# Numa Player vs PadLab

The clearest difference is price: Numa Player at Free against PadLab's $1.69. Numa Player also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.2) and ads (none vs shown). PadLab's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks) and chart position (#15 vs unranked). On in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Numa Player is free to download; PadLab costs $1.69 up front. Numa Player sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and PadLab sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Numa Player holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Numa Player has 1.2K ratings behind it against 42, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Numa Player's written reviews are positive against 72% of PadLab's.

Numa Player ships an update every 6 weeks, PadLab every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Numa Player | PadLab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.69 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/numa-player/id1601231132/reviews)** | [4.2 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/padlab-live-pads/id6759358968/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 42 |
| Positive reviews | **85.2% of reviews** | 72.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#15** |
| Size | 110 MB | 410 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FATAR SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1601231134) | [Daniel Albano](https://appshunter.io/developer/1878280171) |

## What reviewers say

### Numa Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/numa-player/id1601231132)

This free virtual instrument offers a vast library of high-quality sounds for music creation. It features a flexible multizone system, advanced sound engine, and extensive effects, suitable for both live performances and studio work across multiple platforms.

**Highlights:** Free multitimbral instrument player, Cross-platform (macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS), Standalone or plugin mode, Multizone sound management, Advanced multi-core sound engine, Extensive sound library, 9 insert effects and 3 master effects

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VINTAGE PIANOS | $17.99 | one-time |
| GRAN CODA | $24.99 | one-time |
| STAGE D | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great sounds
- 👍 Excellent sound quality
- 👍 Stable and reliable
- 👍 Fantastic free app
- 👍 Impressive for a free app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Polyphony issues
- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🐛 Notes dropping out
- 🐛 Sound glitching
- 🐛 Sustain pedal issues

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing issues in GarageBand
- Incompatibility with some MIDI controllers
- Sustain pedal causing noise

**Requested features**

- More types of resonance (aliquot, body, bridge/soundboard)
- New piano models (Bosendorfer, Yamaha CFX)
- More instruments (brass, saxes)
- Ability to save custom patches
- Ability to resize on-screen keyboard


### PadLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/padlab-live-pads/id6759358968)

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Paid · Music, #145 Top Paid (US App Store)

Create music with ambient pads, drums, and instruments for rehearsals and live performance. Features include customizable drum kits, loop creation, and MIDI controller support. Expand your sound with optional synthesizers and effects.

**Highlights:** Continuous ambient pads with level controls, Customizable drum pads and kits, Live loop creation and recording, MIDI controller integration, Performance set arrangement, Optional synthesizer expansion

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Worship Pad | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pad Mix Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pad Pulse Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| Arp Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sequencer Pro | $2.99 | one-time |
| StageLab | $3.69 | one-time |
| Worship Drum Collection | $3.99 | one-time |
| PadLab Full App | $4.59 | one-time |
| Live Loops | $5.99 | one-time |
| PadLab Worship Complete | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Numa Player free?

Numa Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PadLab free?

PadLab costs $1.69, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Numa Player or PadLab?

Numa Player is rated higher. Numa Player averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while PadLab averages 4.2 from 42 ratings.

### Do Numa Player or PadLab have ads?

PadLab shows ads; Numa Player does not.

### Which is updated more often, Numa Player or PadLab?

Numa Player ships an update every 6 weeks, and PadLab every 4 days. Most recently, Numa Player was updated on November 3, 2026 and PadLab on November 5, 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.*