MIDI Sniffer vs ShowMIDI
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MIDI Sniffer
Capture and share MIDI messages from external instruments. View logs in text or hex with precise timestamps. Export as MIDI files or share via text/email. Supports Bluetooth LE connections and message filtering.
- Capture MIDI messages (text/hex)
- Microsecond precision timestamps
- Share logs via text/email
- Export logs as MIDI files
- Bluetooth LE MIDI connections
- Message filtering
- Color-coded messages
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This app allows you to capture incoming MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) messages, for example from external MIDI keyboards or accordions with a MIDI system. It is also possible to share the entire log as text or MIDI file, for example with app developers asking for a MIDI dump. Connect a MIDI interface to your Apple device, then connect your MIDI instrument to the interface. Features: - Capture MIDI messages in clear text and hexadecimal digits - Shows timestamps in microseconds precision - Share the log via text message or email - Export log as MIDI file - Establish MIDI Bluetooth LE connections - Different colors are used for better distinction - Apply filters to focus on events of interest
ShowMIDI
This application provides a real-time, glanceable view of all MIDI activity on your computer. It visualizes various MIDI messages and allows you to pause the flow for a data snapshot. It can be used as a standalone tool or an AUv3 plugin within your DAW.
- Real-time MIDI visualization
- Auto-hides irrelevant messages
- Pause and snapshot data
- Standalone application
- AUv3 plugin support
- Supports MPE configuration
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ShowMIDI is an open-source multi-platform GUI application to effortlessly visualize MIDI activity. Instead of wading through logs of MIDI messages to correlate relevant ones and identify what is happening, ShowMIDI visualizes the current activity and auto-hides what you don't care about anymore. It provides you with a real-time glanceable view of all MIDI activity on your computer. ShowMIDI is designed to be always on, using the spacebar or play/pause button you can pause the flow and focus on a data snapshot with the latest state of any MIDI entity. ShowMIDI can be ran as a standalone application that automatically detects all your MIDI devices, or as an AUv3 plugin in your DAW or host to visualize MIDI data in your sessions. ShowMIDI visualizes: * MIDI ports * channels * program change * note on/off * channel pressure * polyphonic pressure * continuous control change * pitchbend * RPN and NRPN * MPE configuration and channel modes ShowMIDI supports: * themes * standalone operation * AUv3 operation
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: ShowMIDI at every 2 months against MIDI Sniffer's every 36 months. ShowMIDI also leads on ratings volume (18 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). MIDI Sniffer's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
MIDI Sniffer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShowMIDI has 18 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
MIDI Sniffer ships an update every 36 months, ShowMIDI every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MIDI Sniffer | ShowMIDI |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.8 (18 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 87.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 18 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 36 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sven Thoennissen | Uwyn, LLC |
Customer experience
MIDI Sniffer
ShowMIDI
In-app purchases
MIDI Sniffer
No in-app purchases
ShowMIDI
No in-app purchases









