Comparison

touchscaper vs StaffPad

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

Head to head
About

touchscaper

Create music on your iPad by simply touching the screen. This app offers a semi-generative engine to guide note selection and allows for deep customization of chords, keys, and scales. Explore a variety of built-in sounds and effects to craft unique musical pieces.

Highlights
  • Multi-touch interface with radar, ribbon, and keyboard surfaces
  • Semi-generative engine for note selection
  • Full control over chords, keys, and scales
  • Layerable built-in sounds and effects
  • Chord navigator and looper with Ableton Link
  • Sequencer for touch, drums, and synth automation
  • Inter-App Audio and MIDI out support
Read full description

Touchscaper is an instrument designed for anyone who wants to make music on their iPad simply by touching the screen. You don’t have to be a serious musician to enjoy touchscaper, but if you are, touchscaper is highly configureable under the hood. Main features: • Multi-touch based interface with “radar”, “ribbon” and keyboard surfaces • Touch the screen to play a note, move your fingers to change the sound • Semi-generative engine selects the “good notes” for you • Touch movement can control volume and pan for each individual note • Total control over chords, keys and scales (fully chromatic) • Multiple chords can be generated from keys and scales to create “scenes” • Chord "navigator" helps you create inspiring chord progressions • 40 built-in sounds can be combined in 2 layers to create “instruments” • Built-in sounds include samples from moodscaper, pianoscaper, numerous analog synths and guitars • Comes with preset example scenes and instruments • Random instrument generator function with one tap of a button • Hold and orbit modes for hands-free evolving soundscapes • Ribbon style keyboard with touch vibrato • Chord looper with Ableton Link support • Arrangement view for longer / more complex chord progressions • 16 step probability-based sequencer for touch, drums, percussion and synth automation • "jam grid" sequencer view for live performances • Supports file sharing for scenes and instruments • Built-in effects including ping-pong delays, reverb, limiter and EQ • Supports IAA (Inter-App Audio) as a generator • Control other music apps using MIDI out and CCs with optional MPE support There are several demo videos in circulation which should give you a better idea of what touchscaper can do - just search for “touchscaper”. *** Please note that this app is now in maintenance mode / updates for bug fixes only. This is due to the heavy dependency on deprecated technology such as IAA ***

About

StaffPad

Compose music effortlessly on your iPad with intuitive handwriting input and advanced notation tools. Convert your playing into sheet music, record and edit audio directly on the score, and utilize powerful playback with professional sample libraries. Seamlessly share your work with others using the companion reader app.

Highlights
  • Handwriting music notation with Apple Pencil
  • Convert audio recordings to notation
  • Record and edit audio on score
  • Professional playback with sample libraries
  • Seamless sharing via ScoreSync
  • Import/export MusicXML and MIDI
Features
Read full description

MADE FOR COMPOSERS ------------------------- StaffPad is designed for composers who want to write music effortlessly, using music notation and audio. Write your music using Apple Pencil, and the app will transform your writing into beautifully typeset notation that can be edited, played back, printed and shared. Record or import audio directly onto your score and edit it intuitively with Apple Pencil. Magically convert your real piano playing or existing recordings into notation using advanced on-device machine learning. Add video, smart symbols and use world leading sample libraries and mix your score with a suite of studio effects. From basic idea to a full film score; StaffPad is the easiest, most powerful and most intuitive way to compose music on iPad. WRITE NATURALLY ------------------- Write your score with the fluidity of natural handwriting. Use touch and Apple Pencil to quickly edit your notation. Transpose, repeat and structure your score with intuitive gestures and tools. Customise the tempo with a unique tempo staff (or import a tempo map from a MIDI file), add chords either manually or automatically with the chord staff. You can even copy music written in StaffPad into other apps, simply using the normal copy and paste functions. HEAR YOUR MASTERPIECE ---------------------------- With a groundbreaking playback engine and over 55 included instruments, StaffPad is ready to perform your written piece instantly. Add industry-standard sample libraries, adapted and customised for StaffPad, from some of the world's leading sample developers. This is a leap forward for composers working at the highest levels. SHARE WITH SCORESYNC --------------------------- Once you're ready to perform or record your work, tap the ScoreSync button in StaffPad and your score is instantly shared across a Wi-Fi network to any device running the free StaffPad Reader app (available in the App Store). The Readers present each individual musical part beautifully formatted, update in realtime with any changes you make to your score, handle automatic page turns, and play back in perfect time with a synchronised metronome, for capturing the perfect recording every time. IMPORT AND EXPORT --------------------------- StaffPad imports and exports MusicXML and MIDI files for easily working with other music apps. You can also export your playback as WAV, AAC or MP3. You can import audio files into your score, with support for most major audio formats. WORK WITH AUDIO AND VIDEO -------------------------------- For the first time, you can seamlessly mix audio with your notated score. Record directly onto the score canvas using your device's in-built microphones, or import loops, Tempo map freeform/rubato performances using the tempo staff. Add shine to your production with a suite of studio quality DSP effects, and polish with precise automation. PIANO AND MIDI CAPTURE --------------------------- Record your real piano and convert it into notation. Don't have a real piano? Don't worry - you can connect a USB or Bluetooth MIDI keyboard and record your performance in realtime, converting to notation as you play. PRINT / PDF ------------ As well as digital parts via ScoreSync, StaffPad will automatically format and print parts or export PDFs for you. Customise the paper size, bar number styles, number of bars per line, scaling, margins, multi-bar consolidation and more. StaffPad automatically formats the score for consistent presentation.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: touchscaper at 93% against StaffPad's 40%. touchscaper also leads on price ($4.99 vs $49.99) and rating (4.9 vs 4.0). StaffPad's advantage is ratings volume (563 vs 147). On ads 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

