support - Adjustable key width - Velocity emulation (via vertical position) - Drum maps and pads, fully editable, 40+ factory maps - Touch ribbons for live control - Controllers can be moved by sliding (ribbon), device rotation (up to three axes at once), like a button (sustain pedal, "trance gates"), or by touching the keys at different vertical positions. All highly configurable. INSTRUMENTS: - Unlimited Instruments (MIDI configurations for devices / apps) - Up to 150controller slots per Instrument - Optional support for (N)RPNs (In-App Purchase) - Loading & Saving of instruments for re-use in other projects, 40+ factory presets included (In-App Purchase) - Compatible with virtually ALL apps and class-compliant MIDI interfaces VARIOUS: - Audio or MIDI Metronome - Note chasing (notes play even when playback starts in the middle) - Controller chasing - Perfect song looping, no dropouts/jitter at loop points - Supports any time signature/BPM (fixed per song) - Includes PolyHymnia, an advanced Generative Music module - Light and Dark themes Please report any issues via our website, we provide quick and comprehensive support!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Ruismaker at $4.99 against Xequence 2's $19.99. Ruismaker also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 14.2). Xequence 2's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). 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
Ruismaker costs $4.99 and Xequence 2 $19.99 up front. Xequence 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Ruismaker asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ruismaker holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 58 and 65 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 74% of Ruismaker'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.
Ruismaker ships an update every 5 weeks, Xequence 2 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ruismaker | Xequence 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $19.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (58 ratings) — better | 4.6 (65 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 74.1% of reviews | 77.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 58 | 65 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Freemium — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 14.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bram Bos | Alexander Ewering |
Customer experience
Ruismaker
Xequence 2
User reviews
Ruismaker
From 58 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎵 Great analog drum sounds
- 🔌 AUv3 support
- 💻 Standalone and AUv3 use
- ✨ Flexible sound design
- 📱 User-friendly interface
Room to improve
- ❌ No sound and crashes
- 🐛 Crashes on drum pad press
- 🐛 Empty screen on iPhone
- 🐛 Interface portions cut off
- 🐛 Delay and reverb missing in plugin mode
Xequence 2
From 65 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient and powerful MIDI editing
- 🎶 Great for composing music
- 💡 Innovative features
- ✅ Stable and reliable
Room to improve
- 😞 No AUV3 support
- 🚫 No sounds included, requires additional purchases
- 😵 Counterintuitive and difficult to learn for some
- 📉 Auto-save issues leading to data loss
- ❓ MIDI setup can be challenging for some users
Bugs and requests
Ruismaker
Reported bugs
14 issues- Crashes when pressing drum pads
- Empty screen on iPhone 11 Pro
- Interface cut off in standalone mode
- Delay and reverb controls missing in plugin mode
- Plugin mode does not use built-in sequencer
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Randomize button not controllable via MIDI
- Cannot switch active pad without triggering in AU mode
- Pad labels not visible in AU mode
- App frequently causes GarageBand to quit
- App crashes on load as an AU in GarageBand
- GarageBand crashes on startup until Ruismaker is uninstalled
- App does not open
- App does not function on iPad 3
- App only loads instructions
Requested features
12 requests- Randomize button for external MIDI control
- Patch randomize function for MIDI control
- Adjust note resolution for Euclidean sequencer
- Ratchet option for sequencer
- Manually edit hits on the grid
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Apply Randomize to a single sound or selection
- Switch active pad without triggering in AU mode
- Replace numbers with abbreviations on pads
- Map sounds to Cubasis standard pads
- Larger pitch adjustment range for some sounds
- Add delay and reverb controls in plugin mode
- Allow plugin mode to use built-in sequencer
Xequence 2
Reported bugs
4 issues- No sound for some users
- Auto-save failed, lost work
- Exported MIDI out of sync
- Controller values not resetting properly
Requested features
5 requests- AUV3 support
- Tempo and time signature changes mid-song
- MIDI control for transport (start/stop)
- SysEx support
- Always visible Metronome button
In-app purchases
Ruismaker
No in-app purchases
Xequence 2
- Enhanced Pack$4.99
Questions
Is Ruismaker free?
Is Xequence 2 free?
Which has better reviews, Ruismaker or Xequence 2?
Do Ruismaker or Xequence 2 have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ruismaker or Xequence 2?
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