Comparison

FunkBox Drum Machine vs SAGA Synth | 16

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

Head to head
About

FunkBox Drum Machine

This app offers a collection of vintage drum machine sounds for composing, recording, and performing music. It allows users to create custom drum kits, edit patterns, and export loops. It's compatible with various iOS devices and integrates with other music apps and hardware.

Highlights
  • Vintage drum machine sounds
  • Compose, record, and play music
  • Create custom drum boxes
  • Edit and create rhythm patterns
  • Export audio and MIDI loops
  • Audiobus 3 and Inter-App Audio support
  • Ableton Link and CoreMIDI sync
Currently charting
Read full description

Funkbox contains all your favorite vintage drum machine sounds in one funky quirky little app! FunkBox is a full featured drum machine that you can use to compose, record and play your songs live. It has been used in the studio by electronic artists such as Gorillaz (on their album “The Fall”) Tom Middleton (Global Communications, Jedi Knights) and Steve Cobby (Fila Brazillia), and also by alternative/indie musicians such as tUnE-yArDs, Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, QOTSA), Anton Newcombe (Brian Jonestown Massacre), and Reggie Pace (Bon Iver, No BS Brass). It's also been used on stage by rock/pop musicians such as Joan Osborne and Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) live in concert. Its quirky vintage sounds, ease of use and advanced features have made it popular with many musicians worldwide who use it to make all sorts of different styles of music. FunkBox was featured in Computer Music Magazine's "Amazing Music Apps" special issue and Electronic Musician magazine's "Attack of the Killer Apps" best music tools for the iPad. 

FunkBox 4.0 features: The look, feel, sound and quirks of a classic vintage drum machine. iOS 10 compatible, iPhone 5 retina graphics compatible, iPad retina graphics compatible.
 Universal app that works great on iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. Buy it once and you can use it on all your iOS devices. Fourteen classic boxes to choose from, including favorites like the 808, 909, CR-78, LM-2, MRK-2, DX, TOM, and more. 
Create your own custom boxes by mix and matching preset samples, or even import and use your own custom samples. Includes 36 preset rhythm patterns, plus several more bonus banks. Easily edit the included patterns to create your own beats.
 Export your drum loops as audio or midi via email, audio pasteboard, or the iTunes folder. Easily share your custom boxes and patterns via email with your friends, or between your devices. Use Audiobus 3 and Inter-App Audio to exchange live audio with other apps. 
Use Ableton Link or CoreMIDI to sync up with “real” music equipment or other music apps, multi-tasking in the background or on other nearby iOS devices. 
Use the bonus MIDI bass sequencer to play a bassline along with your beat using another iOS app or a “real” hardware synth! 
…and lots more. Need some old school beats? Grab yourself some funk in a box.

About

SAGA Synth | 16

This app provides a 16-bit retro video game synthesizer with over 350 presets. It allows for the creation of expressive pads, sound effects, drums, and leads, and can be used as a standalone app or an AUv3 plugin. Record and export your creations as WAV files.

Highlights
  • 16-bit retro video game synth
  • Over 350+ presets
  • Standalone app & AUv3 plugin
  • Step sequencer
  • Audio recording and export
  • MIDI keyboard support
  • Ableton Link
Features
Read full description

"SAGA SYNTH IS THE MOST FUN MUSIC APP ON THE PLANET!" – The GarageBand Guide SAGA Synth is a super-fun retro 16-bit video game synth More than chiptunes, you can use this synth for amazing and expressive pads, sound fx, drums, leads, and more! Make your music stand out with real 16-bit retro video game power. Created from 5 different vintage hardware YM2616 sound chips for the greatest collection of 16-bit sounds ever produced. We put lots of love into making this app. Ready Player One? Press a Key to take your music to the next level! REQUIRES iOS 14 and ABOVE! Thank you. :) Includes over 350+ Presets by MobyPixel, Electronisounds, Red Sky Lullaby, Gavinski, The GarageBand Guide, DJ Puzzle, The Audio Dabbler, Sound of Izrael, Marc Hupkens, AnalogMatthew, Brian Funk, Shazaam the Producer and more. Features custom-created sounds for this app, made from vintage retro gaming hardware. Learn More & Watch Videos: audiokitpro.com/sagasynth SAGA SYNTH is available only on iOS and iPadOS. FEATURES: • Standalone app & iOS AUv3 Plugin • Over 350+ presets to inspire you • Fun free-running step sequencer • Exclusive sound sources made for this app • New, more stable AudioKit code • 16-bit Synth, Drum, and Sound FX sounds included • Over 600+ Mb of sounds compressed to under 150 Mb • Audio recording, record your sounds then export wav files! No other apps needed • Use as an iOS Plug-in in hosts like GarageBand, AUM, Cubasis, Beatmaker 3, and more • Use with MIDI keyboard or iOS MIDI host • Ableton Link SAGA Synth is the first of the next generation of AudioKit Pro apps, written from the ground up with a focus on playability and amazing sound. We've added rock-solid sequencer timing, improved AUv3 support, easy standalone recording, and much more. It's created with lots of love. + iPhone & iPad versions included for one low price ++ BONUS: Includes sounds from the best-selling Ableton 16-Bit Video Game sound packs by Brian Funk. For the first time on iOS! More Info: www.audiokitpro.com/sagasynth ### AudioKit is an open-source project intended to bring joy and music to people, and enlighten people on how to build custom instruments and iOS apps. All product names, images, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners, including SEGA Corporation, Yamaha Corporation, Twisted Electrons, MEGAfm, Genesis, MegaDrive, and others, which are in no way associated or affiliated with the creators of this app, including AudioKit, Brian Funk, AudioKit Pro, LLC, and the other contributors. Product names are used solely for the purpose of identifying specific products related to hardware, synthesizers, sampling, sound design, and music-making. Use of these names and images does not imply any cooperation or endorsement, including SEGA Corporation, Yamaha Corporation, Twisted Electrons, MEGAfm, Genesis, MegaDrive, and others. We thank them for their incredible hardware and instruments.

