Cortex Cloud vs Pedalboard Layout
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Cortex Cloud
Manage your Nano Cortex and access cloud-based content with an elegant interface. Browse and download presets, neural captures, and more. Control your device's profile and privacy settings.
- Control Nano Cortex
- Access Cortex Cloud
- Browse users and presets
- Download content
- Manage profile and privacy
- Share content
Read full descriptionHide full description
Control your Nano Cortex and access Cortex Cloud through an intuitive and elegant interface. Browse users, Presets, Neural Captures, and more. Download items to have them display instantly on your device. You can also manage your profile and change the privacy settings for any files you have uploaded to Cortex Cloud. Benefits: Access deeper customization options for your Nano Cortex. Seamlessly download Presets, Neural Captures, and other items to your Quad Cortex or Nano Cortex. Manage your profile and the items you have uploaded to Cortex Cloud. Discover and follow users. Share Presets and Neural Captures with your friends. Cortex Cloud requires a free Neural DSP account and a registered Quad Cortex or Nano Cortex. Cortex Cloud is not required to use the Quad Cortex or Nano Cortex but provides deeper customization options for the Nano Cortex.
Pedalboard Layout
Design and visualize your guitar pedalboard setups with a vast library of over 300 pedals. Create custom pedals and boards, save unlimited configurations, and enjoy a bug-free, intuitive user experience.
- 300+ pedals and growing
- Custom pedals and pedalboards
- Unlimited setup saving
- Intuitive visualization
- Bug-free experience
Read full descriptionHide full description
Main features: - 300+ different pedals and more will be added - Custom pedals and pedalboards - Save unlimited amount of your different setups - Easy to use and "bug free" visualization
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cortex Cloud at none against Pedalboard Layout's 2. Cortex Cloud also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Pedalboard Layout's advantage is rating (3.7 vs 3.4) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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
Both are free to download. Pedalboard Layout sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Cortex Cloud asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pedalboard Layout holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 72 and 88 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of Cortex Cloud's written reviews are positive against 24% of Pedalboard Layout's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Cortex Cloud ships an update every 6 weeks, Pedalboard Layout every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cortex Cloud | Pedalboard Layout |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.4 (72 ratings) | 3.7 (88 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 28.9% of reviews — better | 23.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 72 | 88 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 100 MB | 187 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Neural DSP | Ilia Ambrazhevich |
Customer experience
Cortex Cloud
Pedalboard Layout
Bugs and requests
Cortex Cloud
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Pedalboard Layout
Reported bugs
22 issues- Custom pedal dimension input is glitchy
- Custom pedal section is unusable
- App crashes when loading custom pedals
- Custom pedal dimensions are incorrect
- Backspace function for dimensions doesn't work
Show 17 moreShow fewer
- Cannot backspace all the way to enter numbers
- Parameter bugs, unable to input numbers
- Custom pedal dimensions are WAY off
- Cannot delete projects or pedals
- Custom pedals aren't deleted when removed
- App does not save boards
- Sizing doesn't work for custom pedals
- Custom pedal size changes after saving
- Cannot edit custom pedal size
- One of their own pedals (UAFX Golden) is the wrong size
- Menu button doesn't do anything on iPad
- Custom pedal add feature not on iPad
- Cannot print or send layouts
- Custom pedal position control issues
- Custom pedals move to arbitrary locations and cannot be reset
- Cannot purchase the app (Andyusha)
- App locks up and shows Temu ads
Requested features
20 requests- Expand pedal selection
- Add more user-friendly features
- Include Vertex board
- Add newer smaller Strymon pedals
- Add Ibanez pedals
Show 15 moreShow fewer
- Add TS line
- Include Pedaltrain Classic Pro
- Add ability to record
- Combinable with GarageBand
- Export custom pedals and layouts
- Add specific pedal settings (knob view/notes)
- Add more brands (Gigrig, Old Blood Noise Endeavours, Fender Engine Rooms)
- Add more popular companies' pedals
- Way to contact developer for support
- Add bass pedals (EHX, Ampeg, Markbass, etc.)
- Account for cable connection points
- Add export options (pdf, png)
- Add pedal descriptions
- Add custom pedal pics (website feature missing in app)
- Add support for custom boards and pedals
In-app purchases
Cortex Cloud
No in-app purchases
Pedalboard Layout
- Subscribe$0.491 Month
- Pay Once$2.99
Questions
Is Cortex Cloud free?
Is Pedalboard Layout free?
Which has better reviews, Cortex Cloud or Pedalboard Layout?
Do Cortex Cloud or Pedalboard Layout have ads?
Which is updated more often, Cortex Cloud or Pedalboard Layout?
Other comparisons
