TouchOSC Mk1 vs Lemur
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TouchOSC Mk1
This app provides a customizable OSC and MIDI control surface for iOS devices. It allows remote control of music software and hardware, sending and receiving OSC and MIDI messages over Wi-Fi or CoreMIDI. Users can create custom layouts with various controls and utilize accelerometer data.
- Modular OSC and MIDI control surface
- Send/receive OSC and MIDI messages
- Wi-Fi and CoreMIDI support
- Customizable touch controls
- Accelerometer data sending
- Free layout editor available
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TouchOSC is a modular OSC and MIDI control surface for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad by hexler. It supports sending and receiving Open Sound Control and MIDI messages over Wi-Fi and CoreMIDI inter-app communication and compatible hardware. The application allows to remote control and receive feedback from software and hardware that implement the OSC or MIDI protocols such as Apple Logic Pro/Express, Ableton Live, Renoise, Pure Data, Max/MSP/Jitter, Max for Live, OSCulator, VDMX, Resolume Avenue/Arena, Modul8, Plogue Bidule, NI Traktor, NI Reaktor, Quartz Composer, Supercollider, vvvv, Isadora and many others. The interface provides a number of customizable touch controls to send and receive messages: Faders / Rotary controls / Encoder controls / Push buttons / Toggle buttons / XY pads / Multi-faders / Multi-push / Multi-toggles / Multi-xy pads / LEDs / Labels / Time & battery displays Additionally the program can send Accelerometer data. The application comes with example layouts and completely custom layouts can be constructed using the free TouchOSC Editor application. Please see https://hexler.net/touchosc for more information, video demonstrations and download the free layout editor application for macOS, Windows and Linux and the free TouchOSC Bridge utility to easily control any MIDI-capable application on your computer.
Lemur
Create custom MIDI and OSC controllers for music production and performance. Design unique interfaces with advanced widgets and scripting capabilities. Seamlessly connect to your computer for studio or live use.
- Custom MIDI/OSC controller design
- Multitouch interface creation
- Advanced scripting language
- Built-in and custom widgets
- Seamless Wi-Fi/USB connectivity
- CoreMIDI support
- Sequencer and Canvas features
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For over 20 years, Lemur has been the world’s premier tool for creating custom MIDI and OSC controllers. Pioneering multitouch technology, Lemur has become synonymous with innovation in music performance and production. Its pivotal role in the evolution of music technology has made it the trusted choice of artists like Daft Punk, Björk, Plastikman, CHVRCHES, The Glitch Mob, Orbital, and many more. In the film studio, Lemur has become a beloved tool for professional music composers, serving as the central hub for composing templates—managing sample libraries, keyswitches, mix automations, and DAW key commands. With its extensive collection of built-in widgets, and powerful programming language, if you can dream it, Lemur can build it. Lemur has even been used to make games! ---- Creating Projects - The Lemur Desktop Software Suite (free) includes the Lemur Editor for macOS and Windows, providing a powerful editor for designing and scripting your controller, as well as the Lemur Daemon, enabling seamless MIDI and OSC connectivity across your entire setup via USB or WiFi. Connectivity - Simply connect your iPad/iPhone to your computer via Wi-Fi or USB/Thunderbolt and make the connection! Lemur also supports CoreMIDI, allowing you to use any class-compliant hardware MIDI interface. With 8 ports of MIDI/OSC connectivity, you can even control up to 8 computers from one device! ---- Latest Features: Version 5.0 introduces the incredible new Canvas, Image, and Sequencer family of features with rock solid timing. Canvas - A brand-new object that lets you script custom widgets with full multitouch support. Adapted from the HTML5 Canvas element, it allows you to design vector-based widgets featuring shapes, animations, shadows, and transparency. With Canvas, you are no longer limited to Lemur’s collection of built-in widgets—you can create entirely custom controls that precisely match the demands of your project. Polygons, waveforms, circular objects, and infinitely more are all possible with Canvas, opening the door to a completely new Lemur experience. Image - The new Image widget allows you to add custom PNG images directly to your project, opening up possibilities for incorporating image assets that are too complex to create with vector code in the Canvas widget. Whether you’re designing detailed graphics, branding your project with logos, or adding custom button icons, the Image widget makes it easy to enhance your templates with rich visual elements. Sequencer - Lemur 5.0 introduces a family of new features for tight sequencing, including three new objects: StepNote, StepSwitch, and StepSlider. Each offers a unique style of sequencing, ready to use right out of the box. These objects utilize the new "On Clock" execution mode, enabling high-precision synchronization to external MIDI clock. Simply add them to your template, and they’ll handle the hard work of controlling your MIDI instruments with perfect timing. In-App Editor (iPad Only) - Lemur now supports editing projects directly in the app. Virtually every function of the desktop editor is now accessible through an intuitive system of iOS menus and widgets. Best of all – it’s easier to use than ever, offering a smaller learning curve and an immediate initial experience. Any basic configuration, such as a bank of faders, or modifying a script can now be created with familiar taps and gestures. Skins - Lemur features three new skins, in addition to the classic look. Choose the look that fits your style and sparks your creativity. ---- Join the Lemur Community Forum! Now in its 10th year! Connect with others to ask questions, troubleshoot, share solutions, and explore Lemur programming with a community tailored to your needs. ---- Purchase a Perpetual Lifetime License or Subscribe Today! Access to Lemur requires a perpetual lifetime license or active paid subscription, available as an in-app purchase. Both give you full access to all features. ----
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Lemur at Free against TouchOSC Mk1's $4.99. Lemur also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months). TouchOSC Mk1's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 2.9) and review sentiment (76% vs 36%). On 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
Lemur is free to download; TouchOSC Mk1 costs $4.99 up front. Lemur sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. TouchOSC Mk1 asks for nothing beyond the download.
TouchOSC Mk1 holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TouchOSC Mk1 has 88 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of TouchOSC Mk1's written reviews are positive against 36% of Lemur's.
TouchOSC Mk1 ships an update every 3 months, Lemur every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TouchOSC Mk1 | Lemur |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.2 (88 ratings) — better | 2.9 (15 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 76.2% of reviews — better | 36.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 88 — better | 15 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 13.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hexler LLC | MIDI Kinetics |
Customer experience
TouchOSC Mk1
Lemur
Bugs and requests
TouchOSC Mk1
Reported bugs
4 issues- Frequent connection drops
- Compatibility issues with certain hardware and software
- Crashes and freezes on some devices
- Inconsistent behavior across different setups
Requested features
6 requests- Improved documentation and tutorials
- More visual customization options
- Better support for newer devices and OSes
- Expanded compatibility with more DAWs and software
- Wireless connectivity improvements
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- Haptic feedback for controls
Lemur
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
TouchOSC Mk1
No in-app purchases
Lemur
- Monthly Subscription$12.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription$99.991 Year
- Subscription Loyalty RewardFree
- Subscriber Early Upgrade$84.99
- Lifetime License$99.99







