polybeat vs BrainBud
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
polybeat
This advanced music production tool generates complex polyrhythmic and polymetric patterns. It offers extensive control over sequence length, step length, and step modulation for each drum voice. Requires an AUv3-compatible host or external sound source to produce audio.
- Configurable sequence and step length per drum voice
- Modulation of sequencer steps (accent, ratchet, chance, offset)
- Sample-accurate sequencing engine
- Sequence transformation actions (shift, rotate, randomize)
- AUv3 preset and state saving
- Offline functionality
- No ads or in-app purchases
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polybeat is an advanced and extremely flexible drum and percussion sequencer able to generate complex polyrhythmic and polymetric rhythmic patterns. nb: polybeat does not make sound by itself, you will need to load it in an AUv3-compatible host (such as AUM, Audiobus, ApeMatrix, Nanostudio 2, etc.) or connect it to an external drum machine, synthesizer, computer or any other sound generating device. features: - independently configurable sequence length per drum voice (ranging from 1 to 32 steps) - independently configurable step length per drum voice (ranging from double whole notes to 64th notes, including tuplets and dotted notes) - every sequencer step can be modulated by the following attributes: - accent on/off - ratchet (note repeats) - skip (note every *n* loops) - chance - timing offset - sample-accurate sequencing engine - slick and responsive native UI - undo/redo - individual drum voices can be muted or solo'ed - sequences can be instantly transformed by the following actions: - shift left/right - rotate - randomize - mirror - reverse - double - bisect - full AUv3 preset- and state-saving - ability to copy and paste patterns between instances of the plugin - mapping presets for popular AUv3 drum apps and hardware drum machines - includes musical scale presets for polybeat to be used as a melodic sequencer - responds to MIDI input for switching and selecting patterns, as well as performing pattern transformations - works offline - no push notifications - no ads or in-app purchases - no third-party behavioural tracking tools ongoing development and support, many new features on the roadmap
BrainBud
This app acts as a central controller for other music creation applications, allowing you to manage keys and scales simultaneously. It integrates with a variety of Bud apps via MIDI, enabling synchronized changes and broadcasting of musical parameters. Experiment with randomization and automate settings through its AUv3 plugin.
- Centralized key and scale control
- MIDI out to multiple Bud apps
- Budcast for parameter broadcasting
- Randomize musical parameters
- AUv3 plugin for automation
- Requires other Bud apps to function
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BrainBud controls the keys and scales of the Bud apps all at once. Connect BrainBud’s MIDI out to MIDI inputs of: - SnakeBud - PolyBud - MelodyBud - ShiftBud - ScaleBud 2 - In Theory - Textquencer - Binarhythmic - Auto Bass - BounceBud - MuseBud - Kebarp - FuncBud - Note to Be You can also broadcast the current key/scale to the newly connected apps with Budcast button. If you’d like to experiment, you can try the randomise button. With the AUv3 plugin, you can change the BrainBud's parameters or even automate them with AU parameters. For using the AUv3 plugin make sure you have an AUv3 host app such as AUM, Cubasis, Nanostudio, apeMatrix. BrainBud is a MIDI based app and requires other Bud apps present in order to work right. If you don't have any other Bud apps mentioned above, you can't make a use of BrainBud. BrainBud doesn't produce any kind of sound on its own.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: BrainBud at 5.0 against polybeat's 4.5. BrainBud also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (100% vs 72%). polybeat's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (20 vs 2). On ads, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement 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
polybeat costs $7.99 and BrainBud $2.99 up front. polybeat sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. BrainBud asks for nothing beyond the download.
BrainBud holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: polybeat has 20 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of polybeat's written reviews are positive against 100% of BrainBud's.
polybeat ships an update fortnightly, BrainBud every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | polybeat | BrainBud |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 | $2.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.5 (20 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 72.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 20 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Corne Driesprong | Cem Olcay |
Customer experience
polybeat
BrainBud
In-app purchases
polybeat
- Small tip$1.99
- Big tip$5.99
BrainBud
No in-app purchases









