Comparison

Koala Sampler vs Aglaya Play Control

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

Aglaya Play Control

Features
Read full description

Aglaya Play Control es la app que te permite controlar de forma inalámbrica el sistema Aglaya Play. Este es un software gratuito para la creación musical colaborativa en entornos educativos y creativos. Con Aglaya Play Control, transforma tu smartphone o tablet en un controlador versátil para manejar módulos como Sampler y Multisampler para controlar sonidos en formato WAV o MP3, Key e Instrument para manejar instrumentos virtuales VST, Looper para crear y manipular loops en tiempo real y Creative Transformer para aplicar efectos de sonido con precisión. Conéctate a un ordenador (Windows o Mac) con Aglaya Play instalado, controla los módulos de manera intuitiva a través de WiFi mediante el protocolo Open Sound Control (OSC). Importante: Esta app no genera sonido por sí misma, sino que actúa como el controlador del software Aglaya Play. Descubre nuevas formas de hacer música de forma colaborativa y potencia la creatividad en el aula o en cualquier espacio creativo. Descarga Aglaya Play en www.aglaya.org y disfruta creando música.

Screenshots

Koala Sampler4 screens
Aglaya Play Control4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Aglaya Play Control at none against Koala Sampler's 8. Aglaya Play Control also leads on price ($0.99 vs $4.99) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). Koala Sampler's advantage is chart position (#4 vs unranked). On ads 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

Koala Sampler costs $4.99 and Aglaya Play Control $0.99 up front. Koala Sampler sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Aglaya Play Control asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Koala Sampler ships an update fortnightly, Aglaya Play Control weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Koala Sampler versus Aglaya Play Control: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKoala SamplerAglaya Play Control
Price$4.99$0.99 — better
Rating4.8 (1.4K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews88.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.4K — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#4 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMazbox LimitedAdolf Murillo

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

Aglaya Play Control

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Koala Sampler

One-time8
  • Koala AUv3 Plugin$1.99
  • Ese-O's Sample Pack$2.99
  • Solar Studies Samplepack$2.99
Show 5 more
  • Soon Come Dub Sample Pack$2.99
  • Analog Astronaut Samplepack$2.99
  • Cirrus Cuts Sample Pack$2.99
  • Samurai Edition$3.99
  • Mixer$4.99
None

Aglaya Play Control

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Koala Sampler free?
Koala Sampler costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Aglaya Play Control free?
Aglaya Play Control costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Koala Sampler or Aglaya Play Control have ads?
Neither Koala Sampler nor Aglaya Play Control shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Koala Sampler or Aglaya Play Control?
Koala Sampler ships an update fortnightly, and Aglaya Play Control weekly. Most recently, Koala Sampler was updated on October 17, 2026 and Aglaya Play Control on September 30, 2026.

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