Comparison

Tagtool vs Chromatose

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Tagtool

Transform your tablet into a live visual instrument for painting with light and creating spontaneous animations. Collaborate with others for performances or improvised storytelling. Explore a new dimension of digital art.

Highlights
  • Live visual instrument
  • Paint with light
  • Create spontaneous animations
  • Improvised storytelling
  • Multiplayer jamming
  • Projector connectivity
Features
Read full description

Tagtool transforms your iPad into a visual live instrument. Connect a projector to paint with light, draw expressive animations, or tell improvised stories. Jam with friends on a shared canvas, perform live shows, or create pop-up street art. From classrooms and workshops to galleries and live stages, Tagtool fills any space with colorful art, created together. Whether you're a VJ, artist, educator, or just curious — discover a new universe of digital art!

About

Chromatose

Create and perform real-time, audio-reactive visuals with a powerful yet intuitive video synthesizer. Connect to external displays and customize your creations with a modular interface, extensive modulation options, and MIDI support. Ideal for live performers, VJs, and content creators.

Highlights
  • Audio-reactive visuals
  • Modular interface
  • MIDI support
  • 4 simultaneous generators
  • Unlimited effect chaining
  • HD/4K+ output
  • Patch saving and export
Features
Read full description

Chromatose is a real-time, audio-reactive visual synth for iPhone and iPad — a modular video synthesizer and visualizer that turns your input and sound into a hypnotic, trippy light show. Create original, generative visuals by hand. No coding, no AI prompts, no bulky hardware. Connect a TV or projector via HDMI or AirPlay to turn any space into an immersive atmosphere — for live performance, meditation, party, or chilling. Learn it in under an hour. Create fresh ideas for years. 〉Perfect for: Live performers, VJs, DJs, music producers, installation artists, concert and stage designers, content creators, music video directors, generative artists, and creative explorers. Works for raves, clubs, afterhours, festivals, ambient galleries, meditation spaces, and live loop sessions. 〉What you can make: A music visualizer for live sets. Audio-reactive video content for social media. Live camera filters. TV screensavers and projector backdrops for installations. Wallpapers, generative art pieces, meditation visuals — or anything else you can imagine. 〉Aesthetic range: From psychedelic, trippy, and surreal to cyberpunk, vaporwave, synthwave, retrowave, futuristic, vintage, nostalgic, dreamcore, weirdcore, liminal, and glitch. Dial in the whole rainbow spectrum of hues, refractions, liquid ripples, electric strobing, cosmic aurora, spiral warps, organic cymatics, kaleidoscope mandalas, and pure abstract procedural geometry. 〉FREE Plan Includes: • Access all generators & effects • No signup required • 100% ad-free • Max output resolution: Full 1080p HD • Saved patches: 2 • Record videos up to: 30 secs 〉Pro Plan Includes: • Access to all features • Saved patches: unlimited • Saved Performance Sets: unlimited • Max output resolution: 4K+ • Record videos up to: 15 mins • Studio-quality ProRes recording • Export Patches 〉Main Features: • Modular, intuitive interface • 4 simultaneous visual generators • Chain unlimited visual effects, filters, and modulation layers • Design Mode to build unique visuals from scratch • Performance Mode: eight hot-swappable patches per Set, Master FX chain, fully modular transitions • Custom color palettes with harmony-based generation • Metal-powered, iOS native graphics engine • 8-bit or 16-bit color (SDR and HDR) with deep gradient fidelity • Built specifically for iPhone and iPad 〉Modulation & Synthesis: • Dedicated LFOs per parameter • Multiple waveshapes, free-running or clock-synced • Nested modulation and feedback loops • Envelope generators and signal followers • Animated visual indicators • Analog-style signal flow — reactive to every nuance 〉Connectivity: • Connect to any screen with HDMI (via USB-C or Lightning adapter) or AirPlay • MIDI Plug & Play with other Hardware and Software via: USB, Bluetooth, Network, Virtual MIDI (other apps on same device) • MIDI 1.0 and 2.0, with CC, note, and NRPN mapping • MIDI mappable Macro Controls and Performance pads • MIDI Clock Sync • Wireless display and dual-screen output 〉Audio Reactivity: • Visuals pulse and react to live audio in real time • Internal mic or any audio interface, with input selection and auto-gain • 3 shapeable audio signal sources • Audio-to-visual translation on any parameter, driven by the full mix or just the lows or highs • Signal followers and envelopes • Turn any sound into a visual trip 〉Sharing and Export: • Import and export patches as files for sharing and remixing • Record HD video (HEVC or ProRes) or screenshots optimized for social media • Save directly to iOS Photos library 〉Patch Library: • Intuitive browsing and organization • Tag, search, sort and filter by mood, genre, or aesthetic • Built-in presets included Chromatose is made entirely by one independent developer in Berlin, with no investors or corporate agenda: a modular video synthesizer and visual instrument in your pocket, aiming to democratize real-time generative visual creation. Terms of Use: https://www.chromatose.app/en/terms/

Screenshots

Chromatose4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Chromatose at every 3 months against Tagtool's every 8 months. Chromatose also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 69%). Tagtool's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On price, rating, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Tagtool sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Chromatose sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Tagtool against 4.6 for Chromatose. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 17 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Tagtool's written reviews are positive against 79% of Chromatose's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tagtool ships an update every 8 months, Chromatose every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Tagtool versus Chromatose: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTagtoolChromatose
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (6 ratings)4.6 (17 ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.2% of reviews78.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings617 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size141 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOMA InternationalEdward Rooth

Customer experience

Tagtool

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive69.2%
Neutral7.7%
Negative23.1%

Chromatose

All ratings17 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive78.9%
Neutral5.3%
Negative15.8%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Tagtool

One-time1
  • Tagtool Pro$19.99
3 purchases

Chromatose

Subscriptions3
  • Pro$5.991 Month
  • Pro$49.991 Year
  • Standard [DISCONTINUED]7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Tagtool free?
Tagtool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chromatose free?
Chromatose is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tagtool or Chromatose?
Chromatose is rated higher. Tagtool averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Chromatose averages 4.6 from 17 ratings.
Do Tagtool or Chromatose have ads?
Neither Tagtool nor Chromatose shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tagtool or Chromatose?
Tagtool ships an update every 8 months, and Chromatose every 3 months. Most recently, Tagtool was updated on October 24, 2026 and Chromatose on October 24, 2026.

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