Comparison

SoftPads vs Drone Pad

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

Head to head
About

SoftPads

This app provides ambient background loops for musicians to fill sonic gaps during performances. It offers a variety of high-quality pad sounds that can be layered and customized, with options to save and recall combinations for set lists. Enhance your live sound with a versatile and easy-to-use tool.

Highlights
  • 10+ ambient loop pad sounds
  • Selectable in 12 musical keys
  • Layer multiple sounds for unique combinations
  • Save and recall pad combinations
  • Create and save set lists
  • Customizable background colors
  • Enhanced stage viewing mode
Features
Read full description

Soft Pads was created for musicians to eliminate any dead space behind your band by providing an ambient background loop that continuously runs in the background. If you have a band or are a solo performer this is the app you've been waiting for! Features: Soft Pads has over 10 different ambient loop pad sounds to choose from that can be selected in any of the 12 keys of music. All of the sounds on Soft Pads were carefully selected and designed to only be top quality sounds/pads. Select one pad sound or layer many to create unique sound combinations. Soft Pads allows near limitless sound options. Our custom sounds like Phaser, Vox, and Breath can be stacked with other pad sounds to create amazing tones. The options are limitless on the different ambient sounds this app can achieve! What's new is the ability to save the pad combination that you have created. Give it a name and recall it to be used in Set Lists that you can also create and save. Soft Pads should be used as a stand alone instrument. Other programs played at the same time may interfere with the function of SoftPads. Soft Pads allows you to customize your experience with several background colors allowing you to chose your favorite colors and background schemes. It also includes an enhanced viewing mode that performs fabulously on stage to make the fonts and contrast bolder and stand out for easier viewing. Soft Pads allows users to turn crossfade on or off and even allows you to chose if you want to allow multiple pads or just single pads. Soft Pads is everything you could need all in one app! No more mess of having to download mp3's or sound files or waiting for downloads for hours just to get a few pads to work. Soft Pads gives you everything you need in the palm of your hands without having to go through any hassles or extra steps. Soft Pads offers A+ customer support to all of our customers. We strive for excellent customer service. Recommend the following: 1. Download while connected to WiFi. 2. Make sure that your device is in standard or normal viewing mode (Not zoomed or large print). This may affect the "swipe" function. To reveal the menu/settings, swipe left to right from the main screen. To reveal the sound pad choices, swipe right to left from the main screen. 3. For best results during performance, switch on "Airplane Mode". You can visit our website at: www.forwardsounds.com

About

Drone Pad

Create immersive soundscapes with a vast library of atmospheric drone sounds and dynamic drum loops. Layer, customize, and enhance your audio with built-in effects and import your own sounds. Seamlessly integrate with DAWs and sync with Ableton Link for live performances.

Highlights
  • Expansive drone sound library
  • Drum loops for multiple genres
  • Layer, play, and customize sounds
  • Import custom sounds (KMP, SFZ)
  • AUv3 support for DAWs
  • Advanced effects section
  • Ableton Link support
  • Record and share sessions
Features
Read full description

