Comparison

Bloom vs KotoTunings

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
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

KotoTunings

Explore traditional Japanese Koto tunings with this intuitive app. It features 26 authentic tunings, a user-friendly interface, and interactive displays to help you learn and play.

Highlights
  • 26 traditional Koto tunings
  • Authentic Koto sound recordings
  • User-friendly interface
  • Interactive pitch display
  • String representation with plucked sound
  • Japanese character string numbers
Features
Read full description

KotoTunings is a simple yet powerful app for the 13-stringed Japanese Koto. It offers a collection of 26 traditional tunings, faithfully recorded to capture the Koto's beautiful sound. Whether you're tuning your instrument by ear, exploring scales, or just playing around with tunings, KotoTunings is designed to be easy to use. Key Features: 1. Authentic Sound: Our app delivers the true essence of the Koto with carefully recorded tunings that stay faithful to tradition. 2. User-Friendly Design: KotoTunings is designed for simplicity, allowing you to play and experiment effortlessly, whether you're a seasoned player or a beginner. 3. Versatile Playing: You can pluck strings with ivory picks or touch on the right hand side of the screen for pizzicato. 4. Interactive Pitch Display: See the pitch for each string on the left side of the screen. Tap to hear a triangle wave with the corresponding frequency. 5. String Representation: In the center, you'll find an easy-to-follow representation of the 13 strings. Each string produces a plucked sound at its pitch. 6. Learn Easily: On the right side, you'll see the string numbers in Japanese characters. Tap them to produce plucked sounds. KotoTunings is your gateway to the world of the Japanese Koto. Explore its melodies, study tunings, and enhance your musical skills with this app. Whether you're a seasoned player or just curious, KotoTunings brings the beauty of the Koto to your fingertips. Download KotoTunings now and discover the world of the Japanese Koto at your own pace.

Screenshots

Bloom4 screens
KotoTunings3 screens

Verdict

The call

Bloom and KotoTunings both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 84% of Bloom's written reviews are positive against 56% of KotoTunings's. Bloom also leads on ratings volume (99 vs 1) and price ($3.99 vs $8.99). KotoTunings's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On rating, update cadence, 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

Bloom costs $3.99 and KotoTunings $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

KotoTunings holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bloom has 99 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of Bloom's written reviews are positive against 56% of KotoTunings's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bloom ships an update every 11 months, KotoTunings every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Bloom versus KotoTunings: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBloomKotoTunings
Price$3.99 — better$8.99
Rating4.8 (99 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.5% of reviews — better55.6% of reviews
Number of ratings99 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOpal LimitedOliver Grimm

Customer experience

Bloom

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

KotoTunings

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive55.6%
Neutral44.4%
Negative0.0%

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.)

KotoTunings

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Bloom

No in-app purchases

None

KotoTunings

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bloom free?
Bloom costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is KotoTunings free?
KotoTunings costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bloom or KotoTunings?
KotoTunings is rated higher. Bloom averages 4.8 out of 5 from 99 ratings, while KotoTunings averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Bloom or KotoTunings have ads?
Neither Bloom nor KotoTunings shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bloom or KotoTunings?
Bloom ships an update every 11 months, and KotoTunings every 5 months. Most recently, Bloom was updated on October 31, 2026 and KotoTunings on October 9, 2026.

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