Comparison

Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer vs SUBscription Synth

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

Head to head
About

Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer

This app is a powerful MIDI sequencer designed for music production. It allows users to create and arrange complex musical pieces with multiple tracks, extensive clip libraries, and advanced looping features. Easily organize and import MIDI data to build songs efficiently.

Highlights
  • 16 Tracks per instance
  • Over 7000 MIDI clips library
  • Media Bay for organizing clips
  • Remote Looping functionality
  • Song Mode for arranging sections
  • Full CC controller editing
  • Sync to Host
Features
Read full description

Helium is a lightweight AUv3 MIDI sequencer plugin designed specifically for AUM. It supports up to 16 tracks of unlimited length with the ability to direct output to 16 channels on up to 16 MIDI output ports. One of the great features is the ability to import and maintain libraries of MIDI clips using Helium's 'Media Bay'. These clips are freely available all over the internet and may contain individual chord sets, chord progressions or drum tracks. You can quickly build a song by dragging and dropping your MIDI clips from the media bay onto your timeline. You can also save your own clips directly to the media bay to create your own personal MIDI clips libraries. Long press on a clip to preview its contents using the currently selected MIDI device. Helium now ships with a library of over 7000 MIDI clips, consisting of every chord and chord progression you could ever need. Helium allows many different ways to import additional MIDI clip libraries. Simply drag and drop your ZIP collections directly to your PC/MAC web browser and they are automatically unpacked into the clips library folder. You can also drag and drop files between the Media Bay and the iOS Files app. Helium supports a sync mode called 'Remote Looping'. This was something we recently introduced into our MultiTrack Recorder plugin and is very useful for breaking down the timeline into sections.  You can define up to 12 loops which can be used to specify the locations of say the intro, verse, chorus, and outro within your song, then trigger these loops seemlessly in sync with the host tempo. Once captured, these loops can then be triggered by incoming MIDI notes. A new addition to Helium is the ability to piece together loops into songs, so you just concentrate on creating a single verse, chorus, bridge etc. and piece everything together without the headache of having to re-arrange your timeline. Features ○ 16 Tracks per instance. ○ Includes a library of over 7000 MIDI clips. ○ Assignable MIDI channel and Bus per track. ○ Full editing of CC controllers using the controller lane. ○ Independent vertical and horizontal zooming. ○ Import & Export MIDI tracks. ○ Media Bay, organize your MIDI flips libraries. ○ Clip Preview from Media Bay ○ Drag and Drop from the Media Bay directly to the timeline. ○ Drag and Drop to Files App. ○ Remote Control with Looping advanced functionality. ○ Step Recording. ○ Build in Mixer to adjust relative track levels with Mute/Solo. ○ Sync to Host. ○ Up to 16 outputs (configurable). ○ MIDI Clip Preview ○ Ghost Note Feature ○ Multi level undo and redo. ○ Song Mode ○ Multi-Take Record Please checkout the help manual for details on where to find my tutorial videos on Helium and where to download some fully featured and free MIDI clip libraries. This is not recommended to use on small iPhone screen sizes such as the SE models. You can adjust the screen scaling to suite your iPhone model by long pressing the MENU button and changing the scale.

About

SUBscription Synth

This app transforms user-entered text into unique monophonic sub-synth waveshapes. It offers a text-to-synthesis engine, drive and dirt effects, a low-pass filter, and extensive modulation options for creating powerful bass sounds.

Highlights
  • Text-to-synthesis engine
  • Monophonic sub-synth
  • Drive and dirt effects
  • 12dB/oct low-pass filter
  • 2 envelopes, 2 LFOs, 4 expression controls
  • AUv3 plugin and standalone operation
Read full description

