Comparison

Koala Sampler vs Roland Zenbeats

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

Head to head
About

Koala Sampler

This app allows you to record sounds with your phone's microphone, transform them with effects, and create beats and tracks. Its intuitive interface focuses on a fast and fun music-making process.

Highlights
  • Record up to 64 samples with mic
  • Apply 16 built-in effects
  • Load and use own samples
  • Create beats with high-resolution sequencer
  • Export loops and tracks as WAV
  • AI sample separation
  • AUv3 and MIDI compatibility
Features
Read full description

Koala is the ultimate pocket-sized sampler. Record anything with your phone's mic or load your own sounds. Use Koala to create beats with those samples, add effects and create a track! Koala's super intuitive interface helps you make a track in a flash - there is no brake pedal. You can also resample the output of the app back into the input, through the effects, so the sonic possibilities are endless. Koala's design focuses totally on making the music-making process instant, keeping you in the flow and keeping it fun, not getting bogged down by pages of parameters and micro-editing. "Been putting that $4 koala sampler to good use lately. Undeniably great tool that puts some of these expensive beat boxes to shame. A must cop." -- flying lotus, twitter * Record up to 64 different samples with your mic * Transform your voice or any other sound with 16 superb built-in fx * Load your own samples * Choose from one of 250 built-in sounds * Resample the output of the app back into a new sample * Export loops or entire tracks as professional quality WAV files * Direct export to Ableton Live Set * Copy/paste or merge sequences just by dragging them * Create beats with the high-resolution sequencer * Import samples from the Files app or even from videos * Keyboard mode lets you play chromatically or one of 9 scales * Quantize, add swing to get the right feel * Normal/One-shot/Loop/Reverse playback of samples * 6 Choke groups * Attack, release and tone adjustable on each sample * Mute/Solo controls and note repeat * Add any (or all) of the 16 effects to the entire mix * AUv3 compatible - use in GarageBand, Logic, Cubasis etc etc * MIDI controllable - play your samples on a keyboard, map the effects to knobs * Jam with others over WiFi with Ableton Link * Free copy of Ableton Live Lite included * AudioShare compatible * Use AI to separate samples into individual instruments (drums, bass, vocals and other) * Set your own background image and choose from a growing list of background visual FX 8 Built-in Microphone FX: * More Bass * More Treble * Fuzz * Robot * Reverb * Octave up * Octave down * Synthesizer 16 Built-in DJ Mix FX: * Bit-crusher * Pitch-shift * Comb filter * Ring modulator * Reverb * Stutter * Gate * Resonant High/Low Pass Filters * Cutter * Reverse * Dub * Tempo Delay * Talkbox * VibroFlange * Dirty * Compressor Features included in SAMURAI In-App Purchase * Pro-quality Timestretch (5 modes: Modern, Retro, Beats, Re-pitch and Cyclic) * Piano roll editor * Auto-chop (auto, equal, and lazy chop) * 3 Band EQ * Pocket operator sync out * Quokka Synth - powerhouse polyphonic synthesizer * MIDI Out - control external MIDI hardware with Koala's sequencer * Chopper - multimodal sample chopping instrument Features included in MIXER In-App Purchase * Mix your beats professionally with a 4 channel mixer + main bus * Route any sample to any channel * Mute/solo, faders and accurate metering on every channel * 5 effect slots per channel * 29 high-quality effects - compressors, filters, phasers and more, with new effects to come * Host AUv3 plugins - both audio effects and instruments

About

Roland Zenbeats

Create music anywhere, anytime on any device. Build beats, compose songs, and sample sounds with a vast library of modern and legendary Roland sounds. Edit, refine, and mix your tracks with powerful tools and share your creations easily.

