Comparison

SAND vs STAR DEEJAY

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

Head to head
About

SAND

This app is a grid-based music sequencer that allows users to create compositions using AUv3 plugins and external MIDI devices. It offers extensive tools for arranging clips, editing notes, automating parameters, and routing MIDI.

Highlights
  • Grid-based MIDI sequencing
  • AUv3 plugin hosting
  • External MIDI device support
  • Advanced clip editing
  • Track and effect management
  • Song mode for arrangement
  • MIDI routing and mapping
Features
Read full description

Have SAND in your pocket. Create music anywhere. Sketch your ideas, compose with MIDI and audio clips, host your favorite plugins. All designed for creative flow, whether you're at home or on the go. SAND is a music sketchpad for AUv3, MIDI, and audio clips—built so you can try ideas quickly, without setup getting in the way. Please note: SAND does not generate sound on its own—it relies on AUv3 plugins you can find on the App Store. Try SAND free for 14 days; in-app purchases unlock features after the trial. GRID SEQUENCER Arrange MIDI and audio clips on a grid to build your ideas. Copy, duplicate, merge, combine, and drag-and-drop clips to shape your project. Quick clip tools: quantize, length, legato, transpose from the clip menu. Render MIDI clips as audio by dropping them onto an audio track. MIDI TRACKS Work with instrument and MIDI tracks in your projects. Load an instrument and unlimited audio and MIDI effects on each track. Hide tracks and assign custom icons to keep sessions organized. Save tracks as templates for future projects. Edit MIDI in a piano-roll clip editor: quantize, legato, split, duplicate, copy, and paste. Build chords with the chord selector. Adjust note position, pitch, duration, and velocity. Handle bars edit position and pitch on the note. Use an adjustable grid or free placement. Scale highlighting helps you stay in key. Record with an optional count-in or from the first note. Quantize recordings for tighter timing. AUDIO TRACKS Add dedicated audio tracks alongside your MIDI material. Import audio into clips from other apps or the clip import flow, with preview before committing. Record audio into clips with per-track input settings and track arming. Set loop or one-shot playback, beat-aligned or immediate start, and optional clip BPM. Looping clips follow project tempo. The audio editor supports copy, paste, crop, gain adjustment, normalize, silence, fades, reverse, pitch, stretch, and split. With automatic or manual preview. PLUGIN HOST Host AUv3 instruments, audio effects, and MIDI processors. Control parameters and presets, and save default states for new instances. Record notes and MIDI from plugin interfaces, and capture output from MIDI plugins. Mark plugins as favorites for faster access. SONG MODE Arrange clips in sections with independent lengths, played back seamlessly in order. Launch every clip in a section at once, sections work as scene launchers. Set a different time signature per section when needed. AUTOMATION Automate volume, pan, effect parameters, and MIDI for dynamic changes across your tracks. MASTER TRACK Apply effects globally across the project. Use the master track's clip to generate bass lines and chord progressions. MIDI ROUTING Record from external MIDI devices, including hardware synths. Send MIDI out for real-time playback and route MIDI between tracks. Use SAND as a virtual MIDI input and output. MIDI MAPPING Map a MIDI controller to control the app with a flexible, customizable layout. "Shift" mappings extend what a single controller surface can do. PROJECT VERSIONS Save and restore named snapshots of a project—experiment freely, then return to an earlier state. PROJECT MANAGEMENT Rename projects and branch copies with Save As…. (iOS 18+) Start new work from project templates. (iOS 18+) SYNC Sync with other apps and DAWs using Ableton Link. ON-SCREEN KEYBOARD AND PADS Record with a velocity-sensitive on-screen keyboard. Choose scale and root to limit keys to a scale, and adjust visible keys to match how you play. Play and record beats with on-screen drum pads. IMPORT / EXPORT Export clips as audio or MIDI. Export projects as Ableton Live sets. Record performances and export audio, including stems for separate processing.

About

STAR DEEJAY

Mix music on your iPad using over 200 integrated audio loops or your own library. Features animated turntables, tempo control, EQs, and a variety of effects. Learn DJ basics and connect with compatible hardware.

Highlights
  • Over 200 integrated audio loops
  • Mix with iPad audio library
  • Animated 2-turntable interface
  • Tempo control and EQs
  • Multiple audio effects
  • Pad FX for intuitive effect control
  • BPM engine for easy mixing
Read full description

Get the party started with STAR DEEJAY from iDance for iOs. Start mixing music on your iPad with more than 200 audio loops integrated to choose among direct-access category from all around the world: Pop/Rock, Soul/RnB, Dance, Hip Hop, Blues, Latin, and World music, or Mix with your iPad audio library songs. Audio Loops are split in 2 main family: Backing Tracks (songs with Chord progression) or Rhythms (only Drums parts). The colorful, animated 2-turntables with level control & meters, the play buttons, the tempo sliders and the automatic crossfader, make it easy to get creative with tracks. So easy to adjust your tempo, and tweak the 2x 3 bands EQs. This makes it easy to learn the basics of DJ-ing before transitioning to using hardware. Spice your mix, in adding SAMPLES from your iPad library, Or add some effects: Reverb, Delay, Disto, Phaser, Chorus, Flanger, Envelope Filter, Pitch Shifter, Warp Filter. Use the Pad FX = X/Y pad to control intuitively the effects by tracing your finger on the x and y axes. No need headphones to listen to your next track, the integrated BPM engine tells you the BPM of your existing track for Easy and Perfect mix. Take your performances to the next level by connecting STAR DEEJAY with the related iDance compatible DJ gear. iDance STAR DEEJAY, Stop Dreaming, Start Mixing.