Screenshots

FunkBox Drum Machine4 screens
SAGA Synth | 164 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SAGA Synth | 16 at 4.9 against FunkBox Drum Machine's 4.2. SAGA Synth | 16 also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (442 vs 70). FunkBox Drum Machine's advantage is chart position (#138 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 14.4). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

FunkBox Drum Machine costs $4.99 and SAGA Synth | 16 $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SAGA Synth | 16 holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SAGA Synth | 16 has 442 ratings behind it against 70, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of FunkBox Drum Machine's written reviews are positive against 89% of SAGA Synth | 16's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FunkBox Drum Machine ships an update every 2 months, SAGA Synth | 16 monthly. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
FunkBox Drum Machine versus SAGA Synth | 16: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFunkBox Drum MachineSAGA Synth | 16
Price$4.99$3.99 — better
Rating4.2 (70 ratings)4.9 (442 ratings) — better
Positive reviews81.1% of reviews89.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings70442 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#138 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.3 — better14.4
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB121 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSynthetic Bits, LLCAudioKit Pro

Customer experience

FunkBox Drum Machine

All ratings70 ratings
Positive81.4%
Neutral4.3%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews180 reviews
Positive81.1%
Neutral8.3%
Negative10.6%

SAGA Synth | 16

All ratings435 ratings
Positive98.9%
Neutral0.9%
Negative0.2%
Written reviews73 reviews
Positive89.0%
Neutral1.4%
Negative9.6%

User reviews

FunkBox Drum Machine

From 70 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Excellent little classic drum machine with sequencer
  • 👍 Great for messing around with some beats offline
  • 👍 Usability and interface are superb (even moreso on an iPad)
  • 👍 Samples sound good
  • 👍 Fun, fast and simple keep inspiration at the forefront

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes whenever trying to open settings
  • 🐛 App won't close, have to reboot every time
  • 🐛 Saving patterns not working, crashes
  • 🐛 Cannot access the settings, puts me back to Home Screen
  • 🐛 Midi is a pain, always asks about Bluetooth, doesn't stay set

SAGA Synth | 16

From 442 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎶 Awesome retro sounds
  • 👍 Great creation methods
  • 🎨 Versatile and fun
  • 🎨 More than just game sounds
  • 👍 Tons of presets

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Midi not working properly
  • 🐛 Sequencer issues with recording
  • 🐛 Keyboard issues and bugs
  • 🐛 Crashes and stability problems
  • 🤔 Not true 16-bit emulation

Bugs and requests

FunkBox Drum Machine

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes on iOS 7 for iPhone 5s
  • Presets disappearing after update, unable to load saved banks

Requested features

11 requests
  • Please refresh and update the app a bit
  • Add ability to customize drum sounds beyond just volume and panning
  • Implement copy/paste functionality for sequences
  • Allow programming in 3/4 time signature
  • Add ability to adjust the pitch and tuning of drum sounds
Show 6 more
  • Implement song mode to chain patterns together
  • Add ability to export each instrument as a separate WAV file
  • Implement Ableton Link support
  • Add ability to adjust the speed of the roll button
  • Implement more effects and sound manipulation options
  • Add a drop-down list for recalling presets instead of individual buttons

SAGA Synth | 16

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes when too many favorites
  • Overlapping UI elements on phones

Requested features

3 requests
  • Export to Famitone music file
  • macOS version
  • Improved quantization

In-app purchases

None

FunkBox Drum Machine

No in-app purchases

None

SAGA Synth | 16

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FunkBox Drum Machine free?
FunkBox Drum Machine costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SAGA Synth | 16 free?
SAGA Synth | 16 costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FunkBox Drum Machine or SAGA Synth | 16?
SAGA Synth | 16 is rated higher. FunkBox Drum Machine averages 4.2 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while SAGA Synth | 16 averages 4.9 from 442 ratings.
Do FunkBox Drum Machine or SAGA Synth | 16 have ads?
Neither FunkBox Drum Machine nor SAGA Synth | 16 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FunkBox Drum Machine or SAGA Synth | 16?
FunkBox Drum Machine ships an update every 2 months, and SAGA Synth | 16 monthly. Most recently, FunkBox Drum Machine was updated on October 21, 2026 and SAGA Synth | 16 on October 21, 2026.

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