Comparison

MIDI SideGig vs PlayStems

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

Head to head
About

MIDI SideGig

Features
Read full description

Configure your synthesizers at home and switch between them with a single touch during the gig. Or change them from right on your controller between passages. For players of DigiBrass controllers, MIDI SideGig has complete configuration and update capabilities for your instrument.

About

PlayStems

This app allows musicians to play and manipulate individual audio tracks (stems) from songs. It offers features like volume control, pitch shifting, and looping for practice and performance, with on-device stem splitting capabilities.

Highlights
  • Multi-track playback in sync
  • On-device stem splitting
  • Per-stem volume, mute, solo, balance
  • Adjust speed and pitch while playing
  • Loop marker ranges
  • Song library with title and artist
Features
Read full description

PlayStems plays multiple audio stems in sync on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Import one or more audio files into a song, or split a mixed track on your device, then rehearse or perform with each part under your control. Give every song a title and artist. In the mixer, set volume, mute, solo, and balance for each stem, and adjust the master level. Change speed and pitch while the song is playing, scrub the waveform, and loop a marker range until the section sits. Stem splitting runs on your device. A mixed track becomes vocals, bass, drums, and other. It needs a supported device with at least 4 GB of memory: iPhone 13 or newer, iPad Pro 2018 or newer, iPad Air 2022 or newer, or a Mac with Apple Silicon (M1 or newer). Audio is not uploaded. Features • Multi-track playback in sync • Song library with title and artist • Multiple audio files per song • Mixer with per-stem volume, mute, solo, and balance, plus master volume • Speed and pitch while playing • Waveform scrubbing • Marker ranges you can loop • On-device stem split into vocals, bass, drums, and other Use PlayStems to rehearse, perform, or practice a difficult section with each stem under your control. Free version Playback, the mixer, markers, loop ranges, and speed and pitch are included, within these limits: • 1 song in your library, or up to 5 if you opt in to anonymous usage analytics. Songs in Trash do not count. • Up to 10 successful stem splits on this device. Cancelled or failed splits do not count. • Standard stem splitting on supported devices. High-quality models are part of the full version. Full version A one-time purchase removes the song and stem-split limits. • Unlimited songs • Unlimited successful stem splits • High-quality stem-splitting models you can download. These need iOS 26.4 or later and about 2 GB of available memory on a recent iPhone or iPad, or a Mac with Apple Silicon. Restore purchases is available in the app. Purchases are tied to your Apple ID.

Screenshots

MIDI SideGig3 screens
PlayStems4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PlayStems at fortnightly against MIDI SideGig's every 3 months. MIDI SideGig's advantage is iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Both are free to download. MIDI SideGig sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and PlayStems sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDI SideGig ships an update every 3 months, PlayStems fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
MIDI SideGig versus PlayStems: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDI SideGigPlayStems
PriceFreeFree
Rating—1.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.5 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDigiBrass LLC.Matthias Santer

In-app purchases

2 purchases

MIDI SideGig

One-time2
  • 14-day TrialFree
  • Full Version$19.99
1 purchases

PlayStems

One-time1
  • Full version$4.99

Questions

Is MIDI SideGig free?
MIDI SideGig is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PlayStems free?
PlayStems is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MIDI SideGig or PlayStems have ads?
Neither MIDI SideGig nor PlayStems shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIDI SideGig or PlayStems?
MIDI SideGig ships an update every 3 months, and PlayStems fortnightly. Most recently, MIDI SideGig was updated on October 30, 2026 and PlayStems on October 20, 2026.

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