Highlights
  • Multitrack song composition
  • ZR1 Drum Sampler
  • ZC1 Synthesizer
  • Sample import and editing
  • Full-screen mixer
  • LoopBuilder and Timeline view
  • Cross-platform project sharing
Features
Read full description

Find your creative flow. Roland Zenbeats is a music creation app that keeps you in an effortless artistic flow. Get started on any mobile device or computer platform and make music anywhere, anytime. With its collection of both modern and legendary sounds, Zenbeats brings Roland’s history of innovation into a new, mobile-friendly format. The app is your instrument. Whether you’re an emerging musician or an established producer, Zenbeats makes music creation easy. Build beats, compose full multitrack songs, or sample the world around you. Wherever you are, no matter what platform or device you use, capture your creative spark with Zenbeats. A universe of sound. Whatever style you’re working in, you’ll find the perfect sounds for your tracks in Zenbeats. From vintage Roland JUNO and JUPITER tones to diverse and progressive instruments for any genre, the 14,000-plus presets will keep your compositions fresh and exciting. ZR1. The future of beatmaking. Our ZR1 Drum Sampler is a new kind of beat machine. Fast track your percussive prowess with seminal Roland drum tones from the TR-808, TR-909, and more. Sample your world. Sample and import directly into ZR1’s drum pads with the touch of a finger. Edit. Refine. Repeat. Tweak your sounds with advanced editing functionality. Manipulate and chop your one-shot samples with the slice editor and quickly crop and fade as needed. ZC1. Roland’s most advanced synth engine. ZC1 is a versatile synthesizer based on our powerful ZEN-Core Synthesis System. The free version features signature Roland synth sounds and 60 presets, driven by a sleek touch-based interface with an X/Y pad for easy sound manipulation. When you unlock the full version of ZC1, you get over 900 additional presets and 90 MFX that are all fully compatible with ZENOLOGY and supported ZEN-Core hardware. Deep MIDI and audio power at your fingertips. The Zenbeats ecosystem offers tons of time-saving tools to document, edit, and refine your ideas. Quickly capture and play sounds with LoopBuilder, or use a traditional approach with the Timeline view for more sophisticated arrangements and automation options. Fresh sounds. Fresh ideas. The Zenbeats Store is loaded with sounds, loops, and creative tools to expand your musical palette. Whatever sound or genre you’re chasing, the Zenbeats Store has you covered. All sounds are royalty-free and new tones are added weekly. Mix and match. With the full-screen mixer view, it’s simple to control volume, filter, panning, and more. Browse through 17 native FX, EQ tracks to your liking, and balance all your audio, instrument, and drum tracks from one streamlined location. Easy Sharing. Effortless transfers between phone, tablet, and desktop make the distance between you and your finished product even shorter. Use Google Drive™ or OneDrive to share Zenbeats projects and export stems and loops for use in other DAWs. Free, unlock, or membership. The choice is yours. With the free version of Zenbeats, you get music production essentials plus the ability to purchase additional loops and presets in the Zenbeats Store. When you’re ready to expand, there are three ways to unlock the full Zenbeats experience: Platform Unlock: Get all features, instruments, and effects on your favorite platform. Platform Unlock includes over 2,500 presets, loops, and sounds (2.5 GB), ZR1 Drum Sampler with sampling/editing, ZC1 Synthesizer with 90 built-in MFX, full SampleVerse modular synthesizer with editor, VST/AU/AUv3 support, and unlimited mixing and export capabilities. Max Unlock: Get all features, instruments, effects, and store packs on all platforms and devices. Roland Cloud Membership: All Roland Cloud membership tiers include Zenbeats Max Unlock. All memberships come with Zenbeats Max Unlock for as little as $2.99 USD per month.

