# SAND vs ShowMIDI

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ShowMIDI at none against SAND's 4. ShowMIDI also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). SAND's advantage is ratings volume (90 vs 18). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SAND sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. ShowMIDI asks for nothing beyond the download.

ShowMIDI holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SAND has 90 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of SAND's written reviews are positive against 88% of ShowMIDI's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SAND | ShowMIDI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (90 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-audio-midi-sequencer/id1642467684/reviews) | **[4.8 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/showmidi/id6472608850/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **90** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 52 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matteo Caldari](https://appshunter.io/developer/325826466) | [Uwyn, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/597132109) |

## What reviewers say

### SAND

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-audio-midi-sequencer/id1642467684)

This mobile music creation tool allows you to sketch ideas, compose with MIDI and audio clips, and host AUv3 plugins. It's designed for a fast and creative workflow, enabling you to build musical projects anywhere. The app offers a free trial before unlocking full features via in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Grid sequencer for MIDI and audio clips, Instrument and MIDI tracks with effects, Audio tracks for recording and editing, AUv3 plugin hosting, Song mode for arranging sections, Automation of parameters, MIDI routing and mapping

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 14-day trial | Free | one-time |
| 14 Days Trial | Free | one-time |
| Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |
| Audio Tracks | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great UI and features
- 💡 Potential for music creation
- 🚀 Fast and creative workflow
- 👍 Easy to use, no instructions needed
- 💡 Most usable studio on small screen

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Record function always starts
- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### ShowMIDI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/showmidi/id6472608850)

This application provides a real-time, glanceable view of all MIDI activity on your computer. It visualizes various MIDI messages and allows you to pause the flow for a data snapshot. It can be used as a standalone tool or an AUv3 plugin within your DAW.

**Highlights:** Real-time MIDI visualization, Auto-hides irrelevant messages, Pause and snapshot data, Standalone application, AUv3 plugin support, Supports MPE configuration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SAND free?

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

### Is ShowMIDI free?

ShowMIDI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SAND or ShowMIDI?

ShowMIDI is rated higher. SAND averages 4.6 out of 5 from 90 ratings, while ShowMIDI averages 4.8 from 18 ratings.

### Do SAND or ShowMIDI have ads?

Neither SAND nor ShowMIDI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SAND or ShowMIDI?

SAND ships an update every 2 months, and ShowMIDI every 2 months. Most recently, SAND was updated on November 7, 2026 and ShowMIDI on November 4, 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.*