Session Notes AU vs LoopBud
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Session Notes AU
This app integrates note-taking directly into your music production workflow, allowing you to manage lyrics, mix ideas, and session details within your DAW. Version 2.0 enhances writing tools, navigation, and data safety with features like iCloud sync and backups.
- Integrated DAW workflow
- Markdown-aware writing
- Keyboard accessory tools
- Automatic iCloud sync
- Backup and restore functionality
- AUv3 plugin and standalone app
- Customizable themes and fonts
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Session Notes AU keeps your lyrics, mix notes, set lists, production reminders, and session notes inside the same DAW workflow where you track, edit, rehearse, and mix. Instead of bouncing out to a separate notes app, you can keep the writing and the work in the same place. Version 2.0 turns Session Notes AU into a more capable production companion with better writing tools, better note navigation, a flexible editor layout, and a safer day-to-day writing flow. Built For Real Session Work - Keep notes inside your DAW workflow instead of breaking focus - Switch quickly between the note browser and the active note - Resize the editor and note list with a drag handle - Use a more polished note browser with clearer active-note focus Brand New Writing Tools In 2.0 - Markdown-aware writing support - Keyboard accessory tools for lists, checklists, links, undo, redo, find, stats, and quick structure helpers - List, checklist, numbered-list, and blockquote continuation - Indent, outdent, and paired insertion helpers - In-note Find with live match highlighting - Live document stats while you write - Autosave for existing notes while you work Safer Session Flow In 2.0 - Automatic iCloud sync across devices - Manual sync when you want more control - Backup to Files App - Restore from backup if needed - Safer handling for note changes across devices Also Included - AUv3 plug-in workflow plus standalone app - Save, Save As New Note, share, delete, and reorder actions - Multiple themes for different studio environments - Separate font and size controls for browser text, title text, and note body text - Comprehensive built-in in-app manual Session Notes AU is designed for musicians, producers, engineers, and performers who want notes to feel like part of the session, not a second app sitting off to the side.
LoopBud
Record, loop, and jam with unlimited MIDI patterns and bars. Features two recording modes, quantization, and tempo control for live performance effects. Export MIDI for further editing in other applications.
- Unlimited MIDI patterns and bars
- Add and New recording modes
- Quantization with adjustable levels
- Tempo control for live effects
- Single bar focus for recording/looping
- MIDI export for external editing
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LoopBud is a super simple yet very powerful MIDI recorder and looper. You can work with unlimited patterns. Although the 4-bar loops are very fun, you can work with an unlimited number of bars on each pattern! LoopBud has two record modes, Add mode and New mode. The "add mode" keeps adding new notes on each loop-cycle. The "new mode" clears out the previous recording and lets you record freshly on each cycle. You can work very fast with those modes. If you make a mistake, don't worry, you can use the "undo" option and get everything back! LoopBud has quantization enabled by default. You can toggle quantizing by pressing the "quantize" button on the top-left side. You can also set the level of quantization from the settings menu. If you want to speed up or slow down the clock, you can do so by pressing the "clock" button on the top-left side. You can achieve different effects on your live performances without a new recording. You can also focus on a single bar by pressing the bar measure on the top. You can either record or loop a single bar - which is a unique feature of LoopBud. In the settings menu, you can edit the piano roll's lowest and highest notes. The notes on the piano roll is not editable. However, you can export MIDI from the settings menu, and do editing on your favorite piano roll editor app! LoopBud is not an audio app, it's a MIDI app. You need to connect a MIDI input and a MIDI output for LoopBud to work. You can do so from the settings menu in the standalone app. You can use the MIDI matrix editor on your DAW if you are using the AUv3 plugin. LoopBud also supports Ableton Link on the standalone app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: LoopBud at every 3 weeks against Session Notes AU's every 3 months. LoopBud also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Session Notes AU's advantage is rating (4.1 vs 3.8) and price ($1.99 vs $5.99). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Session Notes AU costs $1.99 and LoopBud $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Session Notes AU holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 14 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 63% and 63% positive.
Session Notes AU ships an update every 3 months, LoopBud every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Session Notes AU | LoopBud |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 — better | $5.99 |
| Rating | 4.1 (10 ratings) — better | 3.8 (14 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | 62.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 10 | 14 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Christian Thompson | Cem Olcay |
Customer experience
Session Notes AU
LoopBud
In-app purchases
Session Notes AU
No in-app purchases
LoopBud
No in-app purchases









