Comparison

ScaleBud vs MultiTrack Recorder Plugin

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

Head to head
About

ScaleBud

This music theory tool helps composers, artists, and learners explore scales and chords. It functions as an AUv3 plugin, Audiobus MIDI sender/filter, and standalone app, allowing MIDI control of audio applications.

Highlights
  • 40+ popular scales
  • Note and chord modes
  • AUv3 MIDI plugin
  • Audiobus MIDI sending/filtering
  • Standalone app
  • Custom preset saving
Features
Read full description

ScaleBud is a music theory tool for composers, artists and learners. It has more than 40 most popular scales and counting. AUv3 Plugin, Audiobus MIDI Sending/ Filtering and Standalone app included. It has a very simple, single-view interface that you can choose the scale and key you want to work as well as note or chord mode selector on the left side. Right side lists the scale notes or chords you want to work with. In note mode, you can fastly jump between notes in the scale by selecting them from the list. In chord mode, you can see the triad, 7th, 9th, 11th or 13th chords for each note in the scale. You can jump between them quickly as well, by pressing the chord you want to play from keyboard. Also, in chord mode, you can set the octave you want to play for the chords from left side of the keyboard. ScaleBud comes with an AUv3 MIDI plugin and standalone versions. You can directly control your iOS, Mac or PC audio apps with CoreMIDI. Just open the settings menu and select the MIDI Out you want to send MIDI to. ScaleBud also supports Audiobus MIDI Sending and Filtering. You can send MIDI from Audiobus 3 app just like regular CoreMIDI workflow. Also, in Audiobus MIDI Filter mode, you can feed MIDI Input data from your hardware or MIDI app, and ScaleBud filters out the off-scale notes in note mode, or plays the corresponding chord, if any available, for each note, like a chorder, in chord mode. You can use ScaleBud with Audio Unit version 3 hosts like Audiobus 3, AUM, Cubasis 2, Beat Maker 3, apeMatrix and Sequencism. As an audio unit plugin, it both maps/filters your MIDI Input to the MIDI Output you route, and sends the notes/chords you pressed from its keyboard. In chord mode, you can press any type of chord from the list in order to make chorder generate chords in that type. For example if you press a 7th chord, it will generate 7th chords for each note you send it from your MIDI keyboard. Also, it has several presets but you can save your custom presets with the supported hosts. So, you can quickly jump between keys, scales and chords you want to work with. ScaleBud is not an audio app. It just creates or filters MIDI data coming from input and sends them to MIDI output. It does not generate any sound in any mode. You can always send feedback for bug reports, feature requests or rate the app from the Support section in Settings menu. Standalone app requires iOS 10.0+ AUv3 plugin requires iOS 11.0+ and a supporting host app. ScaleBud also offers its core components open sourced on GitHub. Feel free to fork them, send a pull request to make it better, open an issue to share your ideas or give them a star if you like them. MusicTheory: https://github.com/cemolcay/MusicTheory MIDIEventKit: https://github.com/cemolcay/MIDIEventKit ALKit: https://github.com/cemolcay/ALKit

About

MultiTrack Recorder Plugin

Record and layer up to 8 mono or stereo audio tracks per instance. This AUv3 compatible plugin offers advanced editing, mixing, and export capabilities for musicians and producers. Create loops, record vocals, or build full song arrangements for use in other DAWs.

Highlights
  • 8 mono/stereo tracks per instance
  • Integrated 8-channel mixer
  • CPU-friendly delay and reverb
  • Multi-level undo function
  • Sample accurate punch in/out
  • Drag and drop file support
  • Mix-down and looping capabilities
Read full description

