Pad MIDI vs Chords Pad
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pad MIDI
Transform your iPhone or iPad into a versatile MIDI controller. It offers wireless and USB connectivity, customizable pads, and a full piano keyboard for your music production needs. Requires external hardware or software to generate sound.
- Bluetooth and USB MIDI support
- 16 assignable MIDI pads
- Full 88-key piano keyboard
- Selectable MIDI channel and velocity
- CC and Program Change controllers
- MIDI message log/debugger
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Pad MIDI turns your iPhone/iPad into MIDI pads and keyboard for your synth or DAW * Supports Bluetooth wireless / USB MIDI * Supports native Mac OS Network MIDI (Core MIDI) * 16 assignable / nameable MIDI pads * Full 88 key piano * Selectable MIDI channel and velocity * CC / Program change controllers * MIDI message log / debugger * Requires external synth or plugin to produce sound Learn how to connect here: http://support.thirteen32.com/apps/padmidi/
Chords Pad
Explore musical chords with an interactive keyboard display and customizable pads. Visualize chord tones, experiment with progressions, and play notes via MIDI. Unlock advanced features and sounds through in-app purchases.
- Chord tone display on keyboard
- Customizable chord pads
- Chord progression builder
- MIDI Bluetooth support
- Multiple chord list layouts
- Adjustable keyboard range
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This app can easily check the sound and the display on the keyboard of the chord tone of musical chords. We have prepared various UI for checking the chords. Use the method that suits you. - Pad Display - Chord List - Pad Display - Custom Pad - Chord Progress [Chord List] You can select from the following patterns for the chord button list display. It supports chord reordering and toggling chord visibility. - Each key : Displays all types of chord patterns in a list for each key - Vertical : Displays all types of chord patterns vertically and each key horizontally - Horizontal : Displays all types of chord patterns horizontally with each key vertically [Custom pad] Larger buttons than the chord list are arranged. You can freely set the chord and key for each button. [Chord Progress] Add common chord progressions from presets or create your own. You can also edit individual chords, transpose, reorder, and delete chord progressions. In either case, when the chord button is tapped, the selected chord is played and the chord tone is displayed on the keyboard. * If you'd like to display all the chord patterns including tension (b9, # 9, 11, # 11, b13, 13), You need In-App Purchase. [Chord inversion area] When you select a chord in "Chord List" or "Custom Pad," its root position and inversions appear below the chord button area. Example: - CM7 : C E G B (Root position) - CM7/E : E G B C - CM7/G : G B C E - CM7/B : B C E G The note after "/" indicates the bass note. Scroll horizontally through the inversions and tap a button to play it and display its notes on the keyboard. The inversion area for "Custom Pad" can be shown or hidden with "Inversion display" in Settings. Other features: - Supports chord reordering and toggling chord visibility in the "Chord List". ([Settings screen] - [Edit Chord List]) - The keyboard can be slid with the slider. (range: C2 ~ C7) And the keyboard also supports playing. - There are 28 types in all kinds of sound. (It is 9 kinds can be used in the initial state. To use all type, you need In-App Purchase.) - Supports Bluetooth MIDI connection. - Supports sending MIDI messages (note on / off). Chord list: M, 7, 7(b5), 7(#5), 6, 6 9, 9, add9, M7, M9, M7(b5), M7(#5), m, m6, m6 9, m(#5), m add9, m7, mM7, m7(b5), m7(#5), m9, mM9, aug, dim, dim7, sus4, 7sus4, 9sus4, M7sus4, M9sus4, sus2, 7sus2, M7sus2 (To use below, you need In-App Purchase.) 7(b9), 7(#9), 7(#11), 7(b13), 7(13), 7(b9 #11), 7(b9 b13), 7(b9 13), 9(#11), 9(b13), 9(13), 7(#9 #11), 7(#9 b13), 7(#9 13), M7(#11), M9(#11), M7(13), M9(13), m7(11), m7(13), m9(11), m7(b5 11), m7(b5 13) If you would like to create more flexible chord progressions or compose music using chords, try iOS app "Piano Chords Master".
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chords Pad at 77% against Pad MIDI's 26%. Chords Pad also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and rating (4.9 vs 3.0). Pad MIDI's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On update cadence and device support 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
Chords Pad is free to download; Pad MIDI costs $0.99 up front. Chords Pad sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Pad MIDI asks for nothing beyond the download.
Chords Pad holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chords Pad has 96 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Pad MIDI's written reviews are positive against 77% of Chords Pad's.
Pad MIDI ships an update every 2 months, Chords Pad every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pad MIDI | Chords Pad |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.0 (1 ratings) | 4.9 (96 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 26.3% of reviews | 77.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 96 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 28 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Thirteen32 Pty Ltd | Loop-Sessions.LLC. |
Customer experience
Pad MIDI
Chords Pad
Bugs and requests
Pad MIDI
Reported bugs
14 issues- App stays on loading page
- App crashes after splash screen
- App crashes on startup
- App won't load
- App won't open
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- No sound output
- Ads cannot be escaped
- Accidentally clicked remove ad, needs refund
- Ads couldn't be clicked out of
- Notes don't work
- Cannot connect to software
- App crashes when loading
- App crashes when opening
- App automatically closes
Requested features
10 requests- Multi-touch support
- Turn phone display off and maintain connectivity
- Assign velocity to saved pads
- Numerical velocity input
- Customizable button colors/styles
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- XY pad or faders/rotary encoders
- More pages and knobs
- Instructional video for setup
- Support for newer software versions
- USB connection for reduced latency
Chords Pad
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Pad MIDI
No in-app purchases
Chords Pad
- All sounds are available$0.99
- Available sending MIDI message$0.99
- All chords are available$2.49
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- Always remove ads.$7.99
Questions
Is Pad MIDI free?
Is Chords Pad free?
Which has better reviews, Pad MIDI or Chords Pad?
Do Pad MIDI or Chords Pad have ads?
Which is updated more often, Pad MIDI or Chords Pad?
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