SoundGrid vs Thesys
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SoundGrid
Create melodies and unique compositions with a powerful matrix sequencer. Easily share your music, browse creations from others, and record your performances. Offers advanced features for experienced users and is simple enough for beginners.
- Matrix sequencer with up to eight 16x16 layers
- Song Mode for automatic pattern playback
- Live Play Mode for performances
- Draw mode for multi-touch sound manipulation
- Over 20 high-quality stereo sample instruments
- Real-time sound effects
- Share, browse, download, and rate user creations
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SoundGrid is powerful yet easy to use matrix sequencer for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, allowing to create melodies in a moment and wherever you are. It was inspired by famous Tenori-on by Yamaha and popular ToneMatrix web app (http://bit.ly/tonema). Even if you have never composed music, you will find SoundGrid simple and exciting to play with and will start creating unique compositions in minutes with just the tips of your fingers. Then easily share them with other users and in turn browse, download and rate their creations. You can also record tracks and live performances to audio file, upload it directly to SoundCloud or export to a computer. For more experienced users SoundGrid offers advanced features and has everything you need to create longer and rich compositions and live performances. Listen to tracks created in SoundGrid - http://soundcloud.com/groups/soundgrid and on http://www.mifki.com/soundgrid/#sg . Follow @mifki on Twitter for news and updates. = FEATURES = ** Up to eight 16x16 matrix layers with up to 8 patterns per layer with different melodies - Song Mode to automatically play one pattern after another - Live Play Mode made specially for live performances - Draw mode to play sounds as you multi-touch or draw over the screen ** Various instruments - More than 20 instruments available with high-quality stereo samples - Download and install additional instruments right from the app for FREE (no additional in-app purchases) - Web Console to create instruments with your own samples ** High quality fast audio engine - Real-time sound effects: Amp Envelope, Delay and Lowpass/Highpass/Bandpass/Notch resonant filter - True 128 note polyphony with all effects turned on (on iPhone 4, older devices have lower limits) ** Share your compositions with other users, browse, download and rate their creations ** Adjustable project tempo, adjustable looping range for each pattern, pattern randomization, switchable musical scales, patterns copy/paste ** Easily load projects with graphical previews = REVIEWS = 5/5, "the creme de la creme of matrix sequencer apps" - SlapApp.com 4.2, "Whether you are an advanced musician or just someone who enjoys easily creating your own unique tunes, you should definitely pick this one up." - AppVee.com
Thesys
This app is a powerful and intuitive MIDI step sequencer for creating complex musical patterns. It offers extensive control over MIDI devices, enabling organic bass lines, leads, and pads for studio or live performance. Advanced features allow for real-time pattern manipulation directly from a MIDI keyboard.
- MIDI Step Sequencer
- Pattern Creation
- Live Performance Options
- Real-time Pattern Manipulation
- Integrated Synth
- Action Section (Gatetime, Looper, Slowdown)
- Ableton Link Support
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Thesys is an extremely powerful and intuitive MIDI Step Sequencer app, giving you control over just about all aspects of your favorite MIDI devices. Use Thesys to create varied and organic bass lines, screaming leads, pulsating chords, and organic pad sounds in the studio or on stage. For live musicians, Thesys provides an extremely versatile palette of performance options which can be triggered right from your MIDI keyboard: you can transpose, manipulate, twist up, mutate, and mangle your patterns without even getting near your iPad. No other MIDI sequencer plugin offers you the ease and power of Thesys. It is 100% MIDI compliant and therefore provides the ultimate MIDI sequencing solution. iPad Edition Features: • Integrated Synth • Action Section (Gatetime, Looper, Slowdown...) • Pattern Sequencer • Standalone & Audio Unit v3 • Ableton Link Support • MIDI file Export • MIDI Support (Virtual, Netzwerk, Extern, Bluetooth), MIDI Learn & Host Automation • MIDI Clock Sync (Master & Slave) • Preset iCloud Sync • Preset Share • Zoom
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Thesys at 4.7 against SoundGrid's 3.9. SoundGrid's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (69% vs 59%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Thesys sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SoundGrid asks for nothing beyond the download.
Thesys holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 30 and 86 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of SoundGrid's written reviews are positive against 59% of Thesys's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
SoundGrid ships an update every 3 months, Thesys every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SoundGrid | Thesys |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (30 ratings) | 4.7 (86 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 68.9% of reviews — better | 59.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 30 | 86 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 38 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | MIFKI PTY LTD | Sugar Bytes GmbH |
Customer experience
SoundGrid
Thesys
In-app purchases
SoundGrid
No in-app purchases
Thesys
- Thesys Full Version$19.99









