# MIDISpy vs ShowMIDI

The clearest difference is rating: ShowMIDI at 4.8 against MIDISpy's 4.0. ShowMIDI also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 71%) and ratings volume (18 vs 4). MIDISpy's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ShowMIDI holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 18 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of MIDISpy's written reviews are positive against 88% of ShowMIDI's.

MIDISpy ships an update every 3 weeks, ShowMIDI every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MIDISpy | ShowMIDI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midispy/id1444652196/reviews) | **[4.8 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/showmidi/id6472608850/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **18** |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 6 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kai Aras](https://appshunter.io/developer/370820899) | [Uwyn, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/597132109) |

## What reviewers say

### MIDISpy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midispy/id1444652196)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ShowMIDI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/showmidi/id6472608850)

This application provides a real-time, glanceable view of all MIDI activity on your computer. It visualizes various MIDI messages and allows you to pause the flow for a data snapshot. It can be used as a standalone tool or an AUv3 plugin within your DAW.

**Highlights:** Real-time MIDI visualization, Auto-hides irrelevant messages, Pause and snapshot data, Standalone application, AUv3 plugin support, Supports MPE configuration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MIDISpy free?

MIDISpy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ShowMIDI free?

ShowMIDI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MIDISpy or ShowMIDI?

ShowMIDI is rated higher. MIDISpy averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while ShowMIDI averages 4.8 from 18 ratings.

### Do MIDISpy or ShowMIDI have ads?

Neither MIDISpy nor ShowMIDI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MIDISpy or ShowMIDI?

MIDISpy ships an update every 3 weeks, and ShowMIDI every 2 months. Most recently, MIDISpy was updated on September 30, 2026 and ShowMIDI on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*