Comparison

Koala Sampler vs Dawnbeat

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

Head to head
About

Koala Sampler

Record sounds, create beats, and produce tracks with this intuitive pocket sampler. Transform audio with built-in effects and export your creations in professional quality. Ideal for instant music-making on the go.

Highlights
  • Record and load up to 64 samples
  • Transform sounds with 16 built-in effects
  • Create beats with a high-resolution sequencer
  • Export loops and tracks as WAV files
  • AUv3 and MIDI compatibility
  • AI-powered sample separation
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

Dawnbeat

This app lets you create music by sampling and sequencing audio. It offers advanced features like multi-touch pads, an always-recording buffer, and flexible routing for creative sound manipulation. Integrate with external MIDI devices and apply a wide range of built-in and AUv3 effects.

Highlights
  • Multi-touch and draggable pads
  • Always-recording buffer (Memorizer)
  • Advanced loop manipulation (BRIIKS)
  • Flexible mixer with assignable busses
  • Polyphonic pads for chords
  • MIDI IN/OUT for external control
  • AUv3 effects and instrument support
  • Auto-slicer for audio chopping
Features
Read full description

Dawnbeat inherits the best part of the classic hardware samplers and takes it further by adding features only possible on a multi-touch device.  Create more natural patterns by tapping and swiping pads.  Focus on creativity, you don't need to select a tempo before hit record to finally play a pattern until you get the right take, just play and forget about to record! Dawnbeat is always recording! Multi-touch and draggable pads: - Pads are multi-touch, play a single pad with two fingers at the same time! - Pads are individually configurable, allowing re-triggering when dragging for amazing fills, tone variations . - Mute and Solo buttons for pads available. - Mute groups. Memorizer: - DawnBeat is always recording pad events, you'll never miss a beat, play and experiment and when you hear something you like, it's already recorded! simply go to Memorizer and select the desired events. BRIIKS sampler: - Advanced loop manipulator. Rearrange and combine your loops. Also available as standalone, AUv3 and MacOS. Mixer: - 4 assignable BUSSES and one MAIN BUS. Assign pads to busses, assign internal effects or AUV3 effects to busses.  - Mute and Solo buttons. Polyphonic pads: - Pads can be turned polyphonic, import a piano-like sample and play and sequence chords with a single pad. MIDI IN and MIDI OUT: - Trigger samples from a MIDI controller, play melodies from a MIDI piano. - Sequence hardware drum machines and synths from Dawnbeat. - Use Dawnbeat as an intermediary between a midi keyboard and a synth, save the sequences you are playing. Dawnbeat can save poliphonic sequences! Pattern sequencer with piano editor. - Swing, count-in, metronome. Audio Units: - Dawnbeat support AUv3 effects and instruments! Built in Effects: - Reverb, Delay, Compressor, Flutter, Gate, Tremolo, Noise, Filter, Chorus, Equalizer, Stutter and Tape slow motion. - Effects can be rearranged. Built-In sample browser: - 6 drum kit sample libraries, and 1 bass sample library. Selectable internal sample rate: - Internal sample rate can be changed, choose between HI-FI and LO-FI sample rates. AUTO-SLICER: - AutoSlicer detects hit points and slices audio into individual files minimizing the need for manual editing. Chop up any audio file in a few seconds. Recording sample rate can be selected. Export movies with images and animated GIFs .

Screenshots

Koala Sampler4 screens
Dawnbeat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Dawnbeat at Free against Koala Sampler's $4.99. Koala Sampler's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.2) and review sentiment (88% vs 70%). On update cadence, 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

Dawnbeat is free to download; Koala Sampler costs $4.99 up front. Koala Sampler sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Dawnbeat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Koala Sampler has 1.5K ratings behind it against 115, 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 70% of Dawnbeat's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Koala Sampler versus Dawnbeat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKoala SamplerDawnbeat
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (1.5K ratings) — better4.2 (115 ratings)
Positive reviews88.4% of reviews — better70.3% of reviews
Number of ratings1.5K — better115
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#8 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size61 MB504 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMazbox LimitedLuis Rivas

Customer experience

Koala Sampler

All ratings1,459 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral2.1%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews622 reviews
Positive88.4%
Neutral4.2%
Negative7.4%

Dawnbeat

All ratings112 ratings
Positive75.9%
Neutral14.3%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews128 reviews
Positive70.3%
Neutral18.8%
Negative10.9%

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

Dawnbeat

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
1 purchases

Dawnbeat

One-time1
  • Dawn Beat Complete$5.99

Questions

Is Koala Sampler free?
Koala Sampler costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Dawnbeat free?
Dawnbeat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Koala Sampler or Dawnbeat?
Koala Sampler is rated higher. Koala Sampler averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Dawnbeat averages 4.2 from 115 ratings.
Do Koala Sampler or Dawnbeat have ads?
Neither Koala Sampler nor Dawnbeat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Koala Sampler or Dawnbeat?
Koala Sampler ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dawnbeat every 3 weeks. Most recently, Koala Sampler was updated on November 10, 2026 and Dawnbeat on November 7, 2026.

Other comparisons