Comparison

Sound Paths vs Strokes

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

Head to head
About

Sound Paths

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Soundpaths allows you to explore unique immersive musical experiences in various locations around the world. The app uses GPS to sense where you are, so that as you make your way around one of our Soundpaths, you will hear a tailor-made soundtrack that is matched to the pace you set. Real-world and recorded sounds will combine to create an immersive musical experience quite unlike any other, with each location having a piece of music created specifically for it. Put on your headphones and wander our Soundpaths at your own pace, and experience a soundtrack that maps precisely to your movement through the landscape. Download for free, and dive in to an immersive musical experience! Make sure that GPS is enabled on your phone, plug in your headphones and start walking.

About

Strokes

This cross-platform audio workstation encourages rhythmic experimentation through sequencing, sampling, and synthesis. It offers intuitive controls for creating unique patterns and soundscapes, with cross-patched sequencers and modulation for cohesive results.

Highlights
  • Sequencing, sampling, and synthesis
  • Intuitive design for experimentation
  • Cross-patched sequencers and modulation
  • Assign oscillators or samples
  • Probability options for semi-random changes
  • On-board reverb and delay effects
  • VST3/AU plugin and standalone iOS app
Features
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Sound On Sound (Jan 2023): ""Huge fun, and musically potent. A dedicated pattern sequencer for your DAW that opens up all sorts of polyrhythmic, pseudo-random, non-linear possibilities." Tom Rowlands [Chemical Brothers] : "Strokes is an amazing device for rhythmic inspiration. Its a lot of fun to play with and can lead to some very cool unexpected patterns and combinations" CDM : "Its just really elegant... a semi-modular powerhouse for exploring polyrhythms, both in musical note/percussion patterns and modulation. So, uh… whoa." DJ Mag: "DJs and producers wanting to create intricate sequencer patterns should look at Strokes" MusicRadar: "An instant inspiration generator" International Orange: "An elevated groovebox" ---------------------------------- Welcome to Strokes. An all-in-one, cross-platform workstation for sequencing, sampling and synthesis. The idea of this device is to encourage free-flow experimentation and exploration of rhythm and modulation. The architecture behind Strokes is complex, but on the surface it’s designed to be intuitive no matter what your experience level is. By setting up some sounds and turning the dials, anyone can create interesting and unique results. The sequencing and modulation are cross-patched, meaning the actions of one part impact on another - in this way, the patterns all form part of the greater whole, moving in symbiosis to create cohesive results. The first four sequencer channels can be set according to your wishes, while the other four behave in various ways according to those settings. Each channel can be assigned one of 16 oscillators from Mutable Instruments’ celebrated Plaits module. Alternatively, they can each be assigned to samples of your choice with various sound design options. There are probability options to add semi-random changes to the sequencers, and on-board reverb and delay add effects processing to the sounds being generated. Various modulation options allow these sounds and effects to be changed in subtle or significant ways, always in response to the other rhythmic behaviour taking place in the project. Rather than relying on methodical programming of patterns or computer-defined ‘randomness’, Strokes offers a way to create surprising music with an emphasis on fun. Nothing happens by accident, but you never quite know where a jam will take you. With the means to store patterns and melodic information within a project, one set up can produce different results every time. Strokes can run as a VST3 or AU plug-in within all major DAW environments, meaning the MIDI information generated can also be assigned to your own software and hardware instruments. On iOS, Strokes can run as a standalone application or from within a host such as AUM. Desktop VST3 & AU are a separate purchase, available at congburn.co.uk/strokes ---------------------------------- Video Manual - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUa8ZmeONjE Synth/iOS demo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9IXqFBCa24 Sampler/iOS demo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvLasl_wois PDF Manual - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hViEDttYSAIFygN1Y4kWXByMXfX5r3K4 ---------------------------------- Strokes contains DSP code provided under the MIT open source license by Mutable Instruments. Plaits © 2016 Emilie Gillet https://github.com/pichenettes/eurorack

Screenshots

Sound Paths3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Sound Paths at Free against Strokes's $19.99. Sound Paths also leads on device support (3 vs 1). Strokes's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 20 months). On ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Sound Paths is free to download; Strokes costs $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sound Paths ships an update every 20 months, Strokes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Sound Paths versus Strokes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSound PathsStrokes
PriceFree — better$19.99
Rating—5.0 (27 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—27 — better
Update frequencyEvery 20 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Paid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS12.112.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCloak & Dagger Music ProductionJohn Howes

In-app purchases

None

Sound Paths

No in-app purchases

None

Strokes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sound Paths free?
Sound Paths is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Strokes free?
Strokes costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Sound Paths or Strokes have ads?
Neither Sound Paths nor Strokes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sound Paths or Strokes?
Sound Paths ships an update every 20 months, and Strokes fortnightly. Most recently, Sound Paths was updated on October 25, 2026 and Strokes on November 3, 2026.

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