Comparison

Ampero Control vs Starrypad

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

Head to head
About

Ampero Control

This app simplifies the setup and control of a Bluetooth MIDI controller. Easily manage presets, effects, and MIDI messages with a clean interface and pre-made or custom templates. Take full command of your musical gear without complex menus.

Highlights
  • Easy-to-use UI for MIDI controller setup
  • MIDI template management for presets and effects
  • Save and customize your own MIDI templates
  • Control MIDI messages via footswitches and expression pedals
  • On-the-fly controller adjustments
  • Supports standard, USB, and Bluetooth MIDI
Features
Read full description

● Easy-to-use UI We believe a lot of people have been suffering from setting up a MIDI controller. Now we offer you this smart app to setup your Ampero Control with a clean, straight forward user interface. With this, you can take fully control of your unit like a walk in the park. No complex menus and matrixes anymore! ● MIDI Template In the app we offer you several templates for you to achieve essential/advanced controlling of your musical gear: Select a footswitch, load a template and you’re ready to change presets, turn on/off effects, etc. You can also save your own templates and write notes on them. ●About Ampero Control Ampero Control is a compact, sturdy, fully programmable Bluetooth MIDI controller, that gives musicians flexible MIDI-based control via MIDI port, USB jack and Bluetooth. It features 4 footswitches, with each footswitch, you can send up to 16 different MIDI messages by different actions. You can also attach expression pedals or more footswitches to your Ampero Control depending on your needs. Furthermore, a dedicated smart mobile app lets you take control of every detail of your Ampero Control without any confusion. ● Features • Compact, smart 4-footswitch Bluetooth MIDI controller • Supports standard MIDI, USB MIDI and Bluetooth MIDI input/output/thru • Sending/transferring MIDI messages to separated/combined MIDI outputs • Send max. 16 MIDI messages by one footswitch (32 for A/B groups) • 100 banks (each bank includes 4 footswitches settings, 2 CTRL/EXP jack settings and more) • Different footswitch triggering actions for flexible switching and various uses • Dedicated mobile app lets you easily set your controller on the fly • 2 CTRL/EXP TRS jacks for adapting external footswitches/expression pedals • 3-digit LED for MIDI message info and Bluetooth connection status display • DC 9-18V or 5V USB bus power supply

About

Starrypad

Transform your device into a versatile music creation tool. Record and import audio, then assign it to velocity-sensitive pads for playback. Create loops, add layers, and export your work as WAV or MIDI.

Highlights
  • 16 velocity-sensitive pads
  • Built-in drum kits and synth phrases
  • Microphone and audio import
  • Loop recording and layering
  • WAV and MIDI export
  • USB MIDI controller support
Read full description

Starrypad turns your iPhone into a drum pad, looper and sampler. Play sixteen velocity-sensitive pads with acoustic drums, 808 sounds and original synth phrases. The C Synth kit follows your tempo while keeping note pitch independent. Shape each pad with level, pan and tuning in the Mixer. Record from the microphone or import audio from a video you choose, trim the sound and assign it to a pad. Record loops, add layers and undo the latest pass. Switch from recording to playback without stopping the loop. Play along with music from another audio app. Background playback depends on the other app and your audio route. This does not import or record protected streaming audio. Export loops as WAV or MIDI. Connect an optional class-compliant USB MIDI controller. No controller, account or subscription is required. Settings and help support English, Japanese and Simplified Chinese. Familiar performance legends stay in English. Audio processing and your recordings stay on the device. Salamander Drumkit by Alexander Holm (CC BY 3.0) TR-808 Sound Sample Set by Michael Fischer via TidalCycles (CC0 1.0) Additional percussion from FreePats (CC0 1.0) Original synthesized rhythm phrases by Starrypad

Screenshots

Ampero Control4 screens
Starrypad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Starrypad at 100% against Ampero Control's 13%. Starrypad also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.8) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 14 months). Ampero Control's advantage is ratings volume (59 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Starrypad holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ampero Control has 59 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of Ampero Control's written reviews are positive against 100% of Starrypad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ampero Control ships an update every 14 months, Starrypad every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Ampero Control versus Starrypad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAmpero ControlStarrypad
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.8 (59 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews13.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings59 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHotoneRyo Ijuin

Customer experience

Ampero Control

All ratings17 ratings
Positive41.2%
Neutral17.6%
Negative41.2%
Written reviews69 reviews
Positive13.0%
Neutral13.0%
Negative73.9%

Starrypad

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Ampero Control

No in-app purchases

None

Starrypad

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ampero Control free?
Ampero Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Starrypad free?
Starrypad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ampero Control or Starrypad?
Starrypad is rated higher. Ampero Control averages 1.8 out of 5 from 59 ratings, while Starrypad averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Ampero Control or Starrypad have ads?
Neither Ampero Control nor Starrypad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ampero Control or Starrypad?
Ampero Control ships an update every 14 months, and Starrypad every 10 days. Most recently, Ampero Control was updated on October 16, 2026 and Starrypad on October 16, 2026.

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