Comparison

apeMatrix vs RE

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

Head to head
About

apeMatrix

This app acts as a powerful host for audio plugins, allowing users to connect and automate various aspects of music creation. It facilitates the integration of favorite FX, MIDI routing, and control over built-in and external plugin parameters.

Highlights
  • Audio Unit and Inter-App Audio support
  • MIDI and audio routing
  • Control Manager for parameter modulation
  • Multiple Matrix grids for plugin hosting
  • MIDI Patch-bay for routing
  • High-quality audio processing
Features
Read full description

Holding true to the standard of apeSoft, apeMatrix continues to push the limits of possibilities in music creation. Automating almost every aspect of linked control, apeMatrix brings all your creation tools together and links them both in MIDI and audio. Letting you inject all your favorite FX both AU and IAA in a very easy and intuitive way. apeMatrix can also assign its Control Manager MIDI, Accelerometer, Scrub and LFO’s to modulate every built-in parameter and any parameter available inside the AUv3 (Audio Unit Plugins). apeMatrix offers 10 slots on each of the three Matrix grids with 2 bus slots on each grid that make it possible to interconnect all 3 Matrix. The MIDI Patch-bay also offers endless possibilities for MIDI routing and control in a similar grid design for both internal and external MIDI control. So you can send and receive MIDI and have ultimate control over where it’s routed. Each Audio Connection on the grid has its own gain control. Just tap on the node and drag will give you the full range of volume control. Or use Mixer to controls the RAU output and automate them using apeSoft’s unique Control Manager MIDI, Accelerometer, Scrub and LFO’s to modulate every built-in parameter and any parameter available inside the AUv3 (Audio Unit Plugins). Turn each slot on or off by a control switch on the Matrix or MIDI control. Control output, pan, mute and solo of each slot and Master output of each Matrix with the built in mixer control or MIDI control. Route your sounds through all a series of FX or route multiple sounds through the very some FX. The possibilities are as endless as your creativity. FEATURES High quality audio up to 32-bit 96kHz Supports Audio Unit extensions, Inter-App Audio Supports multi-channel inputs/outputs audio interfaces Supports Audio Unit Multi-bus input/output (side-chaining) 3 Matrix Audio 3 MIDI Matrix 10 Open Slots per Matrix (hosts up to 30 plugins) 2 Audio Bus Slots per Matrix 2 MIDI Bus Slots per Matrix MIDI Monitor Multi-Channel Audio Route AudioUnit Audio Send Receive Buses MIDI Scale Filtering, Transpose etc… Control Manager (MIDI, Accelerometer, LFO, Scrub) for all Built-In Parameters Control Manager (MIDI, Accelerometer, LFO, Scrub) for all AUv3 (Audio Unit Plugins) Presets Manager and Morphing Pad Save Custom AUv3 Presets Session Saving/Load Save/Load View’s Frame in Presets Transport to sends host sync to Audio Unit plugins and IAA Integrated and configurable MIDI keyboard with scales Connections output and panning controls Post Dynamic Processor Audiobus and Inter-Audio App (Sender and Fx) Audiobus state saving Ableton Link Precise MIDI Clock In/Out AudioShare Compatible AudioCopy Compatible MIDI Manager: Virtual Midi and Network, 14 bit NRPN controllers File Manager, sharing common audio files via iTunes, Dropbox and AudioCopy etc… Variable Sampling Rate (up to 96 kHz) Variable Buffering Size Variable UI Color Schemes BUILT-IN AUv3 (compatibles with other audio hosts) Configurable Sampler with scrub, playable via MIDI V-Meters Oscilloscope/Spectralscope Sender/Receiver (up to 16 buses) Send MIDI messages with LFO Gain/Pan

About

RE

This app is a versatile virtual tape machine offering authentic tape echo and chorus effects. It also functions as a sampler, looper, and overdubbing tool, allowing for creative audio manipulation and real-time performance.

Highlights
  • Virtual tape deck with 3 read heads
  • Authentic tape echo emulation
  • Tape loop mode with overdubbing
  • Sample/loop library
  • Real-time parameter visualization
  • Wow, Flutter, Color, Hiss & Saturation controls
Features
Read full description

RE-1 - Tape Echo RE-1 is a full featured virtual Tape Machine capable of delivering authentic tape based echo and chorus effects but it doesn't stop there. With it's interactive tape player, sample, loop and overdub features it's possible to use it like a virtual tape recorder, sample player, looper or simply as a master effect. Overview: - Virtual Tape deck including 3 individually controllable read heads, variable delay time and feedback - Interactive user interface and realtime visualisation of various parameters related to the tape simulation - Dedicated controls for Wow, Flutter, Color, Tape Hiss & saturation amount - Tape Loop mode with overdub, tape reverse and time-stretching - Sample/Loop library loads wave files onto the virtual tape loop - Transport and Tempo Sync - Stereo Spread & Stereo Panner - Input processing: Highpass filter - Output processing: 2 band eq Tape Echo: - Authentic tape echo emulation - Multi-tap delay with 3 individually controllable read heads - Color Control adjusts the echo's tone from dark to bright - Delay Time: 5ms - 1000ms (or 1/32th to 1/1) - Wow & Flutter - Tape Hiss and Saturation - Stereo spread - Stereo panner Looper / Sample Player: - Uses the tape like a traditional looper with unlimited overdubs - Configurable Loop length with 1 - 8 bars and tempo sync and tape reverse - Tape transport can be linked to the host's transport controls - Time stretching keeps loops in sync - Samples/loops can be loaded onto the tape directly - Samples can be created from the tape loop and stored in the sample library at any time - Factory content includes a variety of loops grouped by style - Samples/loops can be imported from and exported to other apps Connectivity: - Standalone - AUv3 - InterApp-Audio - Audiobus - Ableton Link - MIDI (Tempo, CC, Program Change) - Requirements: - iOS 11+

Screenshots

apeMatrix4 screens
RE3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: RE at $4.99 against apeMatrix's $14.99. RE also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). apeMatrix's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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

apeMatrix costs $14.99 and RE $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for apeMatrix against 4.7 for RE. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 84 and 132 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of apeMatrix's written reviews are positive against 66% of RE's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

apeMatrix ships an update monthly, RE every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
apeMatrix versus RE: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterapeMatrixRE
Price$14.99$4.99 — better
Rating4.7 (84 ratings)4.7 (132 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.7% of reviews — better65.8% of reviews
Number of ratings84132 — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB107 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperapeSoftKai Aras

Customer experience

apeMatrix

All ratings84 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral6.0%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive72.7%
Neutral12.1%
Negative15.2%

RE

All ratings132 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral4.5%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive65.8%
Neutral15.8%
Negative18.4%

In-app purchases

None

apeMatrix

No in-app purchases

None

RE

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is apeMatrix free?
apeMatrix costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is RE free?
RE costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, apeMatrix or RE?
RE is rated higher. apeMatrix averages 4.7 out of 5 from 84 ratings, while RE averages 4.7 from 132 ratings.
Do apeMatrix or RE have ads?
Neither apeMatrix nor RE shows ads.
Which is updated more often, apeMatrix or RE?
apeMatrix ships an update monthly, and RE every 3 months. Most recently, apeMatrix was updated on October 24, 2026 and RE on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons