GridInstrument vs lo
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GridInstrument
This app transforms your iOS device into a unique musical instrument with a grid-based interface. Explore over 20 musical modes and various grid layouts. It also supports external MIDI controllers like the Launchpad for expanded creative possibilities.
- Grid-based note arrangement
- Launchpad integration
- Over 20 musical modes
- Multiple grid layouts
- Core MIDI out
- Audiobus 3 MIDI support
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GridInstrument lets you play your iOS device like a musical instrument. Instead of a piano keyboard, notes are arranged on a grid. It also lets you hook up your Launchpad device (using the Apple Camera Connection Kit) and play that as well! Features: - Launchpad integration (connect your Launchpad Mini in low-power mode without a hub or any other Launchpad with a powered hub) - Change octaves - Change keys - Change from over 20 musical modes ("Major, Minor, Dorian, Mixolydian, etc.") - Choose between three grid layouts ("Diatonic", "Chromatic/4ths String Layout", "Drum rack"), as well as row note offset/overlap setting - Core MIDI out so that you use GridInstrument to control your other instruments - Audiobus 3 MIDI support - MIDI note input so that you can see notes triggered by other devices on your grid Want to see some other feature implemented? Contact us at the Decidedly website.
lo
This app offers a versatile toolkit for manipulating audio with a variety of lo-fi effects. Explore historical audio degradation, modern digital artifacts, and analog warmth to transform your sound.
- Convolution reverb with unique impulse responses
- Spectral processing for MP3 simulation and pitch shifting
- Digital section with bitcrusher and CD stutter
- Analog section with tape saturation and noise generation
- Rearrangeable processing sections
- Dozens of presets for sound warping
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"LO‑FI‑AF is a very capable lo‑fi toolkit capable of surgically targeted destruction and it could easily find applications in just about any musical genre" -SoundOnSound Unfiltered Audio's lo-fi-af is now available on iOS as a Standalone app or AUv3 plugin! lo-fi-af takes your sound on a journey of artifacts and noise throughout recorded history, from tape warbles and vinyl noise to MP3 chirps and cell phone speaker chatter. lo-fi-af's many sections and versatile algorithms can place your sound in a different decade, or give it a thoroughly modern spin through compound processing. The first section is a convolution reverb preloaded with impulse responses from broken microphones, toy speakers, cell phones, and more. With this section alone, you can place your sound into an entirely different space. The Spectral section then splits your sound into thousands of frequencies before reconstructing it with a twist. Here you can reproduce the sound of a pirated MP3 or pitch shift your signal with clean perfection. Your signal then takes a trip through the digital section. All sorts of hazards are present here, from a skipping CD stutter effect to a multimode bitcrusher. Finally, the rich, colorful analog section adds that vibe that you crave. A maximizer, a tape saturator, a noise generator, an analog-style filter, a pitch warbler, and a radio demodulator all work together in harmony to toss your sound into the past. But wait! That's only one possible signal chain. The Convolution, Spectral, Digital, and Analog sections can be completely rearranged in any order. Dozens of presets will get your started on your sound warping adventure. As an AUv3 plugin, lo-fi-af has been tested to work perfectly with Garageband, Drambo, AUM, Cubasis, Beatmaker, Nanostudio, apeMatrix, Loopy Pro, and more! Additionally, with its clear layout and smart resizing, lo-fi-af can be used on tablets and phones with ease. (Note for Drambo users: Drambo does not yet have automatic Plugin Delay Compensation for managing plugins with latency. As a result, tracks with lo-fi-af will not line up properly with other tracks. An upcoming patch for Drambo will add this feature in.)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: lo at 5.0 against GridInstrument's 4.5. GridInstrument's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $9.99) and review sentiment (83% vs 67%). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
GridInstrument costs $3.99 and lo $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
lo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 29 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of GridInstrument's written reviews are positive against 67% of lo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
GridInstrument ships an update weekly, lo fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GridInstrument | lo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 4.5 (11 ratings) | 5.0 (29 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 11 | 29 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 11.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Decidedly, LLC | Unfiltered Audio |
Customer experience
GridInstrument
lo
In-app purchases
GridInstrument
No in-app purchases
lo
No in-app purchases









