Comparison

SAND vs Techno Airlines

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

Techno Airlines

Features
Read full description

Techno Airlines is your boarding pass to the global techno scene: festivals, artists, clubs and playlists in one place, sorted by how close they are to you. FOLLOW WHAT MATTERS • Festivals: dates, lineups, venues and ticket links for techno and house festivals around the world • Artists: profiles and upcoming festival appearances for the DJs you follow • Clubs: the rooms that define the scene, from DJ Mag Top 100 names to local institutions • Playlists: curated techno, house and afro house selections with 30 second previews Everything you follow lives in one list, on every device you sign in to. SEE WHAT IS NEAR YOU • A home screen built around your city: festivals in town, festivals within reach, clubs nearby • A festival map with date filters (this weekend, next 7 days, by month), city and country search, and a list of everything in view • Recommendations based on the artists and festivals you follow GET ALERTS WHEN SOMETHING CHANGES • New names on the lineup of a festival you follow • A ticket link added • An artist you follow joins a festival lineup • New tracks on a playlist you follow Switch alerts on or off for each item. SHARE YOUR BOARDING PASS Every festival you follow comes with a boarding pass: your name, your route, the date and a countdown. Share it to your Instagram story in one tap. MOVE UP A CLASS Start in Economy. Follow 10 things to reach Business, 25 for First. Your member pass and your boarding passes change with your class. PLAN YOUR FESTIVAL • A checklist for each festival: tickets, travel, a place to stay, what to pack • Add festival dates to your calendar • Directions to the venue Signing in takes an email address and a 6 digit code. No password. You can delete your account at any time from Profile. Techno Airlines is an independent electronic music magazine covering techno, house and the culture around them. Questions or feedback: info@technoairlines.com

Screenshots

SAND4 screens
Techno Airlines4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Techno Airlines at none against SAND's 4. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Techno Airlines asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
SAND versus Techno Airlines: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSANDTechno Airlines
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (89 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews79.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings89 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB5 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperMatteo Caldaridigitalforce360 OÜ

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

Techno Airlines

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

Techno Airlines

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SAND free?
SAND is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Techno Airlines free?
Techno Airlines is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SAND or Techno Airlines have ads?
Neither SAND nor Techno Airlines shows ads.

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