# Music Studio vs SampleTank CS

The clearest difference is price: SampleTank CS at Free against Music Studio's $14.99. Music Studio's advantage is rating (3.7 vs 3.1) and review sentiment (69% vs 29%). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

SampleTank CS is free to download; Music Studio costs $14.99 up front. Music Studio sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and SampleTank CS sells 15 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Music Studio holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 421 and 144 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Music Studio's written reviews are positive against 29% of SampleTank CS's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Music Studio | SampleTank CS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.7 (421 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-studio/id328608539/reviews)** | [3.1 (144 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sampletank-cs/id464775965/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **421** | 144 |
| Positive reviews | **69.3% of reviews** | 28.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 775 MB | 1.5 GB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/316698251) | [IK Multimedia US, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/323694278) |

## What reviewers say

### Music Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-studio/id328608539)

This app provides a comprehensive music production environment for mobile devices. It features a virtual keyboard, a multi-track sequencer, and a wide array of studio-quality instruments and real-time effects. Users can record, edit, and mix their music with professional-level tools.

**Highlights:** Virtual piano keyboard with pitch bend, 194 studio-recorded instruments, 127-track sequencer with extensive note editing, 10 real-time audio effects, Microphone recording and audio track editing, Sampler for custom instruments, MIDI import/export

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 80s Retro Kits | $2.99 | one-time |
| Classic Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Band Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Electro Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| World Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| 60 Instrument Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful music production capabilities
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Wide selection of instruments and sounds
- 💡 Ability to record audio and MIDI tracks
- 🔌 Good integration with external devices and apps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 🔇 Audio playback problems
- 📁 Difficulty organizing and managing projects
- 🕹️ Unintuitive controls and navigation
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases required

**Reported bugs**

- Bluetooth/wireless audio not working
- Crashes and freezes when using certain features
- Recorded audio files not saving properly
- Syncing issues between devices and cloud storage
- Instrument sounds distorting or cutting out

**Requested features**

- Add pitch correction and speed adjustment tools
- Improve audio file management and organization
- Implement inter-app audio support for better integration
- Add more natural-sounding instrument samples
- Provide a more modern and customizable user interface


### SampleTank CS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sampletank-cs/id464775965)

This professional mobile sound and groove workstation brings desktop-level virtual instrument power to your iPhone and iPad. It offers a vast array of world-class instruments and patterns for live performance and composition, with expandable sound libraries available for purchase.

**Highlights:** 23 free instruments in 16 categories, 8-part multitimbral sound module, Expandable sound library with 2300+ instruments, Over 1,200 melodic and rhythmic patterns, 8-track MIDI recorder with audio export, Intuitive interface and new sound engine, Song and Live environments

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Organ | $4.99 | one-time |
| Strings | $4.99 | one-time |
| Brass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Synth Leads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Synth Pads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Woodwinds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Acoustic Drums | $4.99 | one-time |
| Electric Piano | $7.99 | one-time |
| The Grid | $14.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to SampleTank | $24.99 | one-time |
| Miroslav Philharmonik - Mobile Edition | $24.99 | one-time |
| Sample Moog - Mobile Edition | $24.99 | one-time |
| Sonik Synth - Mobile Edition | $24.99 | one-time |
| All Sounds | $64.99 | one-time |
| SampleTank PRO - All Sounds Pack | $64.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great sound quality
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Excellent for live performances

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔒 Issues with in-app purchases and restoring purchases
- 🔋 High memory usage
- 👎 Lack of updates and support

**Reported bugs**

- Incompatible with latest iOS versions
- MIDI issues and lack of device detection
- Purchased content not properly restored

**Requested features**

- Add AU/AUv3 support for better DAW integration
- Improve MIDI functionality and mapping
- Allow importing custom samples
- Enhance performance controls (e.g., pitch bend, modulation)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Music Studio free?

Music Studio costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is SampleTank CS free?

SampleTank CS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Music Studio or SampleTank CS?

Music Studio is rated higher. Music Studio averages 3.7 out of 5 from 421 ratings, while SampleTank CS averages 3.1 from 144 ratings.

### Do Music Studio or SampleTank CS have ads?

Neither Music Studio nor SampleTank CS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Music Studio or SampleTank CS?

Music Studio ships an update every 2 months, and SampleTank CS every 2 months. Most recently, Music Studio was updated on October 16, 2026 and SampleTank CS on October 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*