Create Mesmerizing Soundscapes with Drone Pad – Drone Sounds and Drum Loops Transform your musical journey with Drone Pad, the ultimate app for creating rich drone sounds and rhythmic drum loops. Whether you’re crafting ambient backgrounds, experimenting with soundscapes, or performing live, Drone Pad offers an expansive library of atmospheric drones and dynamic beats—right at your fingertips. Features: • Expansive Drone Sound Library: Discover a variety of immersive drone sounds—perfect for ambient, meditative, or experimental music. From deep analog tones to ethereal atmospheres, Drone Pad provides all the tools you need to create captivating soundscapes. • Drum Loops for Every Genre: Play along with professionally crafted drum loops across multiple genres. Whether you’re into chill beats, world rhythms, or electronic grooves, our diverse library has it all. • Layer, Play, and Customize: Effortlessly blend drone sounds and drum loops, layer rhythms, and create your own unique combinations. Tweak the sounds with onboard filters, envelopes, and effects to craft your perfect sound. • Import and Customize Your Own Sounds: Bring in your custom sounds in Korg KMP or SFZ format and fine-tune them with the app’s comprehensive tools. Add a personal touch to your music and stand out. • AUv3 Support for Seamless Integration: Use Drone Pad within your favorite AUv3-compatible DAW for a streamlined production workflow. Perfect for both studio use and live performance. • Advanced Effects Section: Enhance your creations with built-in effects like Reverb, Delay, Tremolo, Phaser, and more. Take your sound to the next level with powerful modulation options. • Ableton Link Support: Sync your loops and sounds seamlessly with Ableton Link for collaborative performances and live sets. • Record and Share: Capture your sessions and share your creations with the world using built-in output recording. Save your favorite settings and sounds for instant recall. Unlock More with Premium Membership: Upgrade to Premium to access the full sound library and exclusive features. Subscription Plans: • 1 Month: $5.99 • 1 Year: $29.99 Prices are for the US; pricing in other countries may vary. • Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account upon purchase confirmation. • Subscription automatically renews unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal in your Account Settings after purchase. Why Drone Pad? Whether you’re producing music, performing live, or just exploring new soundscapes, Drone Pad is the perfect tool for creating ambient atmospheres and rhythmic beats. Unleash your creativity with this powerful sound design app today! Download Drone Pad now and start creating immersive soundscapes with ease! Terms of Service: https://taqs.im/terms Privacy Policy: https://taqs.im/privacy Got feedback or questions? Reach us at contact@taqs.im!

Screenshots

SoftPads4 screens
Drone Pad4 screens

Verdict

The call

SoftPads and Drone Pad both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 81% of SoftPads's written reviews are positive against 36% of Drone Pad's. SoftPads also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 18.0). Drone Pad's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and ratings volume (178 vs 41). On rating, update cadence, 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

Drone Pad is free to download; SoftPads costs $4.99 up front. Drone Pad sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. SoftPads asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for SoftPads against 4.5 for Drone Pad. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 41 and 178 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of SoftPads's written reviews are positive against 36% of Drone Pad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SoftPads ships an update every 3 weeks, Drone Pad monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
SoftPads versus Drone Pad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSoftPadsDrone Pad
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (41 ratings)4.5 (178 ratings) — better
Positive reviews81.1% of reviews — better35.7% of reviews
Number of ratings41178 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.4 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size216 MB97 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperForward Sounds, LLCTAQS.IM

Customer experience

SoftPads

All ratings41 ratings
Positive87.8%
Neutral2.4%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews37 reviews
Positive81.1%
Neutral2.7%
Negative16.2%

Drone Pad

All ratings177 ratings
Positive89.3%
Neutral2.8%
Negative7.9%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive35.7%
Neutral21.4%
Negative42.9%

In-app purchases

None

SoftPads

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Drone Pad

Subscriptions3
  • TAQS.IM Monthly Premium Access$5.991 Month
  • TAQS.IM Yearly Premium Access7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • TAQS.IM Yearly PRO Access7 Days trial$29.491 Year
One-time7
  • Rock Drum Beats & Grooves$0.99
  • Blues & Ballads Drum Loops$0.99
  • Cajon Conga Rhythms$0.99
Show 4 more
  • Analog Pads$2.99
  • Ethereal Voices$2.99
  • Drone Pad Lifetime$14.99
  • Drone Pad Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is SoftPads free?
SoftPads costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Drone Pad free?
Drone Pad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SoftPads or Drone Pad?
Drone Pad is rated higher. SoftPads averages 4.5 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Drone Pad averages 4.5 from 178 ratings.
Do SoftPads or Drone Pad have ads?
Neither SoftPads nor Drone Pad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SoftPads or Drone Pad?
SoftPads ships an update every 3 weeks, and Drone Pad monthly. Most recently, SoftPads was updated on November 11, 2026 and Drone Pad on November 3, 2026.

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