Comparison

Reactable mobile vs Ableton Note

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

Head to head
About

Reactable mobile

Create and improvise electronic music visually on your mobile device. This app offers a full range of sound generation, modification, and control objects, inspired by the renowned interactive Reactable instrument. Access exclusive content and remix tracks from other musicians.

Highlights
  • Visual music creation
  • Sound generation objects
  • Sound effect objects
  • Parameter control objects
  • Global table settings
  • Remixing and sharing
  • Reactable Community access
Features
Read full description

PLEASE NOTE: If you have an iPad Air/Air2, iPad Mini 2/3/4, or iPad Pro, we strongly recommend you to download Reactable ROTOR instead of Reactable mobile! ROTOR is the new App by Reactable Systems that turns the iPad into a comprehensive electronic music performance suite. Using the optional ROTOR controllers, which can be purchased separately, it also brings the reactable tangible music experience for the first time into the iPad. More info at www.reactable.com/rotor Create and improvise music in an intuitive and visual way. This app brings the full creative power of the internationally awarded interactive Reactable instrument used by renowned musicians like Björk to your mobile device. All Reactable mobile users get access to exclusive content. Download and remix original tables by Oliver Huntemann, Nortec Collective Bostich+Fussible, Amo+Navas, Gui Boratto and many more. SPECIAL MENTIONS • Top 10 Music App Worldwide by App Store • New And Noteworthy by Apple • Featured in Best Music Apps by iTunes Rewind • App of the week and Hall of fame App • 2nd and 3rd Best Music App Ever by Best App Ever • Interactive category nomination by BI Designs of the Year *Reactable Mobile* enables you not only to create your own sound tables but also to act as producer by remixing tables of fellow Reactable musicians, adding your personal touch and share it again in a seamless way. Based on the very same audio and graphics engine as the Reactable, the mobile version brings a complete range of objects to multi-touch devices: • Generate sound with a set of generator objects including are loop players, synthesizers, oscillators and input object. • Modify generated sounds with a set of effect objects including wave shapers, delays, modulators and filters. • Modify other objects parameters with a set of controller objects including sequencers, LFOs and accelerometer. • Modify the settings of the entire table with a set of global objects including tempo, volume and tonalizer. The new version gives you mobile access to the brand new *Reactable Community* where you’ll be able to listen and remix tracks created by your friends and musicians, to watch videos of their performances, to comment and to share your favorites. “Reactable for the iOS is awesome! If you are into synthesis it’s a must have app. I’ve been jamming all night!” — Jordan Rudess “[…] a quality product for people serious with their music making.” — Chris O’Shea FOLLOW US Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Reactable Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/reactable Google+: http://gplus.to/reactable Note: as this application uses both graphic and audio resources extensively, recent devices will provide the best user experience.

About

Ableton Note

Create musical ideas with curated sounds and effects. Build beats, melodies, and sample your surroundings. Seamlessly transfer your projects to Ableton Live for further development.

Highlights
  • Create beats and melodies
  • Sample sounds with phone microphone
  • MIDI Editor for sequencing
  • Transfer projects to Ableton Live
  • 76 Drum Sampler kits
  • 317 synth sounds
Read full description

Start new musical ideas with a curated selection of sounds and effects. Create beats and melodic parts, sample your world, and continue your tracks in Ableton Live. Note is a place to form ideas, explore new sounds and find direction. Get your ideas out or just experiment until inspiration hits, using a selection of Ableton Live’s drum kits, synths and melodic instruments. Create your own sound palette by sampling with your phone’s built-in microphone. And use Note’s built-in MIDI Editor to sequence notes, beats and chords or make tweaks as you listen back Follow your ideas wherever they lead by sending your projects to Live without leaving the app with the help of Ableton Cloud. Open projects from Live’s browser and keep working – you can edit all your MIDI notes, and all your samples and sounds from Note are exactly the same. Ableton Note users get a free license for Ableton Live Lite – simple, intuitive software used by musicians, producers and DJs around the world to write, record, and perform. For Ableton Move users, Note also offers the chance to keep working on a Set from your phone. Begin with a beat: • Choose from 76 Drum Sampler kits • Tap out a beat using the 16-pad grid, or sequence one with the MIDI Editor • Play each drum hit melodically using 16 Pitches mode • Quantize your beat or nudge notes to fix loose timing or mistakes • Add more layers of rhythm • Create beat repetitions with Note Repeat • Change parameters to shape your sound • Experiment with effects or apply swing for variations Start with a melody: • Choose from 317 synth sounds and 60 Melodic Sampler instruments • Play or program your melody or chord progression with the 25-pad grid, piano roll or MIDI Editor • Set a key and scale to get instantly harmonic results • Add more layers of harmony • Change parameters to shape your sound • Add effects to experiment with sound design Sample your environment: • Create your own kits by recording percussive sounds into Note’s Drum Sampler • Record tonal sounds to create your own Melodic Sampler instruments • Manipulate your samples by cutting, filtering or repitching them • Sequence samples into beats, melodies and chords using the MIDI Editor • Shape or transform your sounds with effects • Import your own samples or audio directly from videos Work with Audio • Add audio clips from the library • Warp tempo or adjust pitch of your clips • Record audio directly using your phone’s built-in microphone • Connect an audio interface to record external sources • Combine recorded and imported audio with your beats and melodies Capture improvisations: • Play something, then tap the Capture button to keep it • Play at a tempo that feels comfortable and Note will detect it • Note will recognize the length of the phrase and create a loop • Quantize it, add to it, or change the sound • Connect MIDI hardware to play keys and change the sound of your instruments Create variations: • Note features a grid-based Session View layout • Double your loops to create variation within clips • Duplicate your clips and create different versions of your ideas • Add, delete or adjust multiple notes at once with the MIDI Editor • Create eight tracks with up to eight clips on eight scenes • Try different clip combinations and song structures • Export your work as an audio file to listen and share