This is an AUv3 compatible Multi-Track Recorder plugin specifically designed for AUM and other DAW's that don't support audio recording capabilities. MultiTrack can be used for a host of purposes such as a tool for recording and layering audio for export to other DAW's , creating that perfect loop for other third party applications or recording vocal sessions to accompany you in AUM. Its uses are endless. It features the ability to record up to 8 mono or stereo audio tracks per instance, with the ability to run multiple instances under the control of your host DAW. MultiTrack has the ability to run standalone using it's own transport or synced to a host which allows synchronous control of multiple instances. MultiTrack supports various recording modes including the ability to set punch in and out points for sample accurate recordings. Press the Host Sync in order to the advantage of the hosts transport controls or enable the remote button to enable host recording controls (great for NS2). Use the Audio Pool window to quickly and easily import, export and perform mix-downs of audio clips. Quickly and easily move audio files using drag and drop to the time line or between the audio pool and the Files App. Imported audio is automatically converted to the projects sample rate. The audio pool also features the ability to copy and paste audio directly from the iOS pasteboard as well as preview and manage your data. An intergrated 8 channel mixer allows you to control the level, pan and effect send levels. Although AUM allows some great routing options for third party effects, MultiTrack also includes an extremely CPU friendly beat synced delay and reverb which can be used where recording pre-effected instruments is not an option. MultiTrack allows per clip volume level as well as being able to control start and end cropping and fade in/out on a clip by clip basis. All these operations are quick and easy to make using the touch screen alone. Also included is the ability to perform operations such as splitting, normalising, reversing and time stretching of audio clips all with a multi-level undo built right in. A comprehensive set of selection, copying and duplication tools make editing a breeze. Each track has it's own mute, solo and metering which can also be used to monitoring incoming signal levels. Finally you have the ability to mix down a selected range of your song or create perfectly looped samples for use in other DAW's , samplers and drum machines such as DigiStix. Features: ○ 8 tracks per instance. ○ Mixer with level, pan and effect settings. ○ Mix mono or stereo clips on a track. ○ Built in CPU friendly delay and reverb. ○ Multi-level undo function. ○ Loop play and record modes (when not synced to host). ○ Mix-down facility. ○ Cut, copy, paste and duplicate clips. ○ Ability to sync to host tempo. ○ Metronome with count-in. ○ Drag and drop support with the Files App. ○ Backup and Restore of individual songs. ○ Automatic conversion of imported audio. ○ Zoom mode for use when cropping clips.

Screenshots

ScaleBud4 screens
MultiTrack Recorder Plugin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ScaleBud at $4.99 against MultiTrack Recorder Plugin's $10.99. ScaleBud also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 61%) and rating (4.3 vs 4.1). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

ScaleBud costs $4.99 and MultiTrack Recorder Plugin $10.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ScaleBud holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 34 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of ScaleBud's written reviews are positive against 61% of MultiTrack Recorder Plugin's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ScaleBud versus MultiTrack Recorder Plugin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScaleBudMultiTrack Recorder Plugin
Price$4.99 — better$10.99
Rating4.3 (32 ratings) — better4.1 (34 ratings)
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews — better60.5% of reviews
Number of ratings3234 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better13
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCem Olcay4Pockets.com

Customer experience

ScaleBud

All ratings32 ratings
Positive84.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.6%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

MultiTrack Recorder Plugin

All ratings34 ratings
Positive70.6%
Neutral11.8%
Negative17.6%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive60.5%
Neutral21.1%
Negative18.4%

In-app purchases

None

ScaleBud

No in-app purchases

None

MultiTrack Recorder Plugin

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ScaleBud free?
ScaleBud costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is MultiTrack Recorder Plugin free?
MultiTrack Recorder Plugin costs $10.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ScaleBud or MultiTrack Recorder Plugin?
ScaleBud is rated higher. ScaleBud averages 4.3 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while MultiTrack Recorder Plugin averages 4.1 from 34 ratings.
Do ScaleBud or MultiTrack Recorder Plugin have ads?
Neither ScaleBud nor MultiTrack Recorder Plugin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ScaleBud or MultiTrack Recorder Plugin?
ScaleBud ships an update every 2 weeks, and MultiTrack Recorder Plugin every 2 weeks. Most recently, ScaleBud was updated on October 8, 2026 and MultiTrack Recorder Plugin on October 12, 2026.

Other comparisons