# Session Notes AU vs BrainBud

The clearest difference is rating: BrainBud at 5.0 against Session Notes AU's 4.1. BrainBud also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 63%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Session Notes AU's advantage is ratings volume (10 vs 2) and price ($1.99 vs $2.99). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Session Notes AU costs $1.99 and BrainBud $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

BrainBud holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Session Notes AU has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Session Notes AU's written reviews are positive against 100% of BrainBud's.

Session Notes AU ships an update every 3 months, BrainBud every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 5, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Session Notes AU | BrainBud |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.1 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/session-notes-au/id1552595478/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainbud-bud-app-controller/id6446066258/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **10** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 8 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christian Thompson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511795684) | [Cem Olcay](https://appshunter.io/developer/523633853) |

## What reviewers say

### Session Notes AU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/session-notes-au/id1552595478)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**In-app purchases:** none


### BrainBud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainbud-bud-app-controller/id6446066258)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Session Notes AU free?

Session Notes AU costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BrainBud free?

BrainBud costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Session Notes AU or BrainBud?

BrainBud is rated higher. Session Notes AU averages 4.1 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while BrainBud averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Session Notes AU or BrainBud have ads?

Neither Session Notes AU nor BrainBud shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Session Notes AU or BrainBud?

Session Notes AU ships an update every 3 months, and BrainBud every 2 months. Most recently, Session Notes AU was updated on September 5, 2026 and BrainBud on September 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*