StepBud vs VAPolyFM
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
StepBud
This app is a versatile MIDI sequencer that allows for unlimited steps and detailed control over each step's parameters. It integrates with other music apps and supports various sequencing modes for creative performances.
- Unlimited steps
- Step parameter control (note, velocity, rate, etc.)
- Custom MIDI CC messages
- Step locking and skipping
- Master fader with copy/shift modes
- Step Editor for detailed note editing
- Arpeggio modes (up, down, random)
Read full descriptionHide full description
StepBud is a MIDI Sequencer with Audio Unit AUv3 plugin, Audiobus and Ableton Link. Add an unlimited number of steps to your sequencer. Your steps appear with a LED and a fader on top of your screen. You can change the active mode that your step faders displaying/controlling. - Set the current note or chord in range of the scale and key you selected with respect the range of the octave you want to focus, - Set the velocity, rate, gate time, modulation, pitch bend, portamento, probability and swing for each step, - Try increasing the rate and repeat count your steps if you want to add more flavor. - Send unlimited custom MIDI CC messages if you want to control your hardware or software synth parameters. - Lock steps if you don't want them to change their value. - Skip steps for creating interesting live performances. Below the step faders, you have a master fader where you can control your entire sequencer. It has two modes which you can change from the settings strip on the bottom of the app. - In copy mode, it assigns its value to each step. - In shift mode, it shifts up or down each step. If you want to go off-scale or try some crazy chords on some of your steps, or maybe on all of them, you can go to the Step Editor by double tapping the LED of the step you want to edit. In StepBud's powerful Step Editor, you can set your step's notes either from the virtual keyboard or your connected MIDI keyboard. Don't forget to enable MIDI in port of your MIDI keyboard or the you want to receive MIDI from the settings menu. You may also preview the selected notes by pressing the preview button in Step Editor for making sure you created the perfect sound for your particular step. You can also toggle the steps you want to disable by tapping its LED. If you long-press the LED, you can access a menu where you may copy/paste the steps around, remove them or edit them. If you enable the lock mode from the settings strip on the bottom of the app, you may adjust each visible step fader on the screen by a single swipe gesture without having to lift your finger up. Try to change your arppegio mode from the settings strip. You can sequence your steps up, down, up-down or random order. StepBud is a MIDI sequencer app and it does not generate sounds itself. You need to route its MIDI out port in the settings menu to the audio app you want to sequence. Please note that you need to have an iOS 11+ device and an Audio Unit host application such as AUM, apeMatrix, Cubasis, BeatMaker or Audiobus in order to use the StepBud as an Audio Unit plugin. And don't forget to route StepBud's MIDI out to the app or audio unit you want to sequence. StepBud's MIDI layer powered by free and open-source project AudioKit https://github.com/AudioKit/AudioKit Also, StepBud offers its core components for free on GitHub. Feel free to star, fork or contribute. https://github.com/cemolcay/MusicTheory https://github.com/cemolcay/LiveFader https://github.com/cemolcay/MIDIEventKit
VAPolyFM
Create music with a versatile hybrid synthesizer offering both FM and virtual analog subtractive synthesis. Explore a wide range of effects, a built-in sequencer, and extensive MIDI support. Save and share projects seamlessly across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
- FM synthesizer with 6 operators
- Virtual analog subtractive synthesizer
- Built-in effects (delay, chorus, reverb)
- Sequencer with piano roll editor
- AudioUnit Extension (AUv3) support
- Ableton Link and MIDI 2.0 support
- iCloud Drive project sharing
Read full descriptionHide full description
VAPolyFM is a hybrid polyphonic synthesizer for iPhone, iPad and Mac. It features FM synthesizer and subtractive synthesizer. It operates as a stand alone or as an AudioUnit Extension (AUv3). Stand Alone supports Ableton Link, MIDI and audio file export. FM synthesizer features 6 operators and 32 algorithm and it is inspired by FM synthesizers of the 1980’s. Virtual analog subtractive synthesizer features two oscillators, resonant high pass filter, resonant low pass filter and two ADSR envelopes per voice. Built-in Effects include delay, chorus, flanger, reverb, eq and compressor. VAPolyFM also includes sequencer which features piano roll editor and parameter automation. Project files can be saved in iCloud Drive, so that the project can be accessed from iPhone, iPad or Mac. - Main Features - FM Synthesizer. 6 operators and 32 algorithm. Virtual analog subtractive synthesizer. Maximum 8 voice polyphony. it depends on performance of the device it is running. Built-in effects and sequencer. Support MIDI 2.0 Support Audio Unit Extension (AUv3) Works on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Support iCloud Drive to share project files between the platforms. Audio Export. Linear PCM format (AIFF, WAV and CAF) and compressed format (AAC) Support Ableton Link, Bluetooth MIDI, MIDI In / Out. Includes 139 Factory Presets - System Requirements - A13 Fusion or above is recommended. AudioUnit Extension (AUv3) requires host application which support AudioUnit Extension. AudioUnit Extension is supported by Apple Logic and Apple Garage Band on iOS and macOS. For any other DAW, it depends on the application and some of them don’t support AudioUnit Extension. Sound may be distorted if CPU of the device doesn't have enough power. If it happens reduce number of voices.
Screenshots
Verdict
StepBud and VAPolyFM both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 71% of StepBud's written reviews are positive against 17% of VAPolyFM's. StepBud also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 17 months) and ratings volume (38 vs 6). VAPolyFM's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $4.99). On rating, 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
StepBud costs $4.99 and VAPolyFM $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for StepBud against 4.5 for VAPolyFM. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StepBud has 38 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of StepBud's written reviews are positive against 17% of VAPolyFM's.
StepBud ships an update fortnightly, VAPolyFM every 17 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | StepBud | VAPolyFM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | $3.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (38 ratings) | 4.5 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 70.6% of reviews — better | 16.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 38 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 17 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cem Olcay | Ryo Togawa |
Customer experience
StepBud
VAPolyFM
In-app purchases
StepBud
No in-app purchases
VAPolyFM
No in-app purchases









