Comparison

moodunits vs MIDI Layers

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

moodunits

This application provides a collection of instrument and effect Audio Units for use within compatible music production apps. It features a sample-based instrument with pre-loaded sounds and essential effects like delay, reverb, and EQ, designed for ease of use and CPU efficiency.

Highlights
  • Sample-based instrument (Waverley)
  • 30 factory presets with tweakable parameters
  • Essential audio effects (delay, reverb, EQ, filter, distortion)
  • CPU-light design
  • AUv3 compatible
  • User guide and store access
Read full description

Please note: moodunits have been designed as a set of instrument and effect Audio Units. You need to load moodunits into any AUv3 compatible host application running on iPad or iPhone, such as GarageBand or AUM. The moodunits app is not a standalone instrument. More about moodunits... Waverley is the principal instrument in the moodunits collection. It’s sample-based, but it isn’t a fully-fledged sampling app that allows you to load and edit your own samples. There are already great apps out there that allow you to do that. Waverley in moodunits is pre-loaded with 30 factory sounds, that can be tweaked to taste via parameters that will hopefully be familiar to most of you. However, don’t worry if some parameter names look technical or scary - just experiment! You can’t really “break” Waverley or make “bad” sounds with it. moodunits also comes with some basic effects, allowing you to create a great sounding musical project using just moodunits and your favourite AU host. In keeping with the moodunits design principal, the effects are light on CPU and expose a few essential parameters. They're probably not going to replace your favourite bells and whistles mega reverb or delay, but their simplicity might come as a refreshing change. Currently these effects include a delay, reverb, low-pass filter, 10-band EQ, peak limiter and distortion. Please note: The moodunits app is not a standalone instrument, but can be used to access a detailed PDF user guide and the MU Store for additional downloads. Once you run the app, your moodunits are registered on your device and are ready to be used for music projects in your AU host of choice. For instructions on how to use Audio Units, please refer to relevant documentation for your host, e.g. GarageBand or AUM, etc. Note for advanced users: with the exception of the filter cutoff frequency and resonance in the filter AU, none of the parameters are exposed for automation. Also, please note that the design goals for moodunits is focussed on ease of use, so some advanced users may find the features basic. The screenshots and demo videos online should give you a good idea of what's possible. If in doubt, please ask.

About

MIDI Layers

This app allows musicians to intelligently route MIDI data, enabling complex keyboard splits, layered instruments, and seamless scene switching for live performances. Create up to 12 scenes with numerous layers, each with customizable MIDI output and note remapping.

Highlights
  • Up to 127 layers per scene
  • 12 scenes per preset
  • 16 output ports and channels
  • Remote scene switching
  • Layer mutes and mute groups
  • Scales per scene
  • Per-layer velocity curves
Features
Read full description

MIDI Layers is an AUv3 MIDI plugin designed to allow sophisticated routing of MIDI data in hosts such as AUM or Cubasis. Have you ever wanted to play multiple instruments from a single master keyboard during a live performance? Would you like to be able to set up keyboard splits, crossfade layers or create an ensemble of layered instruments? If you answered yes to either of those questions, then MIDI Layers may be your solution. Layers allows you to create up to 12 scenes, each with up to 127 layers, spanning your entire master keyboard. These scenes allow you to seamlessly switch between various layer mappings at any time during a performance. Each layer controls the MIDI output, which can be routed to one of MIDI Layers 16 output ports and 16 channels. So if you have 5 layers in your scene, each layer is able to divert MIDI key input to 5 destinations, allowing you to control 5 instruments from one master keyboard. Layers can overlap, meaning you can create an ensemble of two or more instruments. Layers can also have cross fades so that you can fade from one instrument to another across a specified range. You can also control the velocity curves of a layer if you need to emphasize note velocity at a certain set of octaves. Each layer can also be remapped so that you can target a different key range on the destination instrument. This allows you to have several single note layers that can target specific drum machine samples for instance. You can assign a song per scene, or have several scenes containing parts of the same song. Switching scenes is simple, using the on screen scene buttons, via AU parameters, or you can even add a special control layer to a scene which can then be triggered via your master keyboard. It is also possible to assign a Program Changes to a layer. When you switch scenes, each layer can fire off its own program change to your destination instruments. Each scene can be assigned its own scale, which enables you to play using only the white notes so say goodbye to wrong notes. Finally, layers can be assigned to mute groups, allowing you to quickly turn on/off groups of layers with a single key or button press. Features: ○ Up to 127 layers per scene. ○ 12 scenes per preset. ○ Supports 16 output ports and 16 channels. ○ Remote switching of scenes using MIDI or AU. ○ Supports layer mutes and mute groups. ○ Named scenes with large scene selection mode. ○ Supports scales per scene which can be played using white notes only. ○ Each layer can define a Program Change that is sent when scenes are switched. ○ Supports per layer velocity curve. ○ Supports per layer remapping of notes on output. ○ Each layer can have a cross fade settings assigned. ○ Definable Master Keyboard size (6, 7, 8 or 10 octave). ○ Scene and mute control layers. ○ Provides default custom layouts. Please Note: This product will not work with GarageBand since it cannot load AUv3 MIDI plugins.

Screenshots

moodunits4 screens
MIDI Layers4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: moodunits at $3.99 against MIDI Layers's $12.99. moodunits also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 57%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). MIDI Layers's advantage is iOS requirement (13 vs 15.6). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

moodunits costs $3.99 and MIDI Layers $12.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MIDI Layers holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 50 and 13 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of moodunits's written reviews are positive against 57% of MIDI Layers's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

moodunits ships an update every 5 days, MIDI Layers fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
moodunits versus MIDI Layers: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermoodunitsMIDI Layers
Price$3.99 — better$12.99
Rating4.5 (50 ratings)4.7 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.5% of reviews — better57.1% of reviews
Number of ratings50 — better13
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.613 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3.0 GB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRob Jackson4Pockets.com

Customer experience

moodunits

All ratings50 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral2.0%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive92.5%
Neutral2.5%
Negative5.0%

MIDI Layers

All ratings13 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral14.3%
Negative28.6%

Bugs and requests

moodunits

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Expansion packs not showing initially
  • Crashes on exporting audio
  • MU Store Error: Download could not be started

Requested features

7 requests
  • New packs, presets, synths
  • More effects options (e.g., chorus)
  • Reduced bundle for all moods
  • Automation for iOS
  • Own instrument sampler
Show 2 more
  • More FX and Units
  • Juno pads and basses

MIDI Layers

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

moodunits

No in-app purchases

None

MIDI Layers

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is moodunits free?
moodunits costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is MIDI Layers free?
MIDI Layers costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, moodunits or MIDI Layers?
MIDI Layers is rated higher. moodunits averages 4.5 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while MIDI Layers averages 4.7 from 13 ratings.
Do moodunits or MIDI Layers have ads?
Neither moodunits nor MIDI Layers shows ads.
Which is updated more often, moodunits or MIDI Layers?
moodunits ships an update every 5 days, and MIDI Layers fortnightly. Most recently, moodunits was updated on November 12, 2026 and MIDI Layers on November 3, 2026.

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