Comparison

MIDI Check vs Vagabond Synth

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

Head to head
About

MIDI Check

Diagnose and troubleshoot MIDI connections on your devices. View active connections, monitor incoming messages, and filter unwanted data. Record MIDI messages in the background with a clear, intuitive interface.

Highlights
  • Detect active MIDI connections
  • View incoming MIDI messages
  • Send test MIDI notes and control messages
  • Filter MIDI channels and messages
  • Filter MIDI System Exclusive messages
  • Record MIDI messages in background mode
Features
Read full description

*Diagnose The Problem & Find the Solution* Current Features: + See/detect, hardware/virtual active MIDI connections. + See all incoming messages. + Send test notes on/off and control messages. + MIDI Channel filter: Eliminate messages comes from unwanted MIDI channels. + MIDI Message filter: Eliminate unwanted messages (e.g. Note on, Note off, Pitch wheel etc.) + MIDI System Exclusive filter: Eliminate MIDI Clock and many other unwanted MIDI messages. + MIDI Delta-Time Added: See the time spent between messages + Record Incoming MIDI messages in background mode + 100% vectoriel cristal clear gorgeous user interface. + Slide the glass through the face, activate the desired filter with a gesture. **NOTE** Yamaha Bluetooth MD-BT01 users -> According to Yamaha user manual; all MIDI related application should be closed before bluetooth midi connection. Run the MIDI Check after connection established. If not you'll not be able to see the Yamaha midi connection on the app. This is not an application's issue. Because Yamaha use own BT protocol. Upcoming Features: - Music keyboard improvement. - Custom preset message send possibility.

About

Vagabond Synth

This is a free wavetable synthesizer app that can be used standalone or as an AUv3 instrument. It offers 16 voice polyphony, multiple oscillators, a switchable filter, modulation, and effects. It also includes a MIDI processor for generating musical sequences.

Highlights
  • Standalone or AUv3 instrument
  • 16 voice polyphony
  • Multiple oscillators per voice
  • Switchable filter
  • Modulation and effects
  • Generative MIDI processor
Features
Read full description

Vagabond is an idiosyncratic wavetable synthesiser, running standalone or as an AUv3 instrument in compatible hosts such as GarageBand, AUM, Loopy Pro or Cubasis. It features 16 voice polyphony, 4 unison oscillators per voice plus a sub-oscillator, switchable filter, a bit of modulation and some effects. Also built in is a MIDI processor plugin, Twelve, a generative music toy that creates 12-bar blues sequences. Vagabond uses this for demo purposes, but you can load it in other hosts if you like. It's kind of a one trick pony, but one trick is better than none. As always, Vagabond is 100% free, no IAPs, no subs, no spyware, no nag screens. We don't want your money and we don't want your data.

Screenshots

MIDI Check4 screens
Vagabond Synth3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Vagabond Synth at 100% against MIDI Check's 0%. Vagabond Synth also leads on price (Free vs $1.99) and rating (5.0 vs 4.0). MIDI Check's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (10.3 vs 15.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Vagabond Synth is free to download; MIDI Check costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Vagabond Synth holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of MIDI Check's written reviews are positive against 100% of Vagabond Synth's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDI Check ships an update every 4 days, Vagabond Synth every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
MIDI Check versus Vagabond Synth: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDI CheckVagabond Synth
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings47 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.3 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDejaWorks LTDMatthew Caldwell

Customer experience

MIDI Check

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Vagabond Synth

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

MIDI Check

No in-app purchases

None

Vagabond Synth

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MIDI Check free?
MIDI Check costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Vagabond Synth free?
Vagabond Synth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MIDI Check or Vagabond Synth?
Vagabond Synth is rated higher. MIDI Check averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Vagabond Synth averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.
Do MIDI Check or Vagabond Synth have ads?
Neither MIDI Check nor Vagabond Synth shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIDI Check or Vagabond Synth?
MIDI Check ships an update every 4 days, and Vagabond Synth every 3 months. Most recently, MIDI Check was updated on November 2, 2026 and Vagabond Synth on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons