X/Y PAL vs plugdata
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
X/Y PAL
This app serves as an X/Y pad MIDI controller, allowing users to manage up to 8 parameters per pad. Customize MIDI channels, control change messages, value ranges, colors, and names for each parameter. Visualize CC value changes with on-screen bars.
- X/Y pad MIDI controller
- Control up to 8 parameters per pad
- Customizable MIDI channel and CC messages
- Configurable CC value range
- Parameter naming and coloring
- MIDI output device selection
- Visualized CC value changes
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X/Y PAL is your handsome X/Y pad MIDI controller. Control up to 8 parameters per pad. Each parameter can be configured: - set MIDI Channel and control change message, - set the CC value range, - set a color and a name - pick the MIDI output device and - inverse the CC value mapping. On the iPad up to 4 pads can be visible in landscape mode and up to 2 in portrait mode. On the iPhone there can be 2 pads visible and controlled at once. Pick CC value mappings from a list of predefined devices to help create your custom pads. CC value change is visualized using bars on the side of each pad. ** CONFIGURE PARAMETERS ** - configure the X/Y Pads in the settings section - configure each of the 8 parameters by clicking on the sidebar in the settings section - pick from a predefined list of devices to easily set the CC value and name or just set some custom name and CC value - set the color of the parameter by clicking on the color button - inverse the CC value mapping by selecting the inverse button for the parameter - select the MIDI output for each parameter - configure the CC value range for each parameter.
plugdata
This app provides a visual programming environment for audio experimentation, prototyping, and education. It allows users to create and run audio patches on their mobile devices, enabling creative sound design on the go.
- Visual programming environment
- Audio experimentation
- Prototyping
- Educational tool
- Standalone application
- Audio plugins
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plugdata is visual programming environment for audio experimentation, prototyping and education. With plugdata for iOS, you can bring your plugdata patches with you everywhere you go. This app ships with a standalone application and audio plugins.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: plugdata at Free against X/Y PAL's $1.99. plugdata also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). X/Y PAL's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (78% vs 63%). On ratings volume, 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
plugdata is free to download; X/Y PAL costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
X/Y PAL holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 20 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of X/Y PAL's written reviews are positive against 63% of plugdata's.
X/Y PAL ships an update every 8 months, plugdata every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | X/Y PAL | plugdata |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (9 ratings) — better | 4.3 (20 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 77.8% of reviews — better | 63.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9 | 20 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.3 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 147 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | DANIEL BRUEGGE | Timothy Schoen |
Customer experience
X/Y PAL
plugdata
In-app purchases
X/Y PAL
No in-app purchases
plugdata
No in-app purchases
