Koala Sampler vs SR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
SR
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For musicians, it’s a sketchpad. Catch the idea on your phone, then bring the recording into your DAW and finish it there. A desktop version is coming soon. For everyone else, it’s a way in. You don’t need lessons, theory, or a studio. Tap a step. Hear a kick. Add a snare. Change the tempo. The beat is already yours. Nothing is hidden behind a pile of menus. Patterns sit in front of you. The mixer is close. FX follow your hand. When something feels right, record the take. Two phones can share one clock. Hits land together. The session stays in time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SR at none against Koala Sampler's 7. SR also leads on price ($1.99 vs $4.99). Koala Sampler's advantage is chart position (#5 vs #199). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Koala Sampler costs $4.99 and SR $1.99 up front. Koala Sampler sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. SR asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Koala Sampler | SR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.5K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 88.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | #5 — better | #199 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 61 MB | 67 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mazbox Limited | Studio Romann |
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
SR
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Koala Sampler
- Ese-O's Sample Pack$2.99
- Solar Studies Samplepack$2.99
- Soon Come Dub Sample Pack$2.99
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- Analog Astronaut Samplepack$2.99
- Cirrus Cuts Sample Pack$2.99
- Samurai Edition$3.99
- Mixer$4.99
SR
No in-app purchases









