Comparison

Decent Sampler vs Dawnbeat

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

Head to head
About

Decent Sampler

This music app lets you use professional-quality sample libraries on your mobile device. It supports Decent Samples libraries and SFZs, and can be used within other music production apps as an AUv3 plugin.

Highlights
  • Use professional sample libraries
  • Supports Decent Samples libraries
  • Supports SFZ files
  • AUv3 plugin compatibility
  • Standalone app functionality
  • New libraries added weekly
Features
Read full description

Did you ever wish you could use professional quality sample libraries on your mobile device? Now you can! The Decent Samples plugin is a sample player that allows you to use your favorite Decent Samples sample libraries on the go (as well as SF2s, SFZs, and EXS files). Many of the most popular Decent Samples releases are available through the app with more being added every week. Because it's also an AUv3 plugin, you can use it from within GarageBand or with AUM.

About

Dawnbeat

This app lets you create music by sampling and sequencing audio. It offers advanced features like multi-touch pads, an always-recording buffer, and flexible routing for creative sound manipulation. Integrate with external MIDI devices and apply a wide range of built-in and AUv3 effects.

Highlights
  • Multi-touch and draggable pads
  • Always-recording buffer (Memorizer)
  • Advanced loop manipulation (BRIIKS)
  • Flexible mixer with assignable busses
  • Polyphonic pads for chords
  • MIDI IN/OUT for external control
  • AUv3 effects and instrument support
  • Auto-slicer for audio chopping
Features
Read full description

Dawnbeat inherits the best part of the classic hardware samplers and takes it further by adding features only possible on a multi-touch device.  Create more natural patterns by tapping and swiping pads.  Focus on creativity, you don't need to select a tempo before hit record to finally play a pattern until you get the right take, just play and forget about to record! Dawnbeat is always recording! Multi-touch and draggable pads: - Pads are multi-touch, play a single pad with two fingers at the same time! - Pads are individually configurable, allowing re-triggering when dragging for amazing fills, tone variations . - Mute and Solo buttons for pads available. - Mute groups. Memorizer: - DawnBeat is always recording pad events, you'll never miss a beat, play and experiment and when you hear something you like, it's already recorded! simply go to Memorizer and select the desired events. BRIIKS sampler: - Advanced loop manipulator. Rearrange and combine your loops. Also available as standalone, AUv3 and MacOS. Mixer: - 4 assignable BUSSES and one MAIN BUS. Assign pads to busses, assign internal effects or AUV3 effects to busses.  - Mute and Solo buttons. Polyphonic pads: - Pads can be turned polyphonic, import a piano-like sample and play and sequence chords with a single pad. MIDI IN and MIDI OUT: - Trigger samples from a MIDI controller, play melodies from a MIDI piano. - Sequence hardware drum machines and synths from Dawnbeat. - Use Dawnbeat as an intermediary between a midi keyboard and a synth, save the sequences you are playing. Dawnbeat can save poliphonic sequences! Pattern sequencer with piano editor. - Swing, count-in, metronome. Audio Units: - Dawnbeat support AUv3 effects and instruments! Built in Effects: - Reverb, Delay, Compressor, Flutter, Gate, Tremolo, Noise, Filter, Chorus, Equalizer, Stutter and Tape slow motion. - Effects can be rearranged. Built-In sample browser: - 6 drum kit sample libraries, and 1 bass sample library. Selectable internal sample rate: - Internal sample rate can be changed, choose between HI-FI and LO-FI sample rates. AUTO-SLICER: - AutoSlicer detects hit points and slices audio into individual files minimizing the need for manual editing. Chop up any audio file in a few seconds. Recording sample rate can be selected. Export movies with images and animated GIFs .

Screenshots

Decent Sampler3 screens
Dawnbeat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Decent Sampler at 4.6 against Dawnbeat's 4.2. Decent Sampler also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Dawnbeat's advantage is review sentiment (70% vs 52%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Decent Sampler sells 60 one-off in-app purchases and Dawnbeat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Decent Sampler holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 53 and 112 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 52% of Decent Sampler's written reviews are positive against 70% of Dawnbeat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Decent Sampler versus Dawnbeat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDecent SamplerDawnbeat
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (53 ratings) — better4.2 (112 ratings)
Positive reviews52.2% of reviews70.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings53112 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB504 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDecidedly, LLCLuis Rivas

Customer experience

Decent Sampler

All ratings53 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral1.9%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews67 reviews
Positive52.2%
Neutral14.9%
Negative32.8%

