Comparison

TouchOSC Mk1 vs Lemur

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Read full description

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

TouchOSC Mk13 screens
Lemur4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
TouchOSC Mk1 versus Lemur: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTouchOSC Mk1Lemur
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (88 ratings) — better2.9 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews76.2% of reviews — better36.4% of reviews
Number of ratings88 — better15
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better13.6
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHexler LLCMIDI Kinetics

Customer experience

TouchOSC Mk1

All ratings88 ratings
Positive78.4%
Neutral3.4%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews399 reviews
Positive76.2%
Neutral6.8%
Negative17.0%

Lemur

All ratings15 ratings
Positive46.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative53.3%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive36.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative63.6%

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
Show 1 more
  • Haptic feedback for controls

Lemur

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

TouchOSC Mk1

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Lemur

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$12.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$99.991 Year
One-time3
  • Subscription Loyalty RewardFree
  • Subscriber Early Upgrade$84.99
  • Lifetime License$99.99

Questions

Is TouchOSC Mk1 free?
TouchOSC Mk1 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lemur free?
Lemur is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TouchOSC Mk1 or Lemur?
TouchOSC Mk1 is rated higher. TouchOSC Mk1 averages 4.2 out of 5 from 88 ratings, while Lemur averages 2.9 from 15 ratings.
Do TouchOSC Mk1 or Lemur have ads?
Neither TouchOSC Mk1 nor Lemur shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TouchOSC Mk1 or Lemur?
TouchOSC Mk1 ships an update every 3 months, and Lemur every 4 days. Most recently, TouchOSC Mk1 was updated on October 17, 2026 and Lemur on October 8, 2026.

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