Comparison

MusiKraken vs LoopMangler

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

Head to head
About

MusiKraken

Transform your mobile device into a powerful, customizable MIDI controller. Utilize built-in sensors and connected hardware to create unique musical expressions and control instruments or software. Supports advanced MIDI features and audio unit plugins.

Highlights
  • Modular MIDI controller editor
  • Device sensor inputs (touch, motion, camera, mic)
  • Connect external devices (game controllers, Apple Watch)
  • MIDI effects and routing
  • Audio Unit (AUv3) plugin hosting
  • MIDI 2.0 support
  • OSC data output
Features
Read full description

MusiKraken is a modular MIDI Controller Construction Kit, empowering you to fully harness the capabilities of your mobile device's hardware. Winner of a 2022 MIDI Innovation Award! Make music using device sensors like Touch, Motion Sensors, Camera (face, hand, body and color tracking, including TrueDepth and LiDAR support) and Microphone, or connected devices like Game Controllers, Apple Watch or AirPods. Choose from several types of modules in the editor and connect the ports to create your own personal MIDI controller setup. Route the MIDI signals through effect modules to control multiple instruments simultaneously or invent creative new MIDI controller combinations. MusiKraken supports sending and receiving MIDI data over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or via Core MIDI (for example by using Inter-Device Audio and MIDI (IDAM)). And it can host Audio Unit (AUv3) instrument plugins. Or send the sensor data via OSC. MusiKraken is also one of the first apps to officially support MIDI 2.0! You already own a very powerful device with all kinds of sensors and connection possibilities. With this app you can use these sensors as inputs, combine them with all kinds of MIDI effects and send the resulting MIDI events to your computer, synthesizer, any other MIDI-capable app or Audio Unit to to create your own, expressive MIDI controller setup. Your device for example has a multitouch screen. Use this with the Keyboard module to slide on the keys to control multiple musical parameters simultaneously. Using MPE, MIDI 2.0 or the Chord Splitter also allows you to control these parameters separately per key. Newer devices also support tracking the finger radius (or pressure on older devices), which adds another dimension of control. Multitouch is also used by the Chords Pad to play the chords of a selected scale, or the Touchpad, which allows you control values via touch gestures. Another unique input sensor is the camera: MusiKraken supports tracking your hands in front of the camera, your body pose, your face or objects with specific colors. This way you can for example use your iOS device as a Theremin, jump or dance around in front of the camera to generate notes or control audio parameters, use your mouth to control the sound of a virtual trumpet, or any other combination. If your device has a TrueDepth or LiDAR sensor, you can also use the distances as input values. Your device also has motion sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope and Magnetometer. They can be either used separately, or combined to get the current rotation of the device in three dimensions. Use this to generate sounds or control parameters while shaking or tilting your device. Your device also has a microphone, and MusiKraken can detect the pitch or amplitude of the signal. Your iOS device also allows you to connect to external devices. MusiKraken for example supports Game Controllers (trigger events on button or thumbstick changes, motion sensors, haptics and light on supported Game Controllers), Apple Watch (motion sensors, digital crown, touch, heart rate) or the motion sensors within AirPods. The real power comes once you start combining the sensors with the effect modules. There are effects that can be used to change or filter the MIDI events. Some effects allow you to combine multiple input sources into new output values. Or splits chords into separate notes so that they can be sent to different channels. Important: Please note that some of the modules only work on iOS devices with specific hardware: ARKit Face Tracking and the TrueDepth module need a TrueDepth front camera, and Hand and Body Pose Tracking needs at least iOS 14, and might be too slow on older devices. HealthKit is used in the app to access Apple Watch data like heart beat or motion sensors. The app only uses sensor data to generate MIDI events.

About

LoopMangler

This app is a powerful tool for creating unique glitchy and noisy textures by manipulating rhythmic samples or external audio. It offers advanced sound design capabilities with multi-effect sequencing, random pattern generation, and real-time processing.

Highlights
  • Multi-effect sequencing
  • Random pattern generation
  • Envelope modulation
  • Live pads for performance
  • Real-time audio processing
  • Flexible integration with other apps
Features
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LoopMangler is an innovative multi-effect glitch sequencer designed to manipulate rhythmic samples, external input, or output from other applications. This powerful tool operates based on the effect sequence patterns, allowing you to transform ordinary loops into unusual glitchy and noisy textures. Key Features: Advanced Sound Design: With its well-designed user interface and creative features, LoopMangler provides an exciting playground for sonic exploration and sound design. Random Pattern Generation: Make patterns and individual bars randomly or according to specific rules, offering a quick start or a source of inspiration for your projects. Multi-Effect Sequencing: Assign up to six distortion and filter effects to each step of the sequencer, providing endless possibilities for sound manipulation. Envelope Modulation: Each effect is modulated with its own envelope generator, ensuring that every step is unique and dynamic. Intuitive Editor: The user-friendly editor allows you to easily copy, move, and delete individual cells and bars within the sequencer, making pattern creation a breeze. Live Pads: Assign presets and loops to on-screen pads and use special pads to dynamically alter sound patterns during live performances or studio sessions. Real-Time Processing: Process audio in real-time, allowing you to hear the effects of your adjustments immediately. Flexible Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other audio applications, making it a versatile addition to your music production toolkit. Whether you’re looking to add subtle textures or completely transform your audio, LoopMangler provides the tools you need to achieve your sonic vision. LoopMangler is a universal application for iOS and macOS. It can work on iPhone and iPad as well as Mac / MacBook with M1 chip (and later). LoopMangler works on iPhone and iPad standalone, as an Audio Unit or Inter-App Audio module, and supports Audiobus and Ableton Link. On MacOS, LoopMangler can works both as a standalone application and as an Audio unit (AUv3) with DAWs and other hosts that support AUv3 plugins. LoopMangler has a built-in detailed description of all parameters also available as PDF file on the application site. Quick start demo: https://youtu.be/EFGw4wDtbzo https://youtu.be/ki3WsK1_4gg You can find more information on LoopMangler and other creative audio apps at: https://motion-soundscape.blogspot.com

Screenshots

MusiKraken3 screens
LoopMangler4 screens

Verdict

The call

MusiKraken and LoopMangler both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 97% of MusiKraken's written reviews are positive against 50% of LoopMangler's. MusiKraken also leads on price ($9.99 vs $14.99). LoopMangler's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.0). On rating, 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

MusiKraken costs $9.99 and LoopMangler $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for MusiKraken against 5.0 for LoopMangler. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 10 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 97% of MusiKraken's written reviews are positive against 50% of LoopMangler's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MusiKraken ships an update every 4 weeks, LoopMangler every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
MusiKraken versus LoopMangler: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMusiKrakenLoopMangler
Price$9.99 — better$14.99
Rating5.0 (24 ratings)5.0 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews97.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size110 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSnarpIgor Vasiliev

Customer experience

MusiKraken

All ratings24 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive97.0%
Neutral3.0%
Negative0.0%

LoopMangler

All ratings10 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

MusiKraken

No in-app purchases

None

LoopMangler

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MusiKraken free?
MusiKraken costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is LoopMangler free?
LoopMangler costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MusiKraken or LoopMangler?
MusiKraken and LoopMangler are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 24 and 10 ratings respectively.
Do MusiKraken or LoopMangler have ads?
Neither MusiKraken nor LoopMangler shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MusiKraken or LoopMangler?
MusiKraken ships an update every 4 weeks, and LoopMangler every 3 weeks. Most recently, MusiKraken was updated on October 14, 2026 and LoopMangler on October 9, 2026.

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