Screenshots

Koala Sampler4 screens
Roland Zenbeats4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Roland Zenbeats at Free against Koala Sampler's $4.99. Roland Zenbeats also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Koala Sampler's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 45%) and rating (4.8 vs 3.7). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Roland Zenbeats is free to download; Koala Sampler costs $4.99 up front. Koala Sampler sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Roland Zenbeats sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Koala Sampler holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Koala Sampler has 1.5K ratings behind it against 269, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Koala Sampler's written reviews are positive against 45% of Roland Zenbeats's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Koala Sampler ships an update fortnightly, Roland Zenbeats monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Koala Sampler versus Roland Zenbeats: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKoala SamplerRoland Zenbeats
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (1.5K ratings) — better3.7 (269 ratings)
Positive reviews88.3% of reviews — better44.6% of reviews
Number of ratings1.5K — better269
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#8 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB415 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMazbox LimitedRoland Corporation

Customer experience

Koala Sampler

All ratings1,438 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral2.0%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews618 reviews
Positive88.3%
Neutral4.2%
Negative7.4%

Roland Zenbeats

All ratings268 ratings
Positive62.3%
Neutral13.4%
Negative24.3%
Written reviews267 reviews
Positive44.6%
Neutral18.7%
Negative36.7%

User reviews

Koala Sampler

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🚀 Smooth workflow and fast performance
  • 💡 Powerful sampling and sequencing capabilities
  • 🔥 Excellent value for the price
  • 🎨 Creative and inspiring sound design

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
  • 🔇 Limited effects and sound manipulation options
  • 📁 Difficulty managing and organizing samples/projects
  • 🎚️ Lack of advanced MIDI mapping and control options
  • 🔍 Unclear or confusing UI elements in certain areas

Roland Zenbeats

From 269 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth workflow
  • 👍 Comprehensive feature set
  • 🎨 High-quality sounds
  • 💻 Cross-platform compatibility
  • 🤖 Powerful synth engine

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🔍 Confusing UI navigation
  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
  • 🔌 Poor MIDI integration
  • 🔋 Battery drain

Bugs and requests

Koala Sampler

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Samples not loading or disappearing after app updates
  • Sequencer timing and quantization issues
  • Crashes when using certain features or with large projects

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to record and edit MIDI sequences
  • More comprehensive effects and sound processing tools
  • Improved sample management and organization features
  • Support for external MIDI controllers and hardware integration
  • Customizable color schemes and UI themes

Roland Zenbeats

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Disappearing audio files
  • Unresponsive MIDI learn
  • Incompatibility with iOS 13
  • Broken tutorial screens
  • Inconsistent plugin behavior

Requested features

6 requests
  • Improved MIDI support
  • Audio file export options
  • Sidechain compression
  • Deeper synth editing capabilities
  • Audiobus/IAA compatibility
Show 1 more
  • Customizable keyboard layout

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Koala Sampler

One-time7
  • Ese-O's Sample Pack$2.99
  • Solar Studies Samplepack$2.99
  • Soon Come Dub Sample Pack$2.99
Show 4 more
  • Analog Astronaut Samplepack$2.99
  • Cirrus Cuts Sample Pack$2.99
  • Samurai Edition$3.99
  • Mixer$4.99
10 purchases

Roland Zenbeats

Subscriptions4
  • Roland Cloud Core Monthly1 Month trial$2.991 Month
  • Roland Cloud Pro Monthly1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Roland Cloud Ultimate Monthly1 Month trial$19.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Roland Cloud Core Annual1 Month trial$29.991 Year
One-time6
  • 2 Store Points$1.99
  • 4 Store Points$3.99
  • 5 Store Points$4.99
Show 3 more
  • 8 Store Points$7.99
  • 10 Store Points$9.99
  • 15 Store Points$14.99

Questions

Is Koala Sampler free?
Koala Sampler costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Roland Zenbeats free?
Roland Zenbeats is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Koala Sampler or Roland Zenbeats?
Koala Sampler is rated higher. Koala Sampler averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Roland Zenbeats averages 3.7 from 269 ratings.
Do Koala Sampler or Roland Zenbeats have ads?
Neither Koala Sampler nor Roland Zenbeats shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Koala Sampler or Roland Zenbeats?
Koala Sampler ships an update fortnightly, and Roland Zenbeats monthly. Most recently, Koala Sampler was updated on November 2, 2026 and Roland Zenbeats on November 4, 2026.

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