To celebrate international joke day 2023, we decided to take a big step with our first synthesizer plugin; SUBscription. While based on a tongue-in-cheek pun about the current state and direction of the music tech industry, we actually ended up with a surprisingly excellent plugin that takes user-generated phrases (subscription codes) and converts them into unique waveshapes in a monophonic sub-synth. - Create powerful, characterful bass sounds - Unique and exceptionally high IQ text synthesis technique ^TM - Reasonable subscription models - Unequivocally superior, requires no review. SUBscription Upon entering a subscription code into our brand new text-to-synthesis engine, you are entering a world of sonic enrichment and fame, but you may have to make a deal with the devil. Text Synthesis Create characterful wave shapes using our experimental new text-to-synthesis technique. We have prepared every possible character combination (subscription code) because you’re weak and predictable. Drive & Dirt Boost the ever loving **** out of the synth with some crispy drive. Use the Dirt knob’s Rate modulation to thicken and filth up your tracks with noisy textures. Filter Carve your frequencies out with the 12dB/oct low-pass ladder filter. Much like the filter, we too will be filtering out any bug reports, requests or errors - our time is far more important. Modulation Add movement to your sounds with 2 envelopes, 2 LFO’s & 4 expression controls which are assignable to nearly every parameter. Unlike the fluid nature of modulation, we stand firm with our decisions - you just wouldn’t get it. Product Aftercare If you need support via email you’ll have to deal with harshly worded, incredibly frustrated developers and please note that all critical feedback of any nature will be met with serious scolding. SUBscription is designed as an AUv3 plugin, meaning it works within iOS and iPadOS hosts such as Logic Pro, GarageBand, Cubasis 3, AUM and Beatmaker 3. SUBscription also works as a standalone instrument.

Screenshots

Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer4 screens
SUBscription Synth2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: SUBscription Synth at every 2 days against Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer's fortnightly. SUBscription Synth also leads on price ($2.99 vs $7.99) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer costs $7.99 and SUBscription Synth $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SUBscription Synth holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 55 and 42 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer's written reviews are positive against 88% of SUBscription Synth's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer ships an update fortnightly, SUBscription Synth every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer versus SUBscription Synth: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHelium AUv3 MIDI SequencerSUBscription Synth
Price$7.99$2.99 — better
Rating4.3 (55 ratings)4.6 (42 ratings) — better
Positive reviews74.5% of reviews87.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings55 — better42
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size84 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer4Pockets.comCaelum Audio

Customer experience

Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer

All ratings55 ratings
Positive83.6%
Neutral5.5%
Negative10.9%
Written reviews51 reviews
Positive74.5%
Neutral7.8%
Negative17.6%

SUBscription Synth

All ratings42 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

Bugs and requests

Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Notes get stuck
  • Randomization causes crashes
  • MIDI out channels not visible in AUM
  • App crashes frequently
  • MIDI import mixes tracks
Show 7 more
  • Notes lag when dragging
  • Grid looks off relative to piano roll
  • Sustain pedal causes issues
  • Exported MIDI files inaccessible
  • Song mode does not follow host tempo
  • Inconsistent behavior with loops in song mode
  • Loop button issue on empty instance reload

Requested features

15 requests
  • Scale key and random velocity
  • Arpeggios patterns
  • More gradual randomization approach
  • Scissor tool for shortening MIDI events
  • Latch option for press/hold to audition MIDI sequences
Show 10 more
  • Patterns view like Atom
  • Tutorial on using chord track
  • Aftertouch recording
  • Time stretch feature
  • Higher automation window setting
  • Turning off quantization
  • Individual loop lengths for tracks
  • More ghost tracks visible and colored
  • Looping sequences of different lengths (workaround exists)
  • MIDI channel switching controlled by AU Param

SUBscription Synth

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer

No in-app purchases

None

SUBscription Synth

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer free?
Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SUBscription Synth free?
SUBscription Synth costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer or SUBscription Synth?
SUBscription Synth is rated higher. Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer averages 4.3 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while SUBscription Synth averages 4.6 from 42 ratings.
Do Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer or SUBscription Synth have ads?
Neither Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer nor SUBscription Synth shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer or SUBscription Synth?
Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer ships an update fortnightly, and SUBscription Synth every 2 days. Most recently, Helium AUv3 MIDI Sequencer was updated on October 20, 2026 and SUBscription Synth on October 15, 2026.

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