# ThumbJam vs Fugue Machine

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 (#199 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | ThumbJam | Fugue Machine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$6.99** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (220 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thumbjam/id338977566/reviews) | **[4.9 (623 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fugue-machine-midi-sequencer/id1014191410/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 220 | **623** |
| Positive reviews | 84.6% of reviews | **90.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#199** |
| Size | 215 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sonosaurus LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/338977569) | [Alexandernaut](https://appshunter.io/developer/508173422) |

## What reviewers say

### ThumbJam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thumbjam/id338977566)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Great sound quality
- 🎹 Versatile and expressive instrument
- 🎶 Excellent for music creation and improvisation
- 💻 Powerful MIDI capabilities
- 🎨 Realistic instrument samples

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of chord mode
- 🔢 Difficulty with precise note selection
- 🔀 Issues with loop recording and syncing
- 🔋 Battery drain concerns
- 🚫 Compatibility problems with newer devices/OS

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Fugue Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fugue-machine-midi-sequencer/id1014191410)

**Currently charting:** #199 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


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