Screenshots

SAND4 screens
STAR DEEJAY3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: STAR DEEJAY at none against SAND's 4. STAR DEEJAY also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.0). SAND's advantage is ratings volume (86 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads 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. SAND sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. STAR DEEJAY asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

STAR DEEJAY holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SAND has 86 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SAND ships an update every 2 months, STAR DEEJAY every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SAND versus STAR DEEJAY: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSANDSTAR DEEJAY
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (86 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings86 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB103 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMatteo CaldariiDance

Customer experience

SAND

All ratings86 ratings
Positive90.7%
Neutral2.3%
Negative7.0%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive79.4%
Neutral5.9%
Negative14.7%

STAR DEEJAY

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

SAND

Reported bugs

27 issues
  • Record function always starts when entering Midi Instrument or FX
  • Sand not opening in overview
  • Integration with other apps seems off
  • Record does not pick up data
  • Cannot save ideas from one app to another
Show 22 more
  • Auv3 interfaces don't scale well
  • Note editing, snapping/quantization awkward and buggy
  • Sand won't run within AUM anymore
  • Sand not recognized within AUM
  • Sand wouldn't recognize other apps as host
  • Rendering issues
  • Editing notes in pitch grid flies up
  • Entering note values difficult
  • Changing note length has issues
  • Bugs not worked out, more brought in
  • Clips out of sync when manually triggered
  • Unpredictability for creating new notes
  • Selecting notes for editing difficult
  • Synchronizing between tracks problematic
  • Occasional crashes
  • Notes editing/selection/moving process is a pain
  • No BT headphone support
  • Less than 50% of synths/plugins show up
  • Many plugins don't work properly
  • App prompts for purchase again after buying
  • Pattern length adjustment by 1 is crazy
  • No snapping for note length stretch

Requested features

58 requests
  • Sand always open in overview
  • Long press in sequence track window
  • Random/chance abilities in clips (Polyend Play style)
  • Semi-generative function or scale-based patterns/sequences
  • Save AUv3 presets
Show 53 more
  • Audio integration with audio quantization
  • Audio clips
  • Return to zero button
  • More clip actions for performance (fire clip/scene, count in, repeat, single shot)
  • Trigger sequences not just on bars
  • Packaged as a MIDI AUv3 processor
  • Sequencer for patterns and automation curves
  • Triplet time signatures (3/4, 6/8)
  • MIDI channels for instruments
  • Export to MIDI file
  • Deep piano roll note editing
  • Song mode
  • Stem support
  • Automation
  • Lower OS requirement
  • Selection of multiple notes in sequencer
  • Separate lane for MIDI control of FX plugins
  • Proper mixer view
  • Support for Bluetooth headphones
  • More clip actions for performance
  • MIDI AUv3 processor
  • Sequencer for patterns and automation curves
  • Triplet Time Signatures
  • MIDI channels for instruments
  • Export to MIDI file
  • Deep piano roll note editing
  • Song mode
  • Stem support
  • Automation
  • Lower OS requirement
  • Selection of multiple notes in sequencer
  • Separate lane for MIDI control of FX plugins
  • Proper mixer view
  • Support for Bluetooth headphones
  • Pattern length adjustment in note editor
  • Snapping for note length stretch
  • More clip actions for performance
  • MIDI AUv3 processor
  • Sequencer for patterns and automation curves
  • Triplet Time Signatures
  • MIDI channels for instruments
  • Export to MIDI file
  • Deep piano roll note editing
  • Song mode
  • Stem support
  • Automation
  • Lower OS requirement
  • Selection of multiple notes in sequencer
  • Separate lane for MIDI control of FX plugins
  • Proper mixer view
  • Support for Bluetooth headphones
  • Pattern length adjustment in note editor
  • Snapping for note length stretch

STAR DEEJAY

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

SAND

One-time4
  • 14-day trialFree
  • 14 Days TrialFree
  • Unlock$9.99
Show 1 more
  • Audio Tracks$9.99
None

STAR DEEJAY

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SAND free?
SAND is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is STAR DEEJAY free?
STAR DEEJAY is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SAND or STAR DEEJAY?
STAR DEEJAY is rated higher. SAND averages 4.6 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while STAR DEEJAY averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do SAND or STAR DEEJAY have ads?
Neither SAND nor STAR DEEJAY shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SAND or STAR DEEJAY?
SAND ships an update every 2 months, and STAR DEEJAY every 3 months. Most recently, SAND was updated on October 14, 2026 and STAR DEEJAY on October 7, 2026.

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