# Beatonal vs SquareBeat

The clearest difference is rating: SquareBeat at 4.9 against Beatonal's 4.6. SquareBeat also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). Beatonal's advantage is ratings volume (37 vs 8) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Beatonal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SquareBeat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SquareBeat holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 37 and 8 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of Beatonal's written reviews are positive against 80% of SquareBeat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Beatonal ships an update weekly, SquareBeat every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Beatonal | SquareBeat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beatonal-easy-music-maker/id1157803880/reviews) | **[4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squarebeat/id6464103210/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **37** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **83.8% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 114 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Luuk van der Graaff](https://appshunter.io/developer/1157803879) | [James Navarro](https://appshunter.io/developer/514153445) |

## What reviewers say

### Beatonal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beatonal-easy-music-maker/id1157803880)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro License | $2.99 | one-time |


### SquareBeat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squarebeat/id6464103210)

Create music by building patterns with samples and AUv3 plugins. Arrange these patterns into songs, import your own sounds, and mix tracks. Features a text-based tracker GUI for rapid development, with all core functionality free except for WAV file export.

**Highlights:** Sequence and manipulate audio samples, Mix tracks, Use AUv3 audio unit instruments, Use AUv3 effects on effect busses, Connect with other apps via Audiobus, Export and share songs

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SquareBeat Full Version | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Beatonal free?

Beatonal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SquareBeat free?

SquareBeat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Beatonal or SquareBeat?

SquareBeat is rated higher. Beatonal averages 4.6 out of 5 from 37 ratings, while SquareBeat averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.

### Do Beatonal or SquareBeat have ads?

Neither Beatonal nor SquareBeat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Beatonal or SquareBeat?

Beatonal ships an update weekly, and SquareBeat every 3 days. Most recently, Beatonal was updated on October 19, 2026 and SquareBeat on October 7, 2026.

---

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