MIDIKeys vs Bluetooth Midi Keyboard
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MIDIKeys
This app acts as a virtual MIDI keyboard controller, allowing you to send MIDI messages to synthesizer apps and hardware. It offers customizable velocity, octave transposition, and tilt controls for expression.
- Virtual MIDI keyboard
- Send MIDI messages
- Octave transposition
- Adjustable velocity
- Tilt expression control
- Customizable MIDI channel
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MIDIKeys is a MIDI keyboard controller that can be used to send MIDI messages to synthesizer apps and hardware MIDI synthesizers. MIDIKeys doesn't produce any sound on its own, it is for playing hardware or software VST-style MIDI synthesizers via MIDI hardware interfaces connected to the iPhone dock connector or virtual MIDI instruments like IK Multimedia SampleTank® for iOS or ThumbJam running in the background on your iPhone. The entire range may be transposed up or down (up to a three octave limit) by touching the 8va -/+ buttons on the main screen. Touching the display for the transpose value between the octave shift buttons resets the transpose to C3 (60). Both fixed or variable note MIDI Note On event velocity based on touch position within the key are available as options on the settings page. While playing, you may also optionally send real-time volume, expression, modulation, or wind controller MIDI messages by tilting the iPhone/iPod Touch to the right or left. Set the transmit channel using the MIDI Channel slider. Any channel from 1-16 may be selected. Channel 1 is the default. Choose between "Omni" sending MIDI data to all CoreMIDI apps or "Virtual Port" sending to a named CoreMIDI virtual output port. When the "Virtual Port option is selected, MIDIKeys will show up as an input option labeled "MIDIKeys" in apps that support virtual ports like Sonosaurus ThumbJam and MIDIBridge. "Omni" mode is selected by default. Note-on events may be sent with either a fixed or variable velocity based on where you touch on the key. Set the maximum velocity using the Velocity slider. Any value from 0-127 may be selected. Default value is 100. Select between fixed or variable velocity mapped to the touch position using the selector. When the velocity is mapped to touch, the minimum velocity is approximately 10% of the value set on the Velocity slider and the max is 100% of the value. Touching lower or higher on the key (area below the black keys only for the white keys) results in lower or higher velocity values sent in the MIDI Note On event for the key. Black key highest velocity starts at the bottom of the key and gets lower as you touch higher. MIDIKeys can send Volume, Expression, Modulation, or Breath Control message by tilting the device to the right or left. Select a controller on the Tilt Controller selector. Default is no controller messages. When a controller is enabled, tilting the device to the right or left will send the selected controller messages to the external device. Values increase as the device is tilted farther to the right. You may set the tilt sensitivity using the Tilt Sensitivity slider. The range is from 1 to 4, with higher values being more sensitive. Default value is 1.5. If you ever have "stuck" notes, you may touch the "Shhh" icon on the main screen to send a MIDI "All Notes Off" message and stop the sounds. All settings are saved when exiting MIDIKeys and restored the next time it is run.
Bluetooth Midi Keyboard
Transform your iPhone or iPad into a wireless MIDI keyboard. Control your favorite music software and hardware from your device using Bluetooth Low Energy. Offers customizable note settings and velocity sensitivity for expressive playing.
- Wireless MIDI keyboard
- Bluetooth Low Energy MIDI
- Selectable base note
- Selectable number of notes
- Velocity sensitive
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Bluetooth Midi Keyboard turns your iOS and iPadOS devices in a wireless keyboard. Play your iOS, iPadOS, desktop or hardware BLE Midi DAWs and instruments from your iPhone and iPad. -Selectable base note. -Selectable number of notes. -Velocity sensitive. -Bluetooth Low Energy Midi. How does it works: Push connect button and in the opened view turn on the switch button. This will make your device discoverable by your Bluetooth MIDI Host, connect it from it and you will can play your MIDI Host from B.M.K.. If your MIDI Host don't support Bluetooth MIDI there are some free apps on the market that creates virtual Bluetooth MIDI Ports. B.M.K.. uses MIDI channel 1. Demo video on the developer's page.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: MIDIKeys at every 6 weeks against Bluetooth Midi Keyboard's every 33 months. MIDIKeys also leads on rating (3.4 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (16 vs 4). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
MIDIKeys holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of MIDIKeys's written reviews are positive against 67% of Bluetooth Midi Keyboard's.
MIDIKeys ships an update every 6 weeks, Bluetooth Midi Keyboard every 33 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MIDIKeys | Bluetooth Midi Keyboard |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.4 (16 ratings) — better | 3.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 16 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 33 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Michael Eskin | pablo lopez |
Customer experience
MIDIKeys
Bluetooth Midi Keyboard
In-app purchases
MIDIKeys
No in-app purchases
Bluetooth Midi Keyboard
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is MIDIKeys free?
Is Bluetooth Midi Keyboard free?
Which has better reviews, MIDIKeys or Bluetooth Midi Keyboard?
Do MIDIKeys or Bluetooth Midi Keyboard have ads?
Which is updated more often, MIDIKeys or Bluetooth Midi Keyboard?
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