# StageWave vs PadLab

The clearest difference is price: StageWave at Free against PadLab's $2.99. StageWave also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and ads (none vs shown). PadLab's advantage is review sentiment (72% vs 36%) and update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly). On rating and device support there is nothing between them.

StageWave is free to download; PadLab costs $2.99 up front. PadLab sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. StageWave asks for nothing beyond the download.

StageWave holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 42 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of StageWave's written reviews are positive against 72% of PadLab's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

StageWave ships an update monthly, PadLab every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StageWave | PadLab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.4 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stagewave/id1478655752/reviews)** | [4.2 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/padlab-live-pads/id6759358968/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **42** |
| Positive reviews | 35.7% of reviews | **72.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#79** |
| Size | 35 MB | 403 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rodrigo Urbina](https://appshunter.io/developer/1406835555) | [Daniel Albano](https://appshunter.io/developer/1878280171) |

## What reviewers say

### StageWave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stagewave/id1478655752)

This software-based system offers wireless personal audio monitoring for musicians. Control your sound mix directly from your smartphone, reducing cable clutter for live performances, recording, and practice.

**Highlights:** Wireless personal monitoring, Smartphone control, Reduced cable clutter, Universal equipment compatibility, Wi-Fi enabled connection

**In-app purchases:** none


### PadLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/padlab-live-pads/id6759358968)

**Currently charting:** #79 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This professional music app provides high-quality worship pads and drum sounds for live performance, worship services, and music production. It features an intuitive interface, MIDI controller support, and a clean design optimized for stage use.

**Highlights:** High-quality ambient worship pads, Instant drum sound triggering, MIDI controller support, Optimized for live performance, Professional sound quality, Multiple sound kits

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Worship Pad | $0.99 | one-time |
| Worship EFX | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pad Mix Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pad Pulse Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| Arp Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sequencer Pro | $2.99 | one-time |
| Worship Drum Collection | $3.99 | one-time |
| Coleção Completa de Pads | $4.99 | one-time |
| StageLab | $5.99 | one-time |
| PadLab Worship Complete | $6.99 | one-time |
| PadLab Full App | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StageWave free?

StageWave is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PadLab free?

PadLab costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, StageWave or PadLab?

StageWave is rated higher. StageWave averages 4.4 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while PadLab averages 4.2 from 42 ratings.

### Do StageWave or PadLab have ads?

PadLab shows ads; StageWave does not.

### Which is updated more often, StageWave or PadLab?

StageWave ships an update monthly, and PadLab every 4 days. Most recently, StageWave was updated on October 24, 2026 and PadLab on October 28, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*