Air vs DroneLab
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Air
This app creates a unique, ever-changing audio-visual experience using vocal and piano samples. Users can influence the composition through different modes and even spread the sound across multiple devices.
- Generative audio-visual composition
- Vocal and piano sample assembly
- Four 'Conduct' modes for user control
- Three 'Listen' modes for arrangement choice
- Multi-device sound spreading option
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Air is a generative audio-visual work created by musician / software designer Peter Chilvers and Irish vocalist Sandra O’Neill. Based on concepts developed by Brian Eno, with whom Chilvers created Bloom, Air assembles vocal and piano samples into a beautiful, still and ever changing composition, which is always familiar, but never the same. Air features four ‘Conduct’ modes, which let the user control the composition by tapping different areas on the display, and three ‘Listen’ modes, which provide a choice of arrangement. For those fortunate enough to have access to multiple iPhones and speakers, an option has been provided to spread the composition over several players. Recommended for headphones and external speakers. "Air is like 'Music for Airports' made endless - which is how I always wanted it to be" - Brian Eno
DroneLab
Generate evolving ambient music with three parallel audio sources and unique sound effects. Save and export your creations for use in music or video projects, or use it for improvisation and practice.
- Three parallel continuous audio sources
- Custom sound effects
- Preset selection and customization
- Stereo audio export up to 96KHz
- Real-time recording
- Improvisation and experimentation tool
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DroneLab creates slowly shifting musical soundscapes. Control three continuous audio sources running in parallel, each with its own rate of shifting intensity. Expand the soundscape with unusual sound effects crafted specifically for DroneLab. Get going quickly by selecting one of the included presets. Go further by selecting and customizing the sound sources, and save your own presets to the list. Create soundscapes for your music and video projects: - Export a stereo audio file with your current settings, at sample rates up to 96KHz. On newer devices, exports occur faster than real time. - Or, you can record in real time, capturing all the changes you make to the sounds as you go. DroneLab is great for improvisation and experimentation: - Explore the melodic side of your instrument in a fun, relaxing setting. - Warm up before practicing more difficult material. - Explore sounds and articulations that aren't part of your usual repertoire. Please visit us at dronelab.app for videos, more information and support.
Screenshots
Verdict
Air and DroneLab both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 74% of DroneLab's written reviews are positive against 55% of Air's. DroneLab also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 12 months). Air's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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
Air costs $1.99 and DroneLab $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Air against 4.4 for DroneLab. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 20 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 55% of Air's written reviews are positive against 74% of DroneLab's.
Air ships an update every 12 months, DroneLab every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Air | DroneLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Rating | 4.5 (10 ratings) — better | 4.4 (20 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 55.3% of reviews | 73.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 10 | 20 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | Every 4 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Opal Limited | Jon Lukas |
Customer experience
Air
DroneLab
In-app purchases
Air
No in-app purchases
DroneLab
No in-app purchases









