Comparison

GS vs midiOS

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

Head to head
About

GS

This audio plugin emulates the classic Space Echo tape delay effect for iOS devices. It aims to replicate the authentic sound and quirks of the original hardware, offering a vintage delay experience.

Highlights
  • AUv3 plugin for iOS
  • Emulates Space Echo tape delay
  • Authentic vintage sound
  • Basic controls mirroring original hardware
  • iPad platform compatibility
Read full description

Please note: this is an AUv3 plugin that can be used with compatible host Apps. GS-201 Mark II is the evolution of a project that began in 2007 with the release of the old version of GS-201, which evolved into a mark II version in 2019 and has now landed on the iPad platform. The aim is to capture the magic of the famous Space Echo tape delay and make it available to everyone. It's not an easy task, but the experience gained over the past 15 years in audio DSP development has helped us achieve a result that can sometimes fool even ourselves. This iOS version of the GS-201 Mark II contains only the basic controls found on the original Space Echo, with no additional editing parameters. If you want to eliminate tape hiss, if the tape splice glitch is bothering you, if you don't like wow and flutter, or need host tempo sync, you are definitely looking for a different plug-in. If, on the other hand, you want to relive the experience of dealing with an original Space Echo, with all its pros and cons, you are in the right place.

About

midiOS

Features
Read full description

Before installing, visit midios.app/setup for setup instructions. midiOS is a new kind of instrument. Transform your iPhone into an expressive MIDI instrument with advanced harmony, multidimensional performance control, and deep DAW integration. Play notes, chords, scales, arpeggios, modulation, and complete live performances from the device you already carry. With Offline Play, midiOS becomes a self-contained instrument. Choose from built-in sounds, create an instrument rack, record or import personal samples, and capture performances in Offline LiveGrid—without a Mac, DAW, account, or network connection. Designed for musicians, midiOS opens ready to perform. Tap pads to play notes, chords, and scales. Change keys, modes, voicings, and tonal centers without interrupting your flow. Swipe across pads to explore inversions, chord qualities, suspensions, secondary dominants, chromatic movement, and harmonic variations. Every gesture can become musical. Shape your performance with multi-touch, directional gestures, device motion, aftertouch, pitch movement, XY pads, sliders, knobs, and macros. Optional facial controls let head and expression movements influence harmony, modulation, register, and other performance destinations in real time. Performance Modes transform these inputs into coordinated musical systems. Intelligent voice leading keeps chords connected, expressive harmony controls create fluid transitions, and synchronized arpeggiation follows your DAW’s tempo and phase without restarting the pattern. Built-in modes provide focused setups for piano performance, harmony exploration, musical learning, generative flow, and Ableton control, while Custom Mode lets you create your own instrument. Save complete instruments and performance setups in the Layout Library, then switch between them quickly. Discover and install compatible instruments through the midiOS Marketplace, or transfer your own layouts securely between midiOS and the midiOS Bridge. Using the free midiOS Bridge for Mac, connect over USB or Wi-Fi for a fast, authenticated MIDI connection to your computer. midiOS works with MIDI-compatible software and offers deep Ableton Live integration, including clip and scene launching, transport, session navigation, mixer controls, macros, and real-time visual feedback on your iPhone. Rotate your device to enter LiveGrid and transform your iPhone into a live performance controller. Launch clips and scenes, navigate your session, control transport, and manage your performance from across the stage or studio. Built for live performance, midiOS combines responsive MIDI, intelligent harmony, stable note ownership, fast layout switching, haptic feedback, visual feedback, and automatic reconnection in a workflow designed to keep you focused on making music. Most MIDI apps give you buttons. midiOS gives you an instrument that responds to how you play. Learn more at midios.app.

Screenshots

GS1 screens
midiOS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: GS at $11.99 against midiOS's $24.99. GS also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.0). midiOS's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 17 months). On ads and in-app purchases 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

GS costs $11.99 and midiOS $24.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GS ships an update every 17 months, midiOS every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
GS versus midiOS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGSmidiOS
Price$11.99 — better$24.99
Rating4.5 (11 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 17 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS11.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB341 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGenuine Soundwarejason merrill

In-app purchases

None

GS

No in-app purchases

None

midiOS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GS free?
GS costs $11.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is midiOS free?
midiOS costs $24.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do GS or midiOS have ads?
Neither GS nor midiOS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GS or midiOS?
GS ships an update every 17 months, and midiOS every 3 days. Most recently, GS was updated on October 24, 2026 and midiOS on October 28, 2026.

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