# Troublemaker vs Pure Acid

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Troublemaker at none against Pure Acid's 2. Troublemaker also leads on price ($8.99 vs $14.99). Pure Acid's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (94% vs 78%). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Troublemaker costs $8.99 and Pure Acid $14.99 up front. Pure Acid sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Troublemaker asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pure Acid holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 64 and 169 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Troublemaker's written reviews are positive against 94% of Pure Acid's.

Troublemaker ships an update every 2 weeks, Pure Acid every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Troublemaker | Pure Acid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$8.99** | $14.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/troublemaker/id1180892130/reviews) | **[4.9 (169 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pure-acid/id1481283602/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 64 | **169** |
| Positive reviews | 77.9% of reviews | **94.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#130** |
| Size | 4 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bram Bos](https://appshunter.io/developer/325340444) | [Dmitrij Pavlov](https://appshunter.io/developer/478154322) |

## What reviewers say

### Troublemaker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/troublemaker/id1180892130)

This app emulates the iconic TB-303 bassline synthesizer, offering its distinctive sound with a diode filter, sawtooth, and square wave oscillators. It provides extensive MIDI and sequencer features, allowing for creative sound design and integration with DAWs.

**Highlights:** Diode filter emulation, Sawtooth and square wave oscillators, Realtime Mutation Probability Engine, Standalone sequencer (1-64 steps), Audio Unit (AUv3) compatibility, MIDI CC controllers, MIDI Clock Sync

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pure Acid

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pure-acid/id1481283602)

**Currently charting:** #130 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app is a high-quality bassline synthesizer and drum machine inspired by classic 80s hardware. It offers a retro analog sound with modern features for fast and fun music creation. Explore various genres with factory presets and create unique rhythms and basslines.

**Highlights:** AUv3, Ableton Link, AudioBus, IAA support, Classic bassline waveforms (Saw, Pulse), Distortion and filter LFO effects, 32-step sequencer with pattern editing, 16 independent drum parts with customizable sounds, Realtime master effects with XY-pad

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ukrainian style color scheme | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ukrainian style app icon | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and feature-rich
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🎶 Excellent sound quality
- 🎛️ Great sequencing and programming capabilities
- 🔌 Seamless integration with other apps and hardware

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional audio cutoff or sync issues
- 🔍 Lack of detailed documentation or tutorials
- 🔀 Limitations in pattern length and drum sequencing

**Reported bugs**

- GUI scaling issues on smaller devices
- Crashes or freezes on certain devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to import MIDI files
- Standalone drum machine mode
- Expanded drum sample library
- Knob/parameter automation recording


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Troublemaker free?

Troublemaker costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pure Acid free?

Pure Acid costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Troublemaker or Pure Acid?

Pure Acid is rated higher. Troublemaker averages 4.6 out of 5 from 64 ratings, while Pure Acid averages 4.9 from 169 ratings.

### Do Troublemaker or Pure Acid have ads?

Neither Troublemaker nor Pure Acid shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Troublemaker or Pure Acid?

Troublemaker ships an update every 2 weeks, and Pure Acid every 3 weeks. Most recently, Troublemaker was updated on October 24, 2026 and Pure Acid on October 25, 2026.

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