Comparison

ScaleBud vs GlitchStep

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

GlitchStep

This music app is a monophonic 16-step MIDI sequencer and AUv3 MIDI processor extension. It allows for real-time sequence rearrangement, song building with playlists, and dynamic performance variations. Integrate it with your favorite AUv3 hosts for enhanced music production.

Highlights
  • 16-step monophonic sequencer
  • AUv3 MIDI processor extension
  • Real-time sequence rearrangement
  • Pattern and slice playlists
  • Glitch effects with XY pad
  • Extensive scale options
  • Customizable sequence controls
Features
Read full description

Unleash Your Creativity with GlitchStep GlitchStep is a cutting-edge monophonic 16-step, performance-oriented sequencer and AUv3 MIDI processor extension. Dive into a world of musical possibilities as you play with your sequence and perform dynamic, captivating variations. Next-Level Sequence Manipulation: Inspired by GlitchCore, GlitchStep employs a slice grid for real-time sequence rearrangement. Both patterns and slices can be compiled into playlists, allowing you to build and modify songs on-the-fly for live performance or studio sessions. Effortless Integration: Load GlitchStep as an AUv3 MIDI Processor/MIDI FX in your favorite AUv3 hosts like AUM, Logic, Loopy Pro, Drambo, and more. Note: Standalone use is not supported. Features to Elevate Your Music: - 16 Steps - 8 Patterns - Unlimited Pattern Playlist Entries - Slice Grid with Drawing Mode - 8 Slice Patterns - Unlimited Slice Pattern Playlist Entries - Glitch Your Sequence with XY Pad and Sliders - Aggressive Glitch Capabilities - Extensive Scale Options - Customizable Start and End Sequence Positions - Control Sequence Direction - Global Sequence Rate Adjustments - Individual Pattern Rates - Pattern Note Slides - Swing - Randomize, Shift, Shuffle, Copy/Paste, and Initialize Patterns - Randomization Thresholds - Selective Randomization for Notes, Gates, Velocity, and Probability - Randomize, Shift, Copy/Paste, and Initialize Slices - Scale Key Adjustment - Minimum Octave and Octave Range Settings - 16 Themes Transform your music production with GlitchStep. Whether you're looking to add subtle variations or go all-in on aggressive glitches, this app has you covered.

Screenshots

ScaleBud4 screens
GlitchStep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: GlitchStep at 4.9 against ScaleBud's 4.3. GlitchStep also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). ScaleBud's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $9.99) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.2). On review sentiment, ratings volume, 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 GlitchStep $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GlitchStep holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of ScaleBud's written reviews are positive against 89% of GlitchStep's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ScaleBud ships an update every 2 weeks, GlitchStep every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ScaleBud versus GlitchStep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScaleBudGlitchStep
Price$4.99 — better$9.99
Rating4.3 (32 ratings)4.9 (19 ratings) — better
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews88.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings32 — better19
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS10.0 — better17.2
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCem OlcayAlex Matheu

Customer experience

ScaleBud

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

GlitchStep

All ratings19 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%

In-app purchases

None

ScaleBud

No in-app purchases

None

GlitchStep

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ScaleBud free?
ScaleBud costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is GlitchStep free?
GlitchStep costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ScaleBud or GlitchStep?
GlitchStep is rated higher. ScaleBud averages 4.3 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while GlitchStep averages 4.9 from 19 ratings.
Do ScaleBud or GlitchStep have ads?
Neither ScaleBud nor GlitchStep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ScaleBud or GlitchStep?
ScaleBud ships an update every 2 weeks, and GlitchStep every 3 days. Most recently, ScaleBud was updated on October 29, 2026 and GlitchStep on October 24, 2026.

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