Comparison

Bloom vs AUM

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

Head to head
About

Bloom

Create unique melodies and elaborate patterns by simply tapping the screen. This generative music player offers an infinite selection of compositions and accompanying visualizations, even when left idle. It's a musical instrument, composition, and artwork all in one.

Highlights
  • Create melodies by tapping
  • Generative music player
  • Visualizations
  • 12 mood settings
  • Adjustable delay
  • Shake to clear
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Developed by ambient pioneer Brian Eno and musician / software designer Peter Chilvers, Bloom explores uncharted territory in the realm of applications for the iPhone and iPod touch. Part instrument, part composition and part artwork, Bloom's innovative controls allow anyone to create elaborate patterns and unique melodies by simply tapping the screen. A generative music player takes over when Bloom is left idle, creating an infinite selection of compositions and their accompanying visualisations. "Bloom is an endless music machine, a music box for the 21st century. You can play it, and you can watch it play itself." - Brian Eno Features - 12 different mood settings - Random mood shuffle - Adjustable delay - Shake to clear - Evolve when idle - Sleep Timer Recommended for headphones or external speakers. “Bloom Raises the Bar for Musical iPhone Apps… if you're a fan of ambient music or music in general, you'll be wanting to get it right now” - Gizmodo “A relaxing alternative to just about anything else you can do with an iPhone” Wired “Hypnotic and ludicrously addictive” - Guardian

About

AUM

This app is a versatile audio mixer, recorder, and connection hub for mobile devices. It allows users to connect various audio sources, route signals, apply effects, and record mixes with high fidelity. It supports advanced features like MIDI control, synchronization, and integration with other audio apps and hardware.

Highlights
  • Connect hardware inputs/outputs
  • Route audio and MIDI
  • Host Audio Unit extensions
  • Record mixes and individual tracks
  • Synchronize with Ableton Link
  • Built-in processing nodes
  • MIDI control and routing
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

AUM is the flexible audio mixer, recorder, and connection hub for your iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. Connect hardware inputs and outputs, Audio Unit extensions, Inter-App Audio apps, Audiobus, soundfile players, built-in signal processing and filters, in any configuration you want. Route anything to anywhere with mix-busses, effect sends, audiobus ports, and external multi-channel audio interfaces. Play hosted synths and instruments using the built-in keyboard or external MIDI controllers, or sequence them with AU MIDI plugins or from other apps using Virtual MIDI. Record mixes, individual tracks, or both, straight into the storage space of AudioShare (no copying of files needed), with synchronized start and end for perfect loops. Play back recordings, soundfiles and loops as channel sources in the mixer for backing tracks, further processing or mixing. Soundfiles can be opened from anywhere, including USB drives on iOS 13 and later. Route and filter MIDI in any way you like using the MIDI matrix. Combine and filter MIDI endpoints using MIDI buses. Synchronize everything with the transport clock and play in time with other apps or devices using Ableton Link. Connect external music machines and synchronize them with MIDI Clock. Includes built-in processing nodes for various stereo processing, Mid/Side balance and conversion, EQs and filters, limiting, clipping and saturation. Or use any 3rd party Audio Unit extension or Inter-App Audio effect. All controls in the mixer can be controlled via MIDI, including parameters of hosted and built-in plugins. "A brilliant idea that has been brilliantly executed. Top-notch technical stuff and highly recommended" - MusicAppBlog "Feature rich, powerful, intuitive, and simple to use" - DubSpot "Executes live mixing with surprising ease, with a load of extensive features under the hood, quick snappy response on the screen and audio" - AudioNewsRoom FEATURES • High quality audio up to 32-bit 192kHz • Clean and intuitive user interface with crisp vector graphics • Unlimited number of channels • Unlimited number of effect slots • Inserts and sends are configurable pre/post-fader • Internal busses for mixing, effect sends, signal splitting • Supports multi-channel audio interfaces for both inputs and outputs • Supports built-in speaker and mic, including stereo mic on devices that has it. • Supports Audio Unit extensions, Inter-App Audio and Audiobus • Route MIDI output from Audio Unit extensions • Supports Audio Unit multiple output and input busses (for side-chaining etc) • Highly accurate transport clock • Metronome with selectable output and optional pre-roll • Sends host sync to Audio Unit plugins and IAA apps • Play in time with Ableton Link, with Start/Stop support • Slave external hardware via MIDI Clock • FilePlayer with sync and looping with access to all your soundfiles • Records straight into AudioShare storage space • Record synchronized beat-perfect loops • Built-in nodes for stereo processing, filtering and dynamics • Latency compensation makes everything align at the outputs • Optional manual compensation using TimeOffset • Multiple Inter-App Audio / Audiobus output ports • Audiobus state saving • Built-in MIDI keyboard • Fully MIDI controllable • MIDI Matrix for routing MIDI anywhere • MIDI filtering for any MIDI destination • Combine MIDI sources or destinations using MIDI buses BUILT-IN SIGNAL PROCESSING • Stereo balance • Stereo to mono • Stereo panning • Mid/Side balance • Mid/Side - Stereo convert • Invert Phase • Parametric EQ • Low-shelf filter • High-shelf filter • Low-pass resonant filter • High-pass resonant filter • LP/HP combo filter • First order All-pass filter • Second order All-pass filter • Gain • Hard clip • Saturation • Lookahead peak limiter • System-provided Apple Audio Units

