Comparison

MIDISpy vs OtherDesertCities

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

Head to head
About

MIDISpy

This utility helps monitor MIDI connections across various platforms. It offers basic filtering for different MIDI message types and supports multiple connectivity options.

Highlights
  • Standalone and AUv3 support
  • Basic message filtering
  • Inter-App MIDI
  • USB MIDI
  • Bluetooth MIDI
  • Network MIDI
Features
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MIDISpy - MIDI Monitor A handy little utility for monitoring MIDI connectivity. Overview: - Standalone and AUv3 support - Basic Filters for Note, Control Change, Clock and SysEx messages Connectivity: - Inter-App MIDI - USB MIDI - Bluetooth MIDI - Network MIDI - AUv3 Requirements: - iOS9+

About

OtherDesertCities

Explore a versatile audio effect with six unique delay algorithms, offering everything from classic stereo delays to experimental granular pitch-shifting. Extensive modulation and I/O controls allow for deep sonic manipulation and creative sound design.

Highlights
  • Six unique delay algorithms
  • Extensive modulation capabilities
  • Tempo-synced LFOs
  • Envelope follower
  • Diffusor for feedback smearing
  • Advanced I/O control
  • Granular pitch-shifting
Features
Currently charting
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Other Desert Cities, named for a famous sign on the I-10 highway leaving Los Angeles, is a workshop for creativity. As its namesake implies, there are many strange and wonderful things lurking inside. With six delay algorithms, each with its own personality, and extensive modulation, Other Desert Cities covers everything from basic stereo dual delays to never-before-heard granular pitch-shifting chaos. ALGORITHMS 01 Desert Shores Stereo Delay. A standard dual delay, with basic EQ, saturation, crossfeed, and spread. 02 Mecca Reverse Delay. A normal dual delay, except the repeats play backwards, with smooth crossfading and an optional Reflect mode that alternates direction on each repeat. 03 Cactus Dual-Delta Delay. More like a pair of tape decks in use, with individual speed controls from zero to 2x in either direction, and pitch quantizing to octaves, fifths, or semitones. 04 Thermal Multi-Tap Delay. A dual multi-tap with sixteen taps per side, spread, crossfeed, and basic EQ. 05 Mirage Multi-Head Delay. Imagine a tape delay, but the head is the rotating head of a VCR. Experimental, strange, and wonderful. 06 Sky Valley Granular Delay. A pitch-shifting granular delay, with control over grain size and scatter, and EQ. TEMPO Sync to your host, or don't: set the sync source to Tap and everything synced follows the tap button instead. Tap on screen, or assign a MIDI note or CC and tap from your controller; the AUv3 accepts MIDI input directly. MODULATION Other Desert Cities includes a full suite of modulation. Two tempo-synced variable-waveshape LFOs and an envelope follower, sourced from the main input or a sidechain, can modulate nearly every control in the user interface. DIFFUSOR A built-in diffusor smears the feedback path, pushing Other Desert Cities toward reverb territory, especially with the Thermal algorithm. LEVELS The secret superpower is I/O control. Every aspect of the signal chain's gain structure can be controlled and modulated: ducked, panned, oscillated, and enveloped to your heart's content. Mute and Input Level feed only the delay block, not the dry signal, so you get natural tails and send-style behavior from an insert. PRESETS A full factory bank, plus designer presets from Matthew Lyon, Red Means Recording, and Time Rival. Presets are cross-platform (patches made on the desktop version work on iOS, and vice versa) and appear in your host's own preset list, so you can change sounds without opening the UI. FEATURES - AUv3 plugin and standalone app - Delay times up to 2 seconds free, 10 seconds tempo-synced - Tap tempo from the screen or MIDI - Resizable, scrolling user interface - Cross-platform XML preset manager Also available for macOS, Windows, and Linux in CLAP, VST3, AAX, AudioUnit, and LV2 formats at audiodamage.com.

Screenshots

OtherDesertCities4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: MIDISpy at Free against OtherDesertCities's $3.99. MIDISpy also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). OtherDesertCities's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 3.8) and review sentiment (86% vs 71%). On ads, in-app purchases 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

MIDISpy is free to download; OtherDesertCities costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

OtherDesertCities holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OtherDesertCities has 59 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of MIDISpy's written reviews are positive against 86% of OtherDesertCities's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDISpy ships an update every 3 weeks, OtherDesertCities every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
MIDISpy versus OtherDesertCities: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDISpyOtherDesertCities
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating3.8 (5 ratings)4.8 (59 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.4% of reviews86.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings559 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#145 — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS11.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKai ArasAudio Damage, Inc.

Customer experience

MIDISpy

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%

OtherDesertCities

All ratings59 ratings
Positive94.9%
Neutral1.7%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews29 reviews
Positive86.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative13.8%

In-app purchases

None

MIDISpy

No in-app purchases

None

OtherDesertCities

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MIDISpy free?
MIDISpy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is OtherDesertCities free?
OtherDesertCities costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MIDISpy or OtherDesertCities?
OtherDesertCities is rated higher. MIDISpy averages 3.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while OtherDesertCities averages 4.8 from 59 ratings.
Do MIDISpy or OtherDesertCities have ads?
Neither MIDISpy nor OtherDesertCities shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIDISpy or OtherDesertCities?
MIDISpy ships an update every 3 weeks, and OtherDesertCities every 2 months. Most recently, MIDISpy was updated on November 2, 2026 and OtherDesertCities on November 11, 2026.

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