Screenshots

Reactable mobile4 screens
Ableton Note4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Ableton Note at 4.2 against Reactable mobile's 3.6. Ableton Note also leads on ratings volume (676 vs 19) and chart position (#7 vs unranked). Reactable mobile's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $6.99) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence, 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

Reactable mobile costs $4.99 and Ableton Note $6.99 up front. Reactable mobile sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Ableton Note sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ableton Note holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ableton Note has 676 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Reactable mobile's written reviews are positive against 72% of Ableton Note's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reactable mobile ships an update every 2 months, Ableton Note monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Reactable mobile versus Ableton Note: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReactable mobileAbleton Note
Price$4.99 — better$6.99
Rating3.6 (19 ratings)4.2 (676 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.9% of reviews72.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings19676 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#7 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB1007 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperReactable Systems SLAbleton AG

Customer experience

Reactable mobile

All ratings19 ratings
Positive57.9%
Neutral15.8%
Negative26.3%
Written reviews582 reviews
Positive63.9%
Neutral9.6%
Negative26.5%

Ableton Note

All ratings676 ratings
Positive78.4%
Neutral10.8%
Negative10.8%
Written reviews477 reviews
Positive72.3%
Neutral13.8%
Negative13.8%

User reviews

Reactable mobile

From 19 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful and innovative
  • 🎨 Unique and creative interface
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🎶 Excellent sound quality
  • 💡 Versatile and customizable

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 🤔 Limited functionality and features
  • 📚 Lack of clear instructions and documentation
  • 💸 Expensive for the current state

Ableton Note

From 676 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Intuitive workflow
  • 🎨 Great sound quality
  • 🤝 Seamless Ableton Live integration
  • 💰 Affordable price
  • 🔥 Inspiring for creativity

Room to improve

  • 🔇 No audio track support
  • 🎹 Limited note editing capabilities
  • ⏱️ Bluetooth latency issues
  • 🔢 Restricted to 4/4 time signature
  • 🔧 Lacking some advanced features

Bugs and requests

Reactable mobile

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes when downloading community tables
  • Syncing and latency issues with external audio
  • Compatibility problems with older iOS devices
  • Graphical glitches and UI elements overlapping

Requested features

5 requests
  • More sequencer and oscillator modules
  • Ability to record and export compositions
  • Support for importing custom samples and loops
  • Audiobus and MIDI integration
  • More detailed tutorial and user guide

Ableton Note

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional loss of unsaved work
  • Freezing issues when editing clips

Requested features

6 requests
  • Audio track support
  • Expanded note editing tools
  • Midi controller support
  • More effects and synth options
  • Time signature flexibility
Show 1 more
  • Ability to import samples from Ableton Live

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Reactable mobile

One-time10
  • Loop (1 of 2)$0.99
  • Loop (2 of 2)$0.99
  • Sampler (1 of 2)$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Oscillator (1 of 2)$0.99
  • Waveshaper (1 of 3)$0.99
  • Delay (1 of 2)$0.99
  • Filter (1 of 2)$0.99
  • Sequencer (1 of 2)$0.99
  • Sequencer (2 of 2)$0.99
  • All objects pack$4.99
1 purchases

Ableton Note

One-time1
  • Drift In-App Purchase$3.99

Questions

Is Reactable mobile free?
Reactable mobile costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Ableton Note free?
Ableton Note costs $6.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Reactable mobile or Ableton Note?
Ableton Note is rated higher. Reactable mobile averages 3.6 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Ableton Note averages 4.2 from 676 ratings.
Do Reactable mobile or Ableton Note have ads?
Neither Reactable mobile nor Ableton Note shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reactable mobile or Ableton Note?
Reactable mobile ships an update every 2 months, and Ableton Note monthly. Most recently, Reactable mobile was updated on October 2, 2026 and Ableton Note on October 1, 2026.

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