Comparison

Beatonal vs Xequence 2

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

Head to head
About

Beatonal

Easily create and share music with built-in synthesizers and a drum machine. Sketch melodies, bass lines, and chord progressions using intuitive pattern pads. Unlock advanced features and project saving with an in-app purchase.

Highlights
  • Create drum loops with pattern pads
  • Sketch bass lines, chords, and melodies
  • 4 audio channels (drum, bass, chords, lead)
  • Analog synth with modulation and effects
  • User-friendly track sharing via URL
  • Export tracks as MIDI or WAV
  • Load custom drum samples
Features
Read full description

!!! ON SALE !!! NOW 20% OFF !!! Beatonal is an accessible music making app, enabling you to easily create and share your musical ideas using the built-in synthesizers and drum machine. Create drum loops using pattern pads, and effortlessly sketch bass lines, chord progressions and melodies. This app is free to try, but requires an in-app purchase to unlock all advanced features and project saving. other features include: - 4 audio channels: drum machine, bass, chords and lead - Input is automatically fixed to a user selectable scale - Contains demo tracks to get you started - Analog synth with two oscillators, FM, AM and pitch modulation, lowpass filter, and various effects - Contains 60 built-in synth presets, but you can also create and store your own presets - Store tracks on your device - User friendly track sharing via track-url's - Export track as MIDI so you can continue your work inside other apps or a DAW - Export track as wav - Output realtime midi to other apps on multiple channels, or to an external device such as your DAW - Small app size - Load your own drumsamples through iTunes on your mac - Synchronize with other music apps using Ableton Link

About

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.

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
Read full description

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

Beatonal4 screens
Xequence 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Beatonal at Free against Xequence 2's $19.99. Beatonal also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 14.2). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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

Beatonal is free to download; Xequence 2 costs $19.99 up front. Beatonal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Xequence 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 Beatonal against 4.6 for Xequence 2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 39 and 65 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Beatonal's written reviews are positive against 78% of Xequence 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Beatonal ships an update weekly, Xequence 2 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Beatonal versus Xequence 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBeatonalXequence 2
PriceFree — better$19.99
Rating4.5 (39 ratings)4.6 (65 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.8% of reviews — better77.8% of reviews
Number of ratings3965 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better14.2
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLuuk van der GraaffAlexander Ewering

Customer experience

Beatonal

All ratings37 ratings
Positive91.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews37 reviews
Positive83.8%
Neutral5.4%
Negative10.8%

Xequence 2

All ratings65 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral1.5%
Negative9.2%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral4.4%
Negative17.8%

Bugs and requests

Beatonal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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

1 purchases

Beatonal

One-time1
  • Pro License$2.99
1 purchases

Xequence 2

One-time1
  • Enhanced Pack$4.99

Questions

Is Beatonal free?
Beatonal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Xequence 2 free?
Xequence 2 costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Beatonal or Xequence 2?
Xequence 2 is rated higher. Beatonal averages 4.5 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Xequence 2 averages 4.6 from 65 ratings.
Do Beatonal or Xequence 2 have ads?
Neither Beatonal nor Xequence 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Beatonal or Xequence 2?
Beatonal ships an update weekly, and Xequence 2 every 2 weeks. Most recently, Beatonal was updated on November 2, 2026 and Xequence 2 on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons