Comparison

ThumbJam vs Fugue Machine

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

Head to head
About

ThumbJam

This app provides a powerful musical performance experience with over 40 high-quality instrument sounds and hundreds of scales. It allows users of all skill levels to play in any style, offering expressive controls and loop-building capabilities.

Highlights
  • Over 40 high-quality multi-sampled instruments
  • Hundreds of included scales for any style
  • Expressive controls using tilt and shake
  • Loop building and audio export
  • Extensive MIDI and Audiobus support
  • Powerful arpeggiator feature
Features
Read full description

ThumbJam is a powerful musical performance experience. You get over 40 high-quality real instruments multi-sampled exclusively for this app. Hundreds of included scales allow you to effortlessly play in any style from rock to classical, whether you are a musical novice or a seasoned professional. ---====--- Jordan Rudess, the world-renowned keyboardist for Dream Theater says: "ThumbJam stands at the very top of the overcrowded music app world. The sounds included absolutely rival those found in pro instruments and making music on the app is a total joy. The only problem I have with this app is that I did not make it myself! Luckily, I'm able to work with the developer and offer a few good feature ideas as well as some choice sounds from my personal collection!" ---======---- Even if you've only played air guitar, ThumbJam lets you sound like a pro. Pick an instrument and jam -- with all the scales to choose from you'll never hit a wrong note. The high quality instrument samples will make you sound like you just skipped years of music lessons. For the performing musician, this app is awesome for soloing on an instrument you didn't bring along. Play in any key, any style -- go from a string ensemble to a wailing guitar. ThumbJam was developed and tested by musicians to feel and sound like a real instrument. You'll be surprised at how expressive it can be, make sure to check out the videos and audio at thumbjam.com. ThumbJam makes use of tilt and shake to add vibrato, tremolo, note bends, and volume swells for more realistic and expressive results. It supports up to five (eleven on iPad) simultaneous touches and up to 32 voice polyphony, for each of up to 8 loaded instruments! Delay and stereo reverb add depth to the sound, and a resonant lowpass filter gives you more tone shaping power. Put on your headphones or plug in to your home stereo to experience some of the highest quality instruments in the App Store, even after all these years! Build your own loops from the ground up or import your favorites and jam from there. Layer as many loops as you want, with different instruments for each. Export your loops as audio files via WiFi. Copy and paste audio from other apps using AudioCopy/Paste as well the general pasteboard, via email, AudioShare, iTunes Document Sharing, Files, or open directly in another application. Supports Audiobus and InterApp Audio for streaming sound to/from other apps in real-time, including state save/restore with Audiobus 3. Extensive MIDI input and output support over WiFi or Bluetooth, with any CoreMidi compatible device, or other apps on the same iOS device with virtual MIDI. Now also supports Ableton Link for tight sync between apps on the same network. Supports MPE input and output (and did so before it was even a thing)! New powerful arpeggiator feature lets you play patterns with perfect time sync, from the screen or via MIDI control. The app includes a huge variety of scales, from western to eastern. Save your favorites for quick access, or create your own in-app. You can even import new scales in the Scala format for complete flexibility. You can also record your own multi-sampled instruments using a built-in or attached microphone, or from file import. Included instruments: + Cello, Violin, Viola + Upright Bass (plucked and bowed) + Several drumkits + Darabukka + Djembe + Electric Guitar + Electric Bass + Trumpet + Trombone + Tenor Sax + Flute + Low Whistle + Acoustic Guitar + Hammered Dulcimer + Mandolin + Cittern + Grand Piano + Drawbar Organ (2 types) + Rhodes + Pipe Organ + Synth Strings + Synth Choir + Theremin + Sawtooth Waveform + Sine Waveform + Triangle Waveform And from Jordan Rudess: + JR Zendrix + JR Smooth Steel Many more for immediate FREE download in the app including several drumkits, Mellotron, basses, banjo, tabla, ukelele, guitars and more! Go to the Sound menu under Download Samples....