Dawnbeat

All ratings112 ratings
Positive75.9%
Neutral14.3%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews128 reviews
Positive70.3%
Neutral18.8%
Negative10.9%

Bugs and requests

Decent Sampler

Reported bugs

23 issues
  • Instant crash on load
  • App stopped working after iOS update
  • AUV3 crashes out of nowhere
  • Unresponsive upon opening
  • Server issues for login
Show 18 more
  • Instrument remains stuck on a note
  • Projects need to be reloaded to show app
  • Crash when loading samples
  • Failing to load presets when reloading host project
  • Adding unwanted temp presets
  • Crashing when selecting different samples
  • Login prompt won't let paste text
  • Can't paste password to login
  • Login screen covered by keyboard
  • Error 500 when downloading
  • Restore Purchases button not working
  • Forgotten Password button not working
  • Invalid email address for registration
  • No URL found when downloading sound packs
  • Clicking sounds while using
  • Glitching, clicking, and ghost sounds on held notes
  • Instrument crashes after a few minutes
  • Earthquake pad 02 glitching

Requested features

14 requests
  • Add user/pass fill from password keeper
  • Implement a download manager for multiple instruments
  • Allow running within IAA or Audiobus
  • Add ability to clear cache
  • Fix multi-track support in AUV3
Show 9 more
  • Add MIDI sequencing
  • Add pitch bend functionality
  • Add velocity response curve knob
  • Add filter stage and more flexible envelope
  • Allow disabling iOS auto-lock
  • Configure receiving MIDI channel
  • Improve preset selection
  • Add dark mode
  • Support VoiceOver

Dawnbeat

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

60 purchases

Decent Sampler

One-time60
  • Box ViolinFree
  • Dave ChoirFree
  • Resonator GlockenspielFree
Show 57 more
  • Banjo UkuleleFree
  • KalimbaFree
  • Ukelin$0.99
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 3$2.99
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 4$3.99
  • Weber 1929 Baby Grand$4.99
  • Ramshackle Zither$4.99
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 5$4.99
  • Music Major Sample Library$4.99
  • Sawblade Kalimba Library$4.99
  • Melodica$4.99
  • Distance: Zero$4.99
  • Little Church Organ$4.99
  • Indie Guitar$5.99
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 6$5.99
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 7$6.99
  • Paper Drums$6.99
  • Relic Keyboard$7.99
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 8$7.99
  • HS-3715 Keyboard$7.99
  • Malevolence by Venus Theory$8.99
  • Viola Ensemble$9.99
  • Indie Bass$9.99
  • Metal Cups$9.99
  • Phonoharp$9.99
  • Violin Ensemble$9.99
  • Ethereal Vocals$9.99
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 10$9.99
  • Kalimba by Darel$9.99
  • Dangerous Undertones$9.99
  • Chroma Vol. 1$9.99
  • Luminate$9.99
  • Horror Box$9.99
  • Tape Violins Sample Library$10.99
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 11$11.00
  • Interlaced Sample Library$14.99
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 15$15.00
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 16$16.00
  • Decent Sampler Store Item 19$19.00
  • alt.strings$19.99
  • Felt & Fog$19.99
  • Organic Orchestra$19.99
  • Indie Drums$19.99
  • Bitscape 95$19.99
  • Thyssia by Venus Theory$19.99
  • Decent Samples Store Item 20$20.00
  • Decent Samples Store Item 24$24.00
  • The Void$24.99
  • Processed Guitars$24.99
  • Decent Samples Store Item 25$25.00
  • String Flows$29.99
  • 70s Summer Camp Sample Library$29.99
  • Decent Samples Store Item 30$30.00
  • LoFi VaporTones Ds$33.99
  • Decent Samples Store Item 39$39.00
  • Decent Samples Store Item 40$40.00
  • Chamberlin M1 by Jamie Lidell$49.99
1 purchases

Dawnbeat

One-time1
  • Dawn Beat Complete$5.99

Questions

Is Decent Sampler free?
Decent Sampler is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dawnbeat free?
Dawnbeat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Decent Sampler or Dawnbeat?
Decent Sampler is rated higher. Decent Sampler averages 4.6 out of 5 from 53 ratings, while Dawnbeat averages 4.2 from 112 ratings.
Do Decent Sampler or Dawnbeat have ads?
Neither Decent Sampler nor Dawnbeat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Decent Sampler or Dawnbeat?
Decent Sampler ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dawnbeat every 3 weeks. Most recently, Decent Sampler was updated on October 14, 2026 and Dawnbeat on October 10, 2026.

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