touchscaper costs $4.99 and StaffPad $49.99 up front. StaffPad sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. touchscaper asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

touchscaper holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 147 and 563 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of touchscaper's written reviews are positive against 40% of StaffPad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

touchscaper ships an update weekly, StaffPad every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
touchscaper versus StaffPad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametertouchscaperStaffPad
Price$4.99 — better$49.99
Rating4.9 (147 ratings) — better4.0 (563 ratings)
Positive reviews93.2% of reviews — better40.0% of reviews
Number of ratings147563 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better14.5
Further details — not scored
Size359 MB1020 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRob JacksonStaffPad Ltd.

Customer experience

touchscaper

All ratings147 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral1.4%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews73 reviews
Positive93.2%
Neutral1.4%
Negative5.5%

StaffPad

All ratings563 ratings
Positive73.9%
Neutral5.2%
Negative21.0%
Written reviews527 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral12.1%
Negative47.8%

User reviews

touchscaper

From 147 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Beautiful and inspiring sounds
  • 👍 Easy to use, yet deep
  • 💡 Innovative and unique instrument
  • 🚀 Creates beautiful music easily
  • 💰 Great value for the price

Room to improve

  • 🐛 MIDI connectivity issues
  • 🐛 MPE via MIDI out not working
  • 🐛 Pops when adding multiple sounds
  • 🐛 Hold Mode design is awkward
  • 🐛 App can become unstable after long use

StaffPad

From 563 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful composing tool
  • 🎨 Intuitive handwriting interface
  • 🎹 High-quality playback sounds
  • 💻 Seamless iPad integration
  • 🎨 Smooth workflow for sketching ideas

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent handwriting recognition
  • 🔧 Steep learning curve
  • 🔒 Requires Apple Pencil
  • 💰 Expensive with additional purchases
  • 🐛 Stability issues and crashes

Bugs and requests

touchscaper

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Does not show up as an available audio unit in Logic or GarageBand
  • Cannot get any MIDI connectivity to work
  • MPE via MIDI out does not work if there is no MIDI out for the app
  • Pops when adding more than 2 sounds
  • Hold Mode design is awkward, especially for note placement
Show 1 more
  • App lost its mind and control animations ran wild after 10 hours of use

Requested features

12 requests
  • AUv3 version/compatibility
  • More sophisticated mixer
  • Second bank of patterns
  • Panels to tweak oscillators, LFOs, etc.
  • Orchestral type sounds
Show 7 more
  • Light background theme in UI
  • Attack vector like ADSR function
  • Variable Release function
  • Mixer for each drum line
  • MIDI out functionality (mentioned multiple times)
  • Toggle on/off for Hold Mode
  • Ability to nudge/fine-tune node placements in Hold Mode

StaffPad

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Inability to recognize certain note values
  • Eraser function unreliable
  • Inconsistent behavior when writing accidentals
  • Crashes when attempting to create new scores
  • Syncing and file management issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved handwriting recognition
  • More flexible note input options
  • Cross-staff notation support
  • Customizable UI and layout
  • Better collaboration and sharing features

In-app purchases

None

touchscaper

No in-app purchases

12 purchases

StaffPad

One-time12
  • Toy GlockenspielFree
  • StaffPad Essential GuitarsFree
  • Retro KeyboardsFree
Show 9 more
  • Muse StringsFree
  • Muse ChoirFree
  • Muse WoodwindsFree
  • Muse PercussionFree
  • Muse BrassFree
  • Muse HarpFree
  • Muse KeysFree
  • Muse Guitars Vol. 1Free
  • StaffPad Essentials: AccordionFree

Questions

Is touchscaper free?
touchscaper costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is StaffPad free?
StaffPad costs $49.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, touchscaper or StaffPad?
touchscaper is rated higher. touchscaper averages 4.9 out of 5 from 147 ratings, while StaffPad averages 4.0 from 563 ratings.
Do touchscaper or StaffPad have ads?
Neither touchscaper nor StaffPad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, touchscaper or StaffPad?
touchscaper ships an update weekly, and StaffPad every 2 weeks. Most recently, touchscaper was updated on September 23, 2026 and StaffPad on September 24, 2026.

Other comparisons