Pulsar vs Mr. LoFi
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pulsar
This music app provides a virtual drum machine with 8 pads for improvising and playing along to built-in rhythm presets. It features real-time rhythm switching, tempo control, and various effects. It also supports Ableton Link and MIDI for seamless integration with other music software and hardware.
- 8-pad drum machine
- Built-in rhythm presets
- Real-time rhythm switching
- Tempo and accent control
- Drive, reverb, and filter effects
- Ableton Link synchronization
- MIDI In/Out support
- AUv3 compatibility
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Make beats anywhere with Pulsar-ES, an authentic preset drum machine expanded into a mobile groovebox for iPhone and iPad. Inspired by the rare Soviet/Ukrainian PULSAR hardware, Pulsar-ES keeps the original industrial rhythm-box character while adding the missing modern features producers expect: MIDI editing, deeper FX, Ableton Link sync, AUv3 workflow, and mobile project control. Play ideas fast on the 4x2 drum pad grid, then turn them into full patterns with the MIDI Clip Editor. Draw, move, and resize notes directly on the grid so your rhythm stays editable after the first take. Shape your sound with a hands-on FX rack built for quick decisions: - Filter with low-pass, band-pass, high-pass, and notch modes - Reverb with room, hall, and plate spaces - Overdrive with overdrive, distortion, fuzz, and tube modes - Delay with digital, tape, and ping-pong modes - Chorus and compressor for extra movement and control Pulsar-ES also supports Ableton Link sync, project save/load, rhythm presets, and a portrait layout designed for making music on the go. Start a beat, edit every note, shape it with FX, and keep your ideas moving.
Mr. LoFi
Infuse your audio projects with authentic vintage character using this powerful audio processor. Dial in classic lo-fi textures from cassette tapes, VHS, vinyl, and early digital gear with a simple knob, or fine-tune with advanced controls. Explore four distinct speaker emulations for a complete retro sound experience.
- Single-knob macro control for instant lo-fi effects
- Four distinct playback modes (Cassette, VHS, Vinyl, Vintage Digital)
- Four classic speaker emulations
- Advanced controls for noise, warble, and artifacts
- Simulates vintage hardware sound
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**Mr. Lo-Fi: The Ultimate Vintage Vibe** Step back in time and infuse your audio with the unmistakable character of yesterday. Introducing Mr. Lo-Fi, the definitive audio processor for adding authentic vintage charm to your music and sound projects. With its deceptively simple single-knob design, you can instantly dial in classic lo-fi textures, from the warm wobble of cassette tapes to the crunchy artifacts of early digital gear. **The Big Knob** At the heart of Mr. Lo-Fi is the Macro Control Knob. One turn is all it takes to transform your pristine audio into a nostalgic masterpiece. But don't let the simplicity fool you – beneath the surface lies a powerful engine meticulously crafted to simulate the soul of vintage hardware. **Four Iconic Eras at Your Fingertips** Explore a universe of lo-fi sound with four distinct playback modes: * **Cassette:** Relive the glory days of analog mixtapes with warm saturation, tape hiss, and subtle pitch variations. * **VHS:** Add the unique, wobbly audio character of classic videotapes to your tracks. * **Vinyl:** Recreate the timeless sound of records, complete with authentic crackles, pops, and the gentle hum of a turntable. * **Vintage Digital:** Journey back to the dawn of digital audio with bit-crushed textures, sample rate reduction, and the signature sound of early microprocessors. **Speaker Emulations** Audition your lo-fi creations through four classic speaker modes: * **Studio:** A clean, flat reference for accurate monitoring. * **Hi-Fi:** The sound of a classic 80s/90s home stereo system. * **Boombox:** The punchy, mid-focused sound of a portable cassette player. * **Television:** The characteristic audio of a vintage CRT television set. **Fine-Tune Your Vibe** Ready to go deeper? Sculpt your sound with precision using our advanced controls: * **Noise:** Dial in the perfect amount of hiss, hum, and crackle. * **Warble:** Control the pitch instability for everything from subtle flutter to extreme tape chew. * **H-Control:** A unique creative parameter that shapes different artifacts depending on the selected mode – from crossover distortion and tape dropouts to digital jitter. Whether you're a music producer chasing that chill lo-fi hip-hop sound, a film composer adding period-accurate audio, or a sound designer creating unique textures, Mr. Lo-Fi is your secret weapon for instant vibe.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pulsar at 67% against Mr. LoFi's 0%. Pulsar also leads on price ($4.99 vs $9.99) and chart position (#188 vs unranked). Mr. LoFi's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and iOS requirement (11.4 vs 13.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Pulsar costs $4.99 and Mr. LoFi $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Mr. LoFi holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pulsar has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Pulsar's written reviews are positive against 0% of Mr. LoFi's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Pulsar ships an update every 3 weeks, Mr. LoFi monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pulsar | Mr. LoFi |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 4.3 (7 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #188 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 11.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 61 MB | 120 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dmytro Kiro | Kai Aras |
Customer experience
Pulsar
Mr. LoFi
In-app purchases
Pulsar
No in-app purchases
Mr. LoFi
No in-app purchases