Screenshots

Bloom4 screens
AUM4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Bloom at $3.99 against AUM's $24.99. Bloom also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4). AUM's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (534 vs 99). On rating, review sentiment, ads and chart position 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

Bloom costs $3.99 and AUM $24.99 up front. AUM sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Bloom asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Bloom against 4.7 for AUM. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AUM has 534 ratings behind it against 99, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Bloom's written reviews are positive against 82% of AUM's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bloom ships an update every 11 months, AUM every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Bloom versus AUM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBloomAUM
Price$3.99 — better$24.99
Rating4.8 (99 ratings) — better4.7 (534 ratings)
Positive reviews84.5% of reviews — better81.9% of reviews
Number of ratings99534 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#110 — better#171
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOpal LimitedKymatica AB

Customer experience

Bloom

All ratings99 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral3.0%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews618 reviews
Positive84.5%
Neutral5.0%
Negative10.5%

AUM

All ratings524 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral1.5%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews315 reviews
Positive81.9%
Neutral5.7%
Negative12.4%

User reviews

Bloom

From 99 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Fantastic
  • 🎨 Beautiful
  • 🧘‍♀️ Relaxing
  • 👨‍🎨 Creative
  • 🎶 Mesmerizing

Room to improve

  • 🔇 High frequencies prevent relaxation
  • 🔇 Harsh/imbalanced sounds
  • 🔇 Limited sound variety
  • 🔇 Lack of recording/export function
  • 🔇 Crashes on iOS 8/11

AUM

From 534 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Excellent audio routing and mixing capabilities
  • 🚀 Powerful and flexible workflow
  • 💡 Seamless integration with AUv3 and IAA apps
  • 👍 Intuitive and clean user interface
  • 👍 Reliable and stable performance

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or stability issues
  • 💡 Lack of MIDI clock sync receive functionality
  • 💡 Limited visual customization options (e.g. channel sizes)
  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with some hardware interfaces

Bugs and requests

Bloom

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on iOS 8/11 updates
  • Stops working in background
  • High notes cause issues for some users

Requested features

7 requests
  • Add more sound options/instruments
  • Implement recording and export capabilities
  • Add sleep timer and background playback
  • Improve low-end sound quality
  • Introduce MIDI support
Show 2 more
  • Expand sound manipulation options (pitch bending, sustain, etc.)
  • Add visual customization (blurred edges, etc.)

AUM

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes or freezes when using certain plugin combinations
  • Compatibility issues with iOS 15 and newer
  • Inconsistent MIDI transport controls

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add MIDI clock sync receive capability
  • Implement a timeline/sequencer view
  • Provide more visual customization options
  • Improve support for external hardware integration

In-app purchases

None

Bloom

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

AUM

One-time4
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$1.99
  • Large Tip$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Huge Tip$9.99

Questions

Is Bloom free?
Bloom costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is AUM free?
AUM costs $24.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bloom or AUM?
Bloom is rated higher. Bloom averages 4.8 out of 5 from 99 ratings, while AUM averages 4.7 from 534 ratings.
Do Bloom or AUM have ads?
Neither Bloom nor AUM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bloom or AUM?
Bloom ships an update every 11 months, and AUM every 3 months. Most recently, Bloom was updated on October 29, 2026 and AUM on October 29, 2026.
Which is more popular, Bloom or AUM?
Bloom currently peaks at #110 in the App Store charts, and AUM at #171. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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