About

Fugue Machine

This music sequencer uses multiple playheads to create complex melodic patterns inspired by Baroque and serialist composition techniques. Manipulate speed, direction, and pitch to generate unique soundscapes.

Highlights
  • Multi-playhead piano roll
  • Manipulate speed, direction, and pitch
  • Create complex melodic patterns
  • Inspired by Baroque and serialist music
  • Supports MIDI, AUv3 MIDI, Ableton Link
  • Inter-App Audio and Audiobus compatibility
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

A music sequencer reimagined with multiple playheads. "How Bach would have made a sequencer." (Create Digital Music) "A musical feat." (Creator's Project) "A new approach to sequencing." (XLR8R) "A next generation music sequencer." (Ask Audio) Fugue Machine Classic is a tool inspired by composition techniques used in Baroque music and Serialism — e.g. Bach’s canons and fugues, and Schoenberg’s twelve-tone technique. The idea was to design a tool to manipulate a melody’s speed, direction, and pitch, as well as play multiple variations of the melody simultaneously. As it turned out, the best implementation for this was to reimagine one of the most fundamental building blocks of all music sequencers: the piano roll. Fugue Machine Classic is the world’s first multi-playhead piano roll. Create a music sequence and play it back with up to four playheads at once — each at various speeds, directions, pitches, and more. Watch the playheads dance, and hear the complex patterns that emerge. It’s mesmerizing. Fugue Machine Classic supports iPhone, iPad, MIDI, AUv3 MIDI, Ableton Link, Audiobus, Audiobus 3 MIDI, and Inter-App Audio. Thanks to the AUv3 standard, you can run multiple instances of Fugue Machine Classic on a single device when hosted in an AUv3 MIDI host app — like AUM, Logic Pro for iPad, Loopy Pro, and Cubasis.

Screenshots

ThumbJam4 screens
Fugue Machine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ThumbJam at $6.99 against Fugue Machine's $19.99. ThumbJam also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.0). Fugue Machine's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 4 months) and chart position (#137 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

ThumbJam costs $6.99 and Fugue Machine $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Fugue Machine holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 220 and 623 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of ThumbJam's written reviews are positive against 90% of Fugue Machine's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ThumbJam ships an update every 4 months, Fugue Machine every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
ThumbJam versus Fugue Machine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThumbJamFugue Machine
Price$6.99 — better$19.99
Rating4.7 (220 ratings)4.9 (623 ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.6% of reviews90.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings220623 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#137 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size215 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSonosaurus LLCAlexandernaut

Customer experience

ThumbJam

All ratings218 ratings
Positive90.4%
Neutral3.2%
Negative6.4%
Written reviews298 reviews
Positive84.6%
Neutral4.4%
Negative11.1%

Fugue Machine

All ratings623 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.4%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews238 reviews
Positive90.3%
Neutral5.0%
Negative4.6%

Bugs and requests

ThumbJam

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Instrument muting when switching apps or opening help
  • Inconsistent behavior and freezing after recent updates
  • Inability to load/save recorded sets or mixes

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add chord mode for easier chord playing
  • Improve loop recording and syncing capabilities
  • Implement quantization options for tighter timing
  • Expand instrument library with more diverse sounds
  • Add support for Audio Unit (AUv3) to integrate with DAWs
Show 1 more
  • Improve interface for adjusting octave/span across multiple instruments

Fugue Machine

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ThumbJam

No in-app purchases

None

Fugue Machine

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ThumbJam free?
ThumbJam costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fugue Machine free?
Fugue Machine costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ThumbJam or Fugue Machine?
Fugue Machine is rated higher. ThumbJam averages 4.7 out of 5 from 220 ratings, while Fugue Machine averages 4.9 from 623 ratings.
Do ThumbJam or Fugue Machine have ads?
Neither ThumbJam nor Fugue Machine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ThumbJam or Fugue Machine?
ThumbJam ships an update every 4 months, and Fugue Machine every 8 days. Most recently, ThumbJam was updated on October 21, 2026 and Fugue Machine on October 